EDMONDS — Against a ticking clock, the Edmonds City Council requested annexation into South County Fire on Tuesday, after delaying a final decision for weeks.
The City Council unanimously passed a resolution allowing the city to begin the process of being annexed.
Now, the city will begin discussions with South County Fire on the conditions.
“We have negotiation points we want to cover, we can only begin once we pass this resolution,” council member Neil Tibbott said. “It behooves us to begin those as soon as possible.”
In December, South County Fire notified the council it would terminate the city’s contract with the fire authority at the end of 2025. In a letter, Fire Chief Bob Eastman wrote that Edmonds paid the fire authority less than annexed cities like Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Mill Creek.
At the time, Edmonds had 24 months to find a solution until services expired. Now, less than 19 months remain.
The city had three options. It could re-establish the Edmonds Fire Department that dissolved in 2009, request annexation into South County Fire or contract for services with the nearby Shoreline Fire Department. Of the three options, only annexation, estimated to take 18 to 24 months, fit into its timeline.
All options would increase property taxes for residents. Annexation would cost the least, according to a report from consultant group Fitch & Associates, hired by the city.
South County Fire services would cost the city $18.7 million per year. Though re-establishing the Edmonds Fire Department is less than a $1 million annual difference, council members noted current services and wait times from South County Fire would be better.
Council member Vivian Olson said re-establishing the fire department could lead to inferior services for residents. The city would also have to replace a lot of its equipment over time. Fire trucks have “doubled in price since 2020,” Olson said.
The voters will have the final say.
Last month, Mayor Mike Rosen said he expected the annexation measure to appear on the April 2025 ballot.
“For now,” Tibbott said, “this is a prudent course.”
Jenelle Baumbach: 360-352-8623; jenelle.baumbach@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jenelleclar.
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