PORT TOWNSEND — City residents learned at a recent meeting that there is no clear cut road to fire district annexation and that the issue is not likely to appear on a ballot this year.
Almost 60 voters heard specific details Thursday night about possible options during a two and a half hour meeting, the last in the annexation series, and voiced their opinions through a touchpad voting system.
Those gathered seemed to favor the idea of annexation and are willing to pay for it, according to the votes tabulated.
City Manager David Timmons explained that if annexation is approved, city residents will have fire and EMS services provided and governed by a special purpose district, East Jefferson Fire-Rescue (EJFR).
Governance would immediately be transferred, but the taxing authority would not go into effect before 2020.
City residents would have direct representation on the newly reconfigured fire commission with two elected positions, making a total of five including two from the district and one at-large member.
City residents would vote on who they want to represent them and vote on all levy requests.
Property taxes would be assessed and collected by and for EJFR, so the city would no longer collect money or make payments. The city’s general levy would be restored for other city needs.
Timmons explained that if annexation is not approved, status quo could be approved by the fire commission.
A lower level of service might be provided, subject to City Council approval, which could include risks to deferred maintenance, longer response times and fewer responders.
Homeowners’ insurance premiums could be affected because of re-rating.
The current special purpose levy could be raised to make up the funding difference, which would go to a city-wide vote.
Service levels within the city might be renegotiated with the Fire District Board. The inequity could be funded from other sources of revenue or through other city service reductions, requiring City Council approval.
During the meeting, Timmons presented seven options to consider other than annexation.
They included:
• Starting over and restoring the city fire and EMS as a city department.
• Maintaining the status quo.
• Lowering the level of services provided.
• Raising the city’s special purpose levy to restore equity with the district by either raising the current fire levy at the minimum required ($0.20 per $1,000) or replace it with a new levy rate of ($1.25 per $1,000) which would require a city-only voter approval.
• Funding the $300,000 inequity from other sources (such as car tabs, utility tax or park district tax) or reductions in city services (such as police, parks or community services), which would require council approval).
Three options for annexation included:
• Banking the new district and city taxing authority and collecting $32 per year on a $300,000 property.
• Banking only the new city taxing authority and collecting $60 per year on a $300,000 property.
• Or a choice, “just do it,” that allows the city to collect $900,000 for other purposes.
Of the choices offered, those attending favored the option to move forward with annexation and “bank” the new city taxing authority.
This option would mean an additional $300,000 would be collected by the new fire district that could be used for such things as increased service and more prevention programs.
It would allow the city to collect $900,000 for other purposes such as deferred maintenance, pavement management for neighborhood streets and non-motorized transportation plans.
The City Council, however, could choose to “bank” this authority, and there would be no increase in property taxes.
According to statistics provided to the audience, in 2017 approximately 60 percent of EJFR’s 4,799 calls came from within the city limits, and most of those calls included assisted living and senior centers.
Additionally, there is an agreement with Jefferson Healthcare hospital to transport patients to other facilities for higher levels of care and, during this time, 636 patients were moved.
A question-and-answer session followed the presentations that included Timmons, Mayor Deborah Stinson, Fire Chief Jim Walkowski and EJFR Public Information Officer Bill Beezley.
It was explained that three firehouses are staffed 24/7 and that there are 17 volunteers in various capacities. EJFR is looking for more volunteers.
Timmons said the next step is to post all the information online at www.cityofpt.us. Videos of the meeting, a chance to participate through Speak Up and opportunities to ask questions will be included. The City Council will begin to look at the all the information gathered and determine next steps.
“It looks like we won’t be putting fire district annexation on the ballot this year,” Timmons explained.
“The take-away for me from the meeting was that this is a very complex subject and we are going to need time to educate the public,” he said. “We’ll have to narrow down the choices and options before we move forward.”
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.
