Letter to Editor: Levy Approval Maintains High Service Level

— Barbara G. Bedell,
Chair, Board of Fire Commissioners,
San Juan County Fire Protection District #2 —

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014, the Board of Fire Commissioners for San Juan County Fire Protection District #2 adopted Resolution 2014-1 re-authorizing a regular property tax levy. This proposition would authorize the District to maintain its regular property tax levy of $1.05 per $1000 of assessed valuation for ten years commencing with taxes collected in 2015. On April 22, 2014 the voters of Orcas Island will be asked to either approve or reject the levy. If the levy lift were to end without renewal, OIF&R would revert to a static levy that would cut its budget by more than half.

Fire Chief Kevin O’Brien has given both the Commission and the public excellent reasons to support the proposed levy, ranging from a substantially increased call volume, an aging population, rising insurance and medical benefit prices, facility repairs, and increases in the cost of equipment to keep the volunteers safe.

Chief O’Brien has conducted a thorough review and planning process and has developed a plan to carry Orcas Island Fire and Rescue through the next ten years. And if these were not reasons enough to vote “yes” on the levy, then the recent Deer Harbor Marina fire should be a reminder of how outstanding Orcas Island Fire and Rescue is when we need them. The men and women who responded to that fire worked for almost seven hours and were able to contain what could have been a catastrophic situation.

If we want to maintain this high level of service that most islanders have come to expect, if we want to continue the amount of training to support that level of service, if we want to keep our outstanding cardiac survival rate, if we want to provide adequate reporting and administrative needs for the volunteers, then we must vote “yes” on the levy. This is the best protection we have for our properties and our lives