PORT ANGELES — A report on a proposed consolidation of the Port Angeles Fire Department and Clallam County Fire District No. 2 was made available on the city’s website last week.
The report, posted Friday at http://tinyurl.com/24xezg6, recommends consolidating the department and the all-volunteer fire district outside the city limit into one entity: Port Angeles Fire & Rescue.
The move would result in better fire and medical services for residents of the city and the 85-square-mile fire district, which share borders, a consolidation advisory committee recently concluded.
But it would also mean doubling property taxes that are used for emergency services in District No. 2.
City and district voters would have the final say on consolidation if, as expected, a measure is placed on the ballot next year.
The City Council and fire commissioners are expected to consider bringing a single measure before voters sometime next spring or summer.
If approved, it would go into effect about Jan. 1, 2012.
The two agencies already assist each other on some calls and share a volunteer force, but full consolidation would further reduce response times through the 24-hour staffing of District 2’s now-unstaffed station at Deer Park and partial staffing of its Dry Creek station west of the city, according to the report.
Consolidation would also result in eliminating the District 2 chief position and combine the two volunteer emergency medical services contingents into one 84-person service.
If approved by voters, the property tax for fire and emergency services for District No. 2 property owners would increase from 61 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to about $1.35 per $1,000.
The owner of a $200,000 home would see his or her share of property taxes for emergency services increase from $122 to $270 a year.
City residents would see little change in their property tax bills but would realize improved service, the report concludes.
There are 11,232 registered voters in Port Angeles compared with 6,334 in Fire District No. 2.
The 12-person advisory committee was named by county commissioners in 2007 and chaired by Port Angeles Mayor Dan Di Guilio.
It also includes Port Angeles Fire Chief Dan McKeen and Fire District No. 2 Chief Jon Bugher.
McKeen and Bugher authored the report with assistance from Peninsula College, District 2 attorney Joe Quinn and city staff.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
