PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Fire District 2’s preliminary 2025 budget indicates next year’s expenses likely will outpace revenue by about $52,000 if its levy lid lift is not passed in November.
“We’re going to spend every amount of revenue we’re anticipating collecting next year and more,” Fire Chief Jake Patterson said during the budget presentation to the commissioners on Thursday.
The fire district, which covers the unincorporated areas from Deer Park to the east to areas west of Lake Sutherland, should be able to continue providing its current levels of service throughout 2025, Patterson said, based on an unreserved beginning fund balance of at least $1 million that will be carried over from 2024.
However, by the end of 2026, Patterson said the district likely will be short by about $300,000 and will have to either dip into reserves or make cuts to service levels.
“The reality of the fact is, at some point, it’s going to be service level cuts if we don’t get a levy [lid lift] passed,” Patterson said. “There’s not really any fluff in the budget that can be cut.”
The levy lid lift, or Proposition One, will ask voters to approve a levy increase from 96 cents to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
The 54-cent increase would cost a homeowner of a home valued at $500,000 an additional $270 in taxes per year, or $22.50 per month.
Patterson said the levy lid lift would generate the district another $1.1 million to $1.2 million in revenue based on current assessed property value.
Without the levy lid lift, the district is predicting about $2.6 million in expenses and about $2.5 million in revenue, although there are still a lot of final numbers that will be nailed down in the coming months, Patterson said.
“The budget, at this point, has no frills,” he said. “It’s a bare-bones budget.”
Some of the larger expense increases the district is expecting include a potential $79,300 in PenCom user agency fees, up from $56,100 in 2024. That increase is based on projected call volume increases and other factors.
Additionally, the district is projecting to pay $10,000 for OPSCAN, up from $2,000 in 2024. That increase is based on a new formula the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office implemented.
Insurance costs also will be higher, with the district budgeting $100,000 for 2025 compared with $85,000 in 2024. That is the staff’s best projected estimate based on the previous year’s costs, although they haven’t gotten final quotes back from insurance companies.
“[The increases] are unfortunately out of our control,” Patterson said.
Although it is not reflected in the preliminary budget, Patterson said there also is a chance that Station 21 in Gales Addition could need a roof replacement. Two different roofers have offered contradictory opinions on the sagging within the roof joins, and Patterson said the district is going with the mentality that, for now, it’s OK.
“It’s on the radar where we might have to replace it in the future,” he said.
Currently, the 2025 budget does not include money budgeted for the vacant deputy chief’s position.
“Without a levy lid lift, we’re not going to be able to fund that position,” Patterson said.
It also is not dedicating any funds toward the equipment and vehicle replacement reserve. Traditionally, the district has placed about $400,000 in the reserve each year.
These numbers are all works in progress and will be adjusted over the next few months as future expenses and revenue become clearer, Patterson said.
The fire district also is preparing a secondary budget that will reflect expenses and revenue estimates if voters approve the Nov. 5 levy lid lift.
If it is passed, Patterson said the priorities will be to keep current service levels, refill the vacant deputy chief position, provide sustainable funding for the volunteer training program and contribute to the equipment and vehicle replacement reserve.
If it’s not successful in November, Patterson said they will have to continue to bring a levy lid lift to the public for a vote.
“Voters are going to have to decide what level of service they get,” Commissioner Keith Cortner said.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
