Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

An amendment to an ordinance that regulates rural fire dues was discussed during a Dewey City Council on Monday night.

Dewey City Manager Kevin Trease said he had talked with the Dewey Fire Department, and they requested that the rural fire dues be lowered to $100 annually. He said the fee schedule would remain the same, but the fee amount would change in approved by the council.

The Dewey Fire Department had 83 rural fire customers pay $200 in dues, which would bring in approximately $16,000. Membership had gone done because the dues were too high for Dewey Fire's rural fire members.

Interim Fire Chief Jacob Cox said they will go door-to-door to get the memberships back that they have lost over the years. He said many people have called Dewey Fire or messaged them on Facebook about the dues, saying they would pay the fee if it was lowered.

Mayor Tom Hays added that lowering the fire dues may help Dewey Fire continue to lower their ISO rating. This would bring a decrease in the amount of money citizens pay on their yearly homeowners insurance.

The amendment to the ordinance was approved to lower Dewey Fire's rural fire dues to $100. The amendment went into effect immediately on Monday night.