About Us

WHAT IS AN EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT (ESD)?

Village Mills Emergency Services District No. 8 is a political subdivision of Hardin and Tyler Counties and collects ad valorem taxes on all real property located within the district.  Hardin County commissioners appoint three commissioners and Tyler County commissioners appoint two commissioners to serve on the ESD Board.  This board governs the Village Mills Volunteer Fire Department, and VFD Fire Chief Randy Odom acts as liaison to the board.  

APPLICABLE TAX RATE:

The current tax rate for all real property located within VMESD No. 8 is $0.03 per hundred dollars valuation.  

SALES TAX ELECTION UPDATE:

In November 2024, the good people served by Village Mills Emergency Services District 8 (ESD8) voted overwhelmingly in an election to adopt a local sales and use tax to support the Wildwood Volunteer Fire Department.  Through no fault of the Wildwood VFD or ESD 8, the State Comptroller's Office deemed the election invalid due to the ballot language which did not comply with the statutory required ballot language found in Health and Safety Code Chapter 775, and that a new election would have to be held no earlier than November of 2025.  

Specifically, the ballot language used in November was:  THE ADOPTION OF A LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX IN THE VILLAGE MILLS EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT NO. 8 AT THE RATE OF TWO PERCENT, EXCLUDING ANY AREA OF THE DISTRICT WHERE A LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX IS ALREADY IMPOSED AT A RATE OF TWO PERCENT.  

The ballot language that will be used in the November 2025 election will be:  THE ADOPTION OF A LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX IN THE VILLAGE MILLS EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT NO. 8 AT THE RATE NOT TO EXCEED TWO PERCENT IN ANY LOCATION IN THE DISTRICT.  

NOVEMBER 2025 ELECTION PASSED!!  THANKS TO ALL WHO VOTED!