The Sammamish city council voted unanimously Tuesday night, to approve the new funding formula for the partners in Eastside Fire and Rescue.
The formula results in the five partners – Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend and King County Districts 10 and 38, paying 85 percent based on assessed valuation and 15 percent based on calls for service. In addition, all partners will share 25 percent of the cost for fire station 81, the Pine Lake station, and station 72, the Maple St. station in Issaquah. The reason for sharing the 25 percent is because stations 81 and 72 each have 5 percent more “move ups,” or calls outside their geographical area.
All five jurisdictions have approved the new formula with the exception of Issaquah and District 38.
“All of this was bloody avoidable, frankly — it was totally unnecessary,” said Sammamish Mayor Tom Odell. “The result of the funding model is something that I’m happy with…we just wish to formalize certain aspects of it. We do appreciate the fact that, for most of the time this city has been in existence, we have been members of a larger organization.”
Odell said four of the Sammamish city council members spent a great deal of time last summer at EFR headquarters going over the funding model. He said they had no choice but to play hardball because at least one of the members of the partnership felt Sammamish was bluffing about leaving.
On a more personal note, Odell said that EFR had come to his daughter’s aid more than once and that his father made his last trip in a EFR aid car.
“This is personal…I will vote for this resolution…I will cross my fingers and hope that our other four partners will do the same,” he said.
Before the vote, fire fighter Dean deAlteriis urged the council to accept the resolution and the ad-hoc committee’s new funding model.
“I leave you with three words. Negotiate, mediate and, hopefully, celebrate staying with EFR,” added Sammamish resident Mary Zigler.
In Issaquah, the council met for a study session to discuss the new formula.
In a presentation by EFR Deputy Chief, Greg Tryon and Issaquah City Administrator, Bob Harrison, both recommended that the council accept the proposal.
Tryon pointed out that EFR costs have only gone up 2.5 percent per year since 2007. Issaquah paid 19.9 percent of the EFR budget in 2007 and by 2015 Issaquah’s share will be 28 percent.
The question of extending the inter-local agreement by the five partners was raised. The ILA ends at the close of 2014. If none of the partners withdraw before the end of January 2014, the ILA would be extended for seven years. EFR chief Lee Soptich said he would love to see a 20-year agreement, but “in the current environment there’s a lot of mistrust.”
The Eastside Fire and Rescue board of directors will meet Thursday, Nov. 14 after The Reporter’s print deadline to vote on the funding model.
Issaquah city council members Joe Forkner and Eileen Barber are on EFR’s board and will participate in the EFR vote. At the Monday, Nov. 18 regular Issaquah City Council meeting, the council must decide whether or not to move forward with the formula based on Forkner and Barber’s recommendation.
