Fire district leaders agree to keep talking merger

CLEARVIEW — Leaders of two south Snohomish County fire districts have agreed to continue chewing over the pros and cons of a possible merger.

On Tuesday, commissioners with Snohomish County Fire Districts 1 and 7 merely set the table for that meal.

“I think it is the way to go for our citizens,” Fire District 7 Board Chairman Roy Waugh said in the first of what is anticipated to be a series of meetings on the issue.

Other District 7 commissioners expressed initial concerns about keeping jobs intact, whether taxes would increase and coordination of fire and emergency medical operations.

Union leaders for both districts said they support the idea of blending the two departments.

Not everyone is sold on the idea yet, however.

“I’m probably one of the naysayers,” said District 7 commissioner Gunther Hausmann. “I’m here to be educated.”

Newly elected District 1 commissioner Millie Judge said she plans to take a close look at any proposal.

“I think it makes some sense but I do want to understand in nitty gritty detail what the downside is,” she said.

District 7 provides fire and emergency medical service to about 60,000 people who live in mostly rural areas in the eastern portion of south county. On again, off again merger talks began in 2006 and ended in 2008. Last month, District 7 officials broached the subject of merging — or consolidating — the two districts.

District 1, the county’s largest, serves about 150,000 people plus another 70,000 residents of Brier, Mountlake Terrace, Woodway and Edmonds, who receive service through a contract with the district. District 7 has a contract with Mill Creek to provide fire and emergency medical services.

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