The Dorchester County Council voted at its meeting on Tuesday evening, Sept. 15, to adjust the points system for volunteer emergency responders in response to the COVID-19 shutdown.
Council members voted unanimously to accept Councilman Lenny Pfeffer’s motion to double the points accumulated by volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel in the county in order to ensure that active volunteers remain eligible for the state income tax credit.
Pfeffer said the shutdown limited volunteers’ ability to participate in meetings, fundraisers or upkeep around the firehouses. He introduced the motion to make one point worth two points after consultation with county points coordinator Bobbie Aaron and the Comptroller’s office. “You would still have to be an active volunteer,” said Pfeffer as he explained that in order to qualify for the tax break, first responders must get 50 points during the calendar year.