HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-03-01 Fire District Annex Town Meeting Press Release
For Immediate Release – March 1, 2018
FIRE DISTRICT ANNEXATION – TOWN HALL MEETINGS
The Town Hall Meetings will be held at Fort Worden Commons A&B:
March 22, 2018 6:30-9:00pm: Community Needs and Priorities
March 29, 2018 6:30-9:00pm: Finance and Government Services
April 5, 2018 6:30-9:00pm: Choices and Options
On three consecutive Thursdays beginning March 22, the City of Port Townsend will hold a series
of Town Hall meetings to explore the possibility of annexing into Jefferson County Fire Protection
District #1 (dba East Jefferson Fire Rescue).
Currently, East Jefferson Fire Rescue (EJFR) provides Fire and Emergency Medical Services to the
City through a contract known as an Interlocal Agreement. Through annexation, EJFR’s
boundaries would be expanded to include the city and its residents, and the Interlocal
Agreement would be dissolved.
The three Town Hall meetings are designed to educate the public regarding the effects of
annexation. City residents are encouraged to attend all three meetings. Electronic voting tablets
and smart phones with the appropriate app will be used to voice the citizen attendee’s opinions
and choices.
Community Needs and Priorities – March 22, 2018
The first Town Hall meeting will consist of identification and discussion around current
challenges facing the City. It will include a review of the City Comprehensive Plan and confirm
with attendees the identified priorities and rationale.
Finance and Government Services – March 29, 2018
This second meeting will further explore how state, county, city and special purpose districts
interact, financially and otherwise. Education will focus on City finances, including the services
funding process, sources of revenue and allocation of funds for various expenses. Included will
be education around how annexation would impact the city’s finances and taxpayers.
Choices and Options – April 5, 2018
This third and final meeting will explain choices and options for the general fund dollars
previously allocated for Fire that could be either reserved or allocated to address community
priorities and needs.
Since 2007, the City has provided Fire and EMS services to its residents through an Interlocal
Agreement with EJFR, an adjacent special purpose district. The City continues to collect Fire and
EMS taxes but dedicates those funds to EJFR to pay for the services.
During the past decade, EJFR purchased the Uptown fire station on Lawrence Street. It also
owns the fire engines and ambulances and employs all fire and emergency medical personnel.
Functionally, the City and EJFR have been consolidated for over 10 years.
Benefits of annexation include expansion of the Fire Board to include voting representation from
the City, consolidating the City and EJFR’s Fire and EMS budget processes into one, eliminating
the risk associated with negotiated contracted services and ensuring tax levy parity between City
and EJFR tax payers.
According to City Manager David Timmons, the Town Hall meetings are designed to provide in-
depth education otherwise difficult to obtain. “Our current funding process is complicated and
City residents don’t have easy access to information about how it works. Our goal is that these
Town Halls clear the picture up so citizens can make an informed decision.”