DE-ANNEXATION DISPATCH

For nearly twenty years, Summerhouse residents have paid millions in municipal taxes, believing Holly Ridge was providing comprehensive fire protection to our community. The Town’s own announcement now confirms what many residents were never told, but we have tried to explain: Holly Ridge Fire & Rescue (HRFR) could not fully protect Summerhouse; instead, the town of Holly Ridge relied on the Turkey Creek Volunteer Fire Department (TCVFD) to do the job. 

Even more alarming, Holly Ridge knew portions of Summerhouse were outside its effective five-mile fire response range when the community was annexed, yet continued collecting tax revenue while failing to build the infrastructure and staffing residents reasonably believed they were paying for.

Now—only after intense public scrutiny and growing support for de-annexation—the Town is suddenly attempting to expand coverage for a fire department that is not even part of the town, but for which it has another motive: transitioning it into a municipal department. That means more tax money required and growth of town government, but no improvement for Summerhouse. Ironically, even this expansion still does not fully cover all of Summerhouse.

That alone should tell residents everything they need to know.

This was never primarily about safety. It was about revenue. This recent change is a prime example of that. 

For years:

• TCVFD served as the primary responder for much of Summerhouse

• Holly Ridge disproportionately funded HRFR instead of TCVFD, the department that actually protects residents

• Summerhouse taxpayers funded a system that was incomplete from the beginning

The obvious question is:

Why did it take nearly two decades of Summerhouse tax dollars—and a de-annexation movement—for Holly Ridge to finally begin building the fire coverage residents believed they already had? 

And Summerhouse residents should understand: they have effectively been paying twice for a county servcice provided already as part of their county taxes.

• Both TCVFD and HRFR are already supported through county taxes, but these funds were disproportionately distributed by Holly Ridge to HRFR

• Through municipal taxes, now being used to expand HRFR staffing and operations

Even now, Holly Ridge’s own announcement confirms:

• TCVFD is still required to protect portions of Summerhouse

• Summerhouse remains operationally dependent on TCVFD

• Fire coverage is now fragmented between both departments

But perhaps the most troubling part is how this transition was handled.

This does not appear to have been a carefully coordinated public safety initiative. It appears to have been a rushed, budget-driven decision focused on reducing costs associated with years of unfair funding distribution.

The existing contract with TCVFD required a 90-day notice period for modification or cancellation so any revised agreement could be reviewed by legal counsel and voted on by the TCVFD Board. Instead, TCVFD reportedly received less than 12 hours’ notice from Holly Ridge before these changes were implemented. As of now, there is no contract. TCVFD has informally agreed to cover Summerhouse, but it is not obligated to do so because that is a requirement for Holly Ridge as a function of the municipality. The real question is whether they will continue to do so, especially for the back portion. It has a long way to go before approval by the TCVFD board, and our town council members knew this was a problem, as they say in their recorded meetings, but still moved forward with the decision, knowing and admitting Summerhouse could be negatively affected. The mayor himself expressed concerns over this split during the budget meeting. We imagine that if the state fire marshal and the Insurance Services Office (ISO) found out there is no contract in place for this coverage, we would have many unhappy residents in the back portion of Summerhouse.

At the same time, Onslow County 911 Dispatch reportedly was not given adequate notice of these changes by Holly Ridge to allow time to properly adjust dispatch systems, protocols, and emergency response procedures.

In emergency services, poor planning and rushed implementation create unnecessary risk.

Residents should also understand that TCVFD is currently covering portions of Summerhouse largely as a gesture of goodwill and concern for resident safety, not because a finalized long-term agreement is in place. This community owes a debt of gratitude to the members of TCVFD who have stood up for what is right, not for money but for an oath, unlike our own town.

That should deeply concern every resident, especially those in the back portion of Summerhouse who still rely on TCVFD coverage.

The larger issue remains unchanged:

• Holly Ridge collected taxes for years without providing the level of fire protection residents reasonably expected

• The Town underfunded the department actually serving Summerhouse

• Operational and funding shortcomings are only now being addressed after public pressure and de-annexation efforts exposed the problem, while glossing over safety and security

This announcement does not weaken the argument for de-annexation.

It strengthens it.

It confirms exactly what residents have been saying:
Summerhouse has been treated as a revenue source first and a service priority second, sacrificing our safety and security.

Residents now face a simple question:

Should Summerhouse continue paying full municipal taxes to a Town that spent years prioritizing budgets and expansion over fully protecting the community, providing a substantial portion of its tax base?

We believe the answer is increasingly clear.

De-annexation is no longer just about taxes. It is about accountability and fairness, and about ensuring Summerhouse residents are no longer forced to subsidize a system that failed to prioritize their safety from the start.