On April 6, Liberty County officials will begin a series of town hall meetings intended to provide information on the plan for countywide professional fire protection and answer residents’ questions.

The meeting will be at the Gum Branch fire station; all three sessions are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. On April 18 the town hall meeting is set for the East End Community Complex on Highway 84 in Midway and the third session will be April 25 at the Dorchester Village Civic Center on Islands Highway.

Countywide fire protection is planned to start in January 2019 and collection of fire protection fees should begin at the same time.

A draft schedule of fees shows property valued at $50,000 would bear a fee of $46 per year and property valued at $1 million would be assessed a fire protection fee of $920.

County Administrator Joey Brown said the average fire fee would be about $138-150 annually.

“All property will be protected and all property will bear a fee,” Brown said, “It’s important to note this.”