The Jupiter Town Council has approved the creation of a new Jupiter Fire Rescue Department.
Currently, the town pays for the services of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, but town leaders at Tuesday night's meeting voted to allow for local control over costs, operations and levels of service.
This as the cost of county fire rescue's service in Jupiter rose by $8 million since the year 2020 and estimates show an expected cost of $44-million in the next ten years. That's $20 million more than it cost in 2020.
The town's new fire department is expected to be in operation beginning in 2026 and town officials say it will cost homeowners roughly $533 in property taxes that year. That's compared to the more than $950 that it currently costs for the county's service.