By Angela Hatton
Union City, TN – The Obion County Tennessee Commission has passed a measure to create a county-wide subscription fire service. Commissioners voted 15 to 3, with 3 absent, to adopt the 75-dollar voluntary annual fee. Cities had previously managed their fire service individually. County Mayor Benny McGuire says the county will charge a five percent collection fee to gather and distribute the money to the seven cities that signed up. McGuire says South Fulton chose not to participate in the program. He says city officials there are satisfied with their service and do not want to pay the five percent fee. The new system goes into effect July 1 next year. McGuire says county-wide subscription may not be the right solution to making sure everyone is covered, but it's a step forward. Commissioners plan to discuss a proposal for a tax-based fire system, which could show up on the ballot in 2012.