Emergency services districts are political subdivisions formed under the Texas Constitution and governed by Chapter 775, Texas Health and Safety Code. These districts have the constitutional and statutory authority to provide emergency medical services to residents of their area. Emergency services districts use tax revenue to provide emergency services to residents directly or through a third-party emergency services provider, like a private ambulance company. Providing services directly has become increasingly popular with emergency services districts, since it cuts out the middleman, which reduces costs, streamlines communications, and allows for greater transparency concerning the use of tax revenue.

RCESD No. 1 provides fire services to Reeves County.

RCESD No. 2 provides emergency medical services to the Reeves County area.

No, they are an independent governmental entity

The ESDs collect property tax as approved by the voters. The Districts will levy an ad valorem (property) tax annually. The Texas Constitution states that ESDs may tax up to $0.10 per $100 of property valuation.

The ESDs hold regularly scheduled meetings each month. ESD 1 has a board meeting the second Tuesday of every month while ESD 2 has a board meeting the third Tuesday of each month. The meetings take place at 5:30pm at the Districts’ Administrative Building located at 2269 Ocotillo Drive, Pecos, Texas 79772.

The ESDs are required by law to file an audit with their County Commissioners Court by June 1 of each year.

ESD 1 and 2 Board of Commissioners meet once a month for a regular board meeting. ESD 1 holds a meeting the second Tuesday of each month and ESD 2 holds a meeting the third Tuesday of each month.

Texas law requires all Emergency Services District meetings to be open to the public. When the Commissioners go into executive session, however, the public is asked to leave the Board meetings so that Commissioners can speak with ESD attorneys about confidential topics or confer with ESD staff on other confidential matters. Just like other governmental entities, Texas law allows the ESD Boards to speak confidentially with its attorneys about certain issues, such as any attorney/client privileged matters or pending or threatened litigation. The Board can also review personnel issues, real estate transactions, and security matters in executive session.

By law, the ESD Boards can only discuss ESD business at public meetings that have been properly noticed via a posted agenda. Because executive sessions can only be held at Board meetings, the Commissioners have limited opportunities (sometimes only once a month) for these discussions.

ESD Board meetings are open to the public, and the agenda is posted online at least 72 hours prior to all scheduled meetings. Minutes of each meeting are also posted on the website once approved by the Board and can be found here.