The Fire District continues with its primary mission of providing the Key Peninsula Community with the very best in emergency services. The District continues to be able to provide these services through generous support of its community members, and by being responsible in the use of the financial resources offered.
At their most recent Regular Board Meeting, the Fire Commissioners of Pierce County Fire District No. 16 unanimously passed Resolution No. 04-21-759 directing Staff to place a Multi-Year Lid Lift on the August 3rd Ballot. View the Resolution.
The District has made substantial improvements in the last 24 months, but it is time to move the organization forward again so that it can keep pace with the current and expected emergency service demands of the Key Peninsula. This movement forward includes returning to the community to ask for support for the Multi-Year Lid Lift Levy on August 3rd.
The Commissioners have been engaged with Staff in meetings understanding the emergency service demands being placed upon the District. These demands come in many forms and impact staffing, training, fleet, facilities, administration, and more. The Commissioners have also been very specific about their expectations to use the available financial resources in ways that maximize responder and citizen safety, minimize costs, maximize effectiveness, and that challenge some of the norms within the fire service industry.
The community supported this same Levy six (6) years ago, and we are grateful. You might recall that these Lid Lift Levy’s allow the District to collect the full $1.50 per thousand of its regular rate, and provide an option to increase its budget during the life of the Levy somewhere between one percent (1%) and six percent (6%) over the previous year’s budget.
When supported by the community, this renewed Multi-Year Lid Lift Levy would allow the District to stay consistent with the Fire Commissioners expectations of “pay as you go” for most of the District’s expenses with the exception of major facility replacements or additions.
When supported by the community, these renewed funds will specifically be allocated towards additional staffing of both career and volunteer personnel, procuring much needed safety equipment such as new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus, and the start to a replacement of the District’s aged fire apparatus fleet. These funds will also be used to continue the process of building up adequate financial reserves, and for the planning processes that need to occur for capital facility replacements.
The Fire Commissioners, and the Fire Chief, are encouraging public involvement in as many forms as possible. Specifically, if you would like to be part of the “for committee” or the “against committee”, please send an email to info@keypeninsulafire.org or call 253-884-2222.
If you, or one of your community groups would like a live remote presentation from the District, please make contact me directly at anesbit@keypeninsulafire.org.
On behalf of Pierce County Fire District No. 16, its Board of Fire Commissioners, Staff and Volunteers, we want to thank you for your support ahead of time.