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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   What’s next: The Edmonds City Council is scheduled to hold a final public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 250 Fifth Ave. N., then vote on whether to contract with Snohomish County Fire District 1 to take over its fire service.   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, October 29, 2009 Edmonds City Council sets vote on protection contract with Fire District 1 By Oscar Halpert Herald Writer EDMONDS — The City Council is scheduled to decide Monday whether to have Snohomish County Fire District 1 run its fire department beginning in January or continue to run its own fire service. Mayor Gary Haakenson urged the council at a meeting Tuesday night to approve a 20-year, $6.2 million contract with the fire district, saying it will save the city money while providing as good or better service. Haakenson has said the agreement would save the city nearly $100,000 a year through 2012. “It will put the city in good stead for two to three years down the road,” he said. Still, Haakenson said, the savings won’t be enough to solve the city’s longer-term financial shortfall. To really make a dent, he said, the council will soon have to revisit a shelved $3.75 million levy plan asking voters to approve a property tax increase. If the council approves the contract, Edmonds would become the third south county city — along with Brier and Mountlake Terrace — to contract with the fire district, which currently serves about 150,000 south county residents. Edmonds laid off workers and put others on furloughs earlier this year in order to make up for a $5.2 million budget shortfall. The city has run its own fire department for more than 100 years. Councilman Steven Bernheim said Tuesday he’d like the city to keep running its own department as a way to control costs. “Part of my obligation is for residents 20 years from now,” he said. “We sure don’t want to be over a barrel.” Under terms of the agreement, the city would begin paying the fire district next year to provide firefighting and emergency medical services. If it goes forward with the agreement, the city would keep its three fire stations but sell fire department equipment, including vehicles, to the fire district. Edmonds officials project it would cost $6.2 million to pay for the service and more than $700,000 a year to pay for upkeep on the city’s fire stations, or close to $7 million a year. The city would collect at least $700,000 a year in ambulance transport fees, city officials estimate. Edmonds’ 54 fire department employees — its firefighters and one civilian worker — would become fire district employees, according to the agreement. The city and fire district would be bound to the contract’s terms through 2014. Either party could opt out after that by giving two years’ notice. Council President D.J. Wilson said he supports the plan in general but would like to shorten the amount of time both parties are bound by the contract before they can make changes. His proposal to do that wasn’t supported by his council associates. “To tie our hands for seven years without any flexibility seems like a long time,” he said. Wilson has also repeatedly voiced concerns about Initiative 1033, which appears on the general election ballot. That initiative, pushed by anti-tax crusader Tim Eyman, would limit the growth of state, county and city government income to annual population and inflation increases. Edmonds Fire Chief Thomas Tomberg said Wednesday he likes the agreement, though he added that, ultimately, he’d like to see all of the county’s fire services run under the same roof, perhaps as part of an oft-discussed regional fire authority. “I’m really excited about going to the fire district,” he said. “For Edmonds, it’s the right time, it’s the right proposal and I’m happy that council is going to move forward on it.” Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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