Wake County history hit. For our Sunday reading, let’s take a deep dive into the story of New Hope Station 2 (now their main station) and Wendell Station 2. Turning the clock back at the fall of 1987, when county commissioners considered proposals to add fire protection to the so-called “no man’s land” in eastern Wake County.

Some 6,300 people lived in the area that was surrounded by four volunteer fire departments: New Hope, Knightdale, Rolesville, and Wendell. But each was more than five miles away, which meant longer response times and higher insurance rates.

Reported the News & Observer during that period, each department answered calls in the area under a “cooperative agreement,” but their trucks had to travel “seven or eight miles over congested roads” to reach the area.

Two of the departments, New Hope and Wendell, each wanted to establish “substations” in the heart of the area, which could “support only one department.” And the “winner would receive the right to tax property valued at $100.”

But the issue had proved difficult to resolve, because both New Hope and Wendell had been serving the area for 30 years and without receiving any tax revenue.

One homeowner was cited as paying about $400 per year for insurance in the “rural, unrated fire district.” That meant they had the highest insurance premium bracket.

But if the area became an “official fire district,” insurance on a $100,000 home could drop as much as $175, noted the story.

Source: News & Observer, September 7, 1987.

Before We Continue

For this narrative:

• “New Hope” refers to “Wake New Hope Fire Department”
• “Wendell” refers to “Wendell Holmes Fire Department”
• “Knightdale” refers to “Knightdale Volunteer Fire Department”
• “Rolesville” refers to “Rolesville Rural Fire Department.”

They were private, non-profit organizations that provided fire protection to unincorporated areas of the county, as well as contracted fire protection for the three municipalities, in the case of Knightdale, Rolesville, and Wendell.

Backstory

In January 1987, New Hope asked the county [via the county fire commission, presumably] for permission to build a substation at Old Milburnie Road and Watkins Town Road, near the edge of their current district, and covering about half of the “no man’s land.”

Said New Hope Fire Chief Jeff Mullen in later news reports, their department needed the “no man’s land” to stay in business, as more than half of their district had been annexed by Raleigh and was being served by the city. New Hope had been operating for 30 years and if they couldn’t open a substation and receive fire tax revenues, their department would have to disband.

New Hope’s request was not well received by Knightdale, Rolesville, and Wendell, it was later reported. They had always served that area without receiving tax money.

Wendell then asked the county [via the county fire commission, presumably] for permission to add their own substation in that area.

What was the call volume like the no man’s land?

Wendell Assistant Chief Thomas Coley said in later news reports that their department fought about 20 fires in that part of the “non-district” last year. The volume of calls answered by New Hope was greater, noted Chief Mullen, as many as 100 in the past year, though that included rescue calls.[1]

[1] New Hope also operated a rescue unit, Wendell did not. 

Source: News & Observer, September 7, 1987.

Enter The Fire Commission

On April 15, 1987, the Wake County Fire Commission received the proposals from New Hope and Wendell. New Hope proposed a ten-bay, “five unit” station. Wendell proposed a two-bay, “two-unit” station.

Wendell argued that their proposal for a smaller station was all that was needed in the sparsely-populated area, and all that could be supported by fire taxes from the district. Their plan was also supported by Rolesville and Knightdale.

The fire commission rejected the New Hope plan and backed the Wendell plan. Fire commission chairmen Ken Farmer later explained, “Wendell had historically provided the area’s fire protection.”

Also, based on projected growth of Raleigh, the New Hope substation would be overtaken by the city within 10 to 15 years. “Survivability [was] just more likely if Wendell [established] the station.”

Said Fire Chief Tom Vaughan, most of the area was not in a fire district and residents didn’t pay fire taxes. But his department and other eastern Wake County departments have been responding to calls there for 30 or 40 years.

Both Knightdale and Rolesville had also requested to extend their districts from four to five miles, now permitted through state legislation passed last year. Both would lose some territory to the new Wendell station, so the three departments were working together to prevent Knightdale and Rolesville from “a drop in tax revenues.”

Wendell’s new district would be about four miles in size, stretching from Rolesville’s district to the north, Knightdale’s district to the east, and south to Highway 64. Vaughan said there were some 35-40 calls in the area in 1986.

Residents in the area had expressed interest in having a fire station. Vaughan expected to recruit 15 to 20 firefighters in the area. Automatic mutual aid agreements would be set up with the three surrounding districts. Residents would likely receive a 10 to 15 percent reduction in fire insurance rates. Plus, other benefits such as immediate reduction in response times and an increase in amount of property and number of lives saved.

Source: Gold Leaf Farmer, April 30, 1987, June 25, 1987

Commissioners Asked To Resolve Dispute

On Monday, June 1, 1987, both New Hope and Wendell appeared before county commissioners, asking for their help in settling the dispute over who should serve the area in question. From the meeting minutes, some of what happened included:

Fire Marshal Rick Hall appeared and displayed a map showing fire district boundaries. He said that the response of county fire departments to areas outside the four-mile tax districts had been based on “informal agreements between fire departments.” But “formal establishment of fire district boundaries” had become a “critical issue” due to (a.) recent ruling by the Insurance Services Office that gives insurance credit for properties up to five miles for a fire station, (b.) the loss of tax revenue and areas served due to recent municipal annexations, and (c.) the desire of some fire departments to open additional fire stations.

Fire commission chairman Ken Farmer appeared and presented their recommendations.

Five people appeared before the commissioners and expressed their concerns about the issue:

• Mr. Garland Askew, representing New Hope.
• Mr. Jeff Mullins, Fire Chief, New Hope.
• Mr. Tom Vaughan, Fire Chief, Wendell.
• Mr. George Gupton, Fire Chief, Knightdale.
• Mr. Roy Jones, Fire Chief, Rolesville.

From later news reports, New Hope said that they had new information that had not been presented to the fire commission on April 15. They asked that the county commissioners appoint an arbiter to review additional information about tax values in the area before they they made a final decision.

After receiving the comments, the county commissioners unanimously delayed any action on the issue until the additional information presented by New Hope could be presented to the fire commission, and which would be used by the fire commission to make their final recommendation.

Fire commission chairman Ken Farmer later said that he hoped to have a final recommendation in the next thirty days.

Fire Commission Reconsiders

On June 17, 1987, and after a two-hour closed executive session, members of the fire commission announced that they did not have the legal authority to make a recommendation on which department should serve the no man’s land.

But they said that each department could petition the residents of that area and ask which department they wanted to provide protection, if that department’s district was extended from four to five miles.

Both Wendell Fire Chief Tom Vaughan and Knightdale Fire Chief George Gupton were unhappy with the meeting and the ruling. They both thought the closed sessions violated state open meeting laws. They were also disappointed that the fire commission declined to make a recommendation.

“Volunteer fire departments should not have to deal with boundary disputes,” said Gupton.

Both were also distressed after learning that Hopkins Fire Department now supported the New Hope proposal. Previously, Hopkins said they supported the Wendell proposal.

Said Jimmy Holland, assistant county manager for operations, he believed the fire commission was discussing “matters of a legal and technical nature” in the executive session and, thus, did not violate the open meetings law.

Though the county commissioners had the authority to recognize one station over another as having primary fire protection responsibility for a particular area, state law allowed any fire department with a majority of homeowner signatures to override the county commissioners’ decision.

Based on that information and on the advice of the county attorney, the fire commission members decided to reverse their earlier ruling that supported Wendell over New Hope.

Said Vaughan, “In essence, the fire commission was in error when they made the decision supporting us.” And hopefully they were now “doing it legally” according to state statutes.

Vaughan said Knightdale, Wendell, and Rolesville had jointly started petitioning to add an extra mile to each of their districts, which were currently four miles.

The current planned locations of the proposed fire stations? New Hope on Old Milburnie Road near Mallards’ Crossing subdivision; Wendell on Bethany Church Road between Bethany Baptist Church and Davis Town Road.

Source: Gold Leaf Farmer, July 9, 1987; Raleigh Times, June 29, 1987.

County Commissioners Still Considering

As of Monday, June 27, 1987, county officials were still seeking solutions to the territorial dispute. The county attorney had met with representatives of the opposing departments in an effort to work out a compromise. “We didn’t resolve anything, and they were going to get together on their own,” said Mike Ferrell.

The county commissioners were still considering the recommendation from the fire commission that the county should petition residents of the no man’s land, asking which department they preferred.

Wendell Fire Chief Tom Vaughan said that Knightdale, Rolesville, and Wendell had completed a joint petitioning drive to have an extra mile added to each of their four-mile districts. They had presented their petitions to the county attorney.

New Hope Fire Chief Jeff Mullen said they had not starting any petitioning “because the fire commission asked us not to go out there until they get the proper papers drawn up.” Added Mullen, “if the county rules Wendell’s petitions are invalid, they have been wasting their time. From all indications, they will be invalidated.” And “If we don’t get it, at least we’ve played by the rules.”

However, Vaughan “responded angrily to Mullen’s charges” and noted their attorneys advised that their petitions were legal. “Wendell, Knightdale, and Rolesville have served that area for years and we’re going to continue to service it.”

Community Development Committee Meeting

On June 29, 1987, a Community Development Committee meeting was held. From the meeting minutes:

“A request was submitted for consideration of recommendation presented by the Wake County Fire Commission concerning proposed fire district revisions within eastern Wake County.”

“The Committee was informed that at the June 1, 1987, Board of Commissioners meeting, the County Fire Commission presented a fire district boundary recommendation. The Commissioners requested that the Fire Commission meet with the involved groups to hear new information and then return a recommendation.”

“The following were present and ask to be heard:

• Mr. Sam Jones, Watkins Road – would like to incorporate new district.
• Mr. Fred Hall, Fire Marshal – discussed funds needed to start a new district.
• Mr. Mike Couglin, Wake Cross Road – speaking on behalf of the area.
• Mr. Clarence Kirk, Attorney, representing Knightdale, Wendell, and Rolesville fire departments.
• Mr. Garland Ayscue, Attorney, representing Wake-New Hope Fire Department.
• Mr. Jeff Mullen, Wake-New Hope Fire Department.”

“After hearing all those who wished to be heard, the matter was deferred by the Chairman.”

Board of Commissioners Meets Again

On June 30, 1987, county commissioners met to resolve the territorial dispute between the four departments.

They agreed that the 1,000+ residents of the no man’s land should be polled and asked which of the four departments they want to serve them. The poll would also serve as a “tax petition,” and in those areas where a majority favored a particular department, that majority would be “put into that fire district for taxing purposes.”

After the tax issue was resolved, the remaining residents would be polled, asking if they preferred New Hope or Wendell to build a station.

Sources: Gold Leaf Farmer, July 9, 1987; Raleigh Times, June 29, 1987.

New Department Recommended

On Monday, September 28, 1987, at a county commissioners work session, the board tentatively approved establishing a new fire district in the disputed area. This came after Commissioner Merrie R. Hedrick said she was tired of the bickering between fire officials who she said seemed more interested in revenues than saving lines.

“I have listened to all the squabbling and fighting,” said commissioner Hedrick, who lived in the Wake Crossroads area, “And you know, all that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. […] We need to be interested in trying to help people instead of the money.”

She was moved to make her remarks by the recent death of her best friend in a car crash, Wesley R. Smith, vice president of Al Smith Buick Mazda Dodge of Raleigh. “It’s easy to forget how precious life is and how fragile it is and how quickly it can be gone,” she said.

The county commissioners recommended that county staff to “carve out a new fire district” for the 6,300 residents of the “no man’s land.” It would be served by a new fire department.

The action of creating a new fire department had been recommended by the board’s community development committee. The committee said that residents of the no man’s land could establish their own fire department. Their recommendation was spurred by the recent formation of the East Wake Volunteer Fire Department, which was comprised of area residents.

“The committee’s preference was to let the community establish a fire department on its own,” said Thurwood Parrish, East Wake secretary. “This has been going on for four or five years,” he said. And “every time it comes up, something happens and it gets bottled up. Quite honestly, we got tired of it and decided the best thing for us to do was form our own department.”

“The committee recognized us as a department, and that gives us an opportunity to build a station.” They were also incorporated and registered with the state, and their boundaries had been recognized by the county.

East Wake was operating with a temporary slate of officers and would meet later that week to establish by-laws, and elect a permanent board and officers. They had 32 firefighters who had signed up for duty. The proposed fire station would be located near the intersection of Watkins and Old Milburnie roads.

The estimated value of property in the no man’s land was $100 million, which would fund whatever department provided protection. There were about 6,300 people in the area.

The new department’s district would stretch to the boundaries of the neighboring departments. But they would have to go to the fire commission for clarification of some of them. And a final decision would require a vote or petition of the residents to determine their preference for fire protection.

New Hope Fire Chief Jeff Mullen later that day withdrew his department’s request to build a substation, saying it was obvious that the people in the area wanted to start their own fire station.

“At this time, we will basically bow down,” he said. “A fine department like ours is nothing without community support. I’ve been fighting this thing for a year and I’m tired.”

The debate was referred to the county attorney Michael R. Ferrell, who was asked to review the issue and make a recommendation. He later suggested that the existing fire station expand their districts by another mile, rather than another new department established.

“In my opinion, the expense and expertise necessary create a brand new fire department without the assistance of an existing fire department would be overwhelming.”

Source: Raleigh Times, September 28, 1987; News & Observer, September 29, 1987.

New Proposal For No Man’s Land

On Monday, October 5, 1987, the News & Observer reported that officials from the four departments surrounding the area in question would appear before county commissioners at that day’s board of commissioners meeting and present a new plan. Last week, Knightdale, Rolesville, Wendell, and New Hope agreed to divide coverage of the area among each of them. In addition, both New Hope and Wendell would build substations.

Said Wendell attorney Phillip G. Kirk, representing the four departments, later, “We think this plan satisfies the four fire departments and also serves the entire area.” It made more sense to use “existing, solid departments” instead of creating a new one. And it was “economically unfeasible to create a new station.”

At the meeting, the following people appeared and were heard:

Mr. Phillip Kirk, Attorney, on behalf of the volunteer fire departments of Knightdale, Wendell, Rolesville, and New Hope.

• Mr. Garland Askew, Wake-New Hope Fire Department.
• Mr. George Gupton, Knightdale Fire Department.
• Mr. Roy Jones, Rolesville Fire Department.
• Mr. Jeff Mullins, New Hope Fire Department.
• Mr. Tom Vaughan, Wendell Fire Department.
• Mr. Thurwood Parrish, East Wake Volunteer Fire Department.
• Mr. Sam Jones, East Wake Volunteer Fire Department.
• Mr. Coy Cooke, East Wake Volunteer Fire Department.
• Mr. Jimmy Keith, Chief, Wake Forest Fire Department.
• Mr. Bill Gatewood, Wake County Firemen’s Commission, Wake County Firemen’s Association, Wake County Chiefs’ Council.

Recorded the meeting minutes: At the conclusion of statements by those appearing and discussion by the Board, the County Manager was directed to have a committee formed which would be composed of a representative of each affected fire department (New Hope, Rolesville, Wendell, Knightdale, and East Wake), the County Attorney, and the Acting Fire Marshal.

This committee would formulate a plan of coverage, to which all would agree, for the area now served by the established departments and would extend coverage to all citizens in the area known as “no man’s land.”

The committee was also directed to report to the Board when the plan is complete, with maps showing:

• The existing fire districts extended to five miles,
• The area that is without fire protection at the present time, and
• The entire area with redrawn fire district lines which would not leave any area unprotected.

Decision Reversed

On Monday, October 19, 1987, county commissioners reversed their earlier decision to create a new fire department for the area in question. They approved a plan for both Wendell and New Hope to expand and serve the disputed area. Their 5-2 vote overturned the recommendation made on September 28 that called for a new fire district and new fire department for the area.

They listened to a presentation that showed the response area and the tax base. County staff made no recommendation. “The commissioners just felt this was the quickest and most economical way to get fire service into the area,” said the county attorney Mike Ferrell.

The next step was a petition to the residents, to determine if they wanted to be part of the fire tax district or not. Both departments must obtain signatures from at least 51 percent of their respective district’s residents.

East Wake’s secretary Thurwood Parrish criticized the decision. “I can speak for the people who have been actively pursuing the new department, and they are not pleased with the decision.” He was also skeptical about statements by Wendell and New Hope that they could build new stations in the area within 90 to 120 days.

He was also uncertain about East Wake’s future. “On paper, the department is still there,” but they didn’t know their next actions. Though they could build a fire station and buy a fire truck with money “out of our own pockets.”

Said Commissioner G. Herbert Stout, one of two dissenting votes, there was no need for two substations in that area. The people in that area had told him that they wanted their own fire station.

Wendell Fire Chief Tom Vaughan said they were already in the process of purchasing land for their station. And could possibly start building in the next 60 to 90 days.

Source: News & Observer, October 20, 1987; Gold Leaf Farmer, October 22, 1987.

—

From the minutes of the meeting: Assistant County Manager for Operations and Acting County Fire Marshal gave a presentation with three alternatives to the disputed area:

Alternative on Map A would draw all lines as the districts presently exist, with service districts remaining as they are.

Map B would establish, as the East Wake Fire Department has requested, a new fire district which would encompass most areas not currently included in a fire district and would assign all others to adjoining districts.

Map C would allow Wake-New Hope to locate a substation in the East Wake area known as Six Forks [typo?], serving the area east of the Neuse River, south of Rolesville’s new five-mile service lines, west of Wendell’s proposed substation boundary line, and north of Knightdale’s new five-mile service line. It would also allow the Wendell Fire Department to locate a substation in the area of State Road 2227, near State Road 1003, serving the area east of the proposed Wake-New Hope substation boundary line, south of Rolesville’s and Hopkins’ new five-mile service line, west of Zebulon’s new five-mile service line, and conforming to the existing four-mile district line running along property lines east of Marshburn Road, north of Wendell’s existing four-mile district line which is southwest of Wendell’s proposed substation.

Mr. Jeff Mullen, Chief of the Wake-New Hope Fire Department, appeared and spoke of his department board’s vote to support building a new substation.

Mr. Tom Vaughan, Chief of the Wendell Fire Department, appeared and spoke of his department board’s vote to support building a new substation.

Commissioner Heater made a motion to adopt the lines identified on Map A, with the clarification that was previously approved, and to superimpose Map C on the plan to establish fire department coverage for eastern Wake County. Commissioner Adcock seconded the motion.

Commissioner Stout opposed the motion as stated by Commissioner Heater and indicated that he favored the plan illustrated by Map B.

Commissioner Hedrick also opposed the motion as stated by Commissioner Heater.

Upon roll call vote, the motion was approved by a majority of the Board as follows:

• Commissioner Adcock — Aye
• Commissioner Heater — Aye
• Commissioner Hedrick — Nay
• Commissioner Malone — Aye
• Commissioner Stout — Nay
• Commissioner Zieverink — Aye
• Chairman Aycock — Aye

Then What Happened?

On April 18, 1988, a public hearing was held at the county courthouse to consider the expansion of the Wake-New Hope fire district and the Wendell Fire District. Both expansions were approved that day.

On February 9, 1988, land at 4909 Watkins Road was purchased by New Hope. The parcel was 3.36 acres in size. The new substation was completed in the summer of that year. [ Still collecting details, including the initial apparatus placement, the volunteer base and if was expanded, etc. ]

And by that time, the Wendell Fire Department has also acquired their station site. By December 3, 1987, per that day’s Gold Leaf Farmer, land at 629 Bethany Church Road was purchased by Wendell Holmes Rural Fire Department Inc. The parcel was 2.00 acres in size. [ However, county real estate records cite the sale date as May 3, 1988. ]

The department had a building committee comprised of six firefighters who were “working out plans for the building and design.” The department obtained a $200,000 loan to cover the construction costs, the land purchase, the furnishings, firefighter gear, and a $105,000 new pumper, noted the Gold Leaf Farmer on June 16, 1988.

Some of the work would be performed by Wendell firefighters, who provided the labor for painting, plumbing, and installation of a well and septic tank.

On July 1, 1988, the new Wendell substation was activated. Said Fire Chief Tom Vaughan in the Gold Leaf Farmer on December 15, 1988, they had answered about “25 to 30 calls in that area” since starting operations.

The station was manned by volunteers who lived in the new area. There were 21 members on the roster. The station was assigned a pumper and a tanker. And it would be completed furnished by January 1989. They would also be doing some landscaping and seeding the lot.

But they did not have a grand opening ceremony. “We just opened it up and went to work,” he said. And decided not to have a party “so we could save the taxpayers some money.”

Sources

• News & Observer, assorted issues
• Raleigh Times, assorted issues
• Gold Leaf Farmer, assorted issues
• North Carolina Secretary of State Corporation Records
• Wake County Board of Commissioners meeting minutes, various

See copies in this Google Drive folder 

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