Fire Districts 5 and 3 seek funding OKs

Voters in two West Plains fire districts are being asked to provide additional tax money in next month’s general election.

Fire District 5 for the first time is seeking an emergency medical services levy of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, which would raise an estimated $43,903 next year.

The EMS levy would be in addition to the district’s regular $1.50 – which has been reduced to $1.11 by a 1 percent limit on annual increases. The regular levy is expected to generate $85,592 this year, according to the county assessor’s office.

District officials say they don’t have enough income to keep up with growing demands for service. The district serves about 1,800 people in 90 square miles between Long Lake and Thorpe Road, with stations at 17217 W. Four Mound Road and at the corner of Charles and Valley roads.

Officials of Fire District 3, which serves 565 square miles in the southwest corner of Spokane County, want voters to restore the district’s regular levy to its original $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The proposal also would allow 6 percent annual increases for five years.

Currently a 1 percent lid on annual increases in the district’s budget has dragged the levy rate down to $1.37 per thousand.

If approved the measure would generate an estimated $503,613 extra next year, for a total of nearly $2.1 million, according to the assessor’s office.

Fire Chief Bruce Holloway said the district has twice before lifted its levy lid during his 15 years on the job, but officials seek no other funding and “we try to operate on a cash basis.” The district has no emergency medical services levy or special levy, he said.

Holloway said the district needs more from its regular levy to keep up with inflation and to allow construction of a 10th fire station and two trucks next year.

The new station will be in the Aspen Meadows area, on Short Road, between Cheney and Spangle.

Holloway said District 3 saves money by refurbishing or extensively rebuilding used trucks in the district shop. Next year’s projects include a 2,000-gallon pumper-tender, an “initial response attack unit” and completion of a “rehab” truck with a restroom and space for six to eight firefighters to take a break during big fires.

The district’s territory is defined roughly by Thorpe Road on the north, Hangman Creek on the east and the Whitman and Lincoln county lines.