||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE |||
Orcas Island Fire & Rescue (OIFR) will host three public town hall meetings to discuss Proposition 1, the $18.5 million general obligation bond measure appearing on the November ballot. These meetings provide community members with opportunities to learn about the proposal, ask questions, and engage directly with District leadership.
Town Hall Schedule:
• Monday, September 29th, 5-7 PM
• Saturday, October 11th, 1-3 PM
• Tuesday, October 14th, 5-7 PM
All meetings will be held at Station 21, located at 45 Lavender Lane in Eastsound.
Who Will Be Present
The OIFR Board of Fire Commissioners, Chief Chad Kimple, and Director of Administration and Finance Dimitri Stankevich will attend each session to answer questions and provide information about the bond proposal.
Learn About the Bond Measure
Proposition 1 would authorize bonds to fund apparatus refurbishment and replacement, facility improvements, and other capital projects to support firefighting capacity, emergency medical services, and wildfire defense. The meetings will cover how the bonds would work, what projects they would fund, and the financial impact on property owners.
Questions Welcome
These town halls are designed for community dialogue. Residents are encouraged to bring questions about any aspect of the bond measure, from specific equipment needs to financing details and project timelines.
Voting Information
The bond measure will appear on ballots for the November 5th general election. All registered voters in the OIFR service area are eligible to vote on Proposition 1.
For more information about OIFR or the town hall meetings, visit www.orcasfire.org.
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How about the fire department learns to live within its means? I am LESS safe, at least according to my insurance company, than I was 25 years ago before the million dollar bond Deer Harbor fire palace was built and left empty of staff. Pouring money into the fire department willy nilly is simply a foolish use of our hard earned tax dollars. I’m sick of paying through the nose for worse service. How about PLANNING ahead for a change? How about asking ourselves when this coming to the public with hat in hand every couple of years is going to stop? How much is enough? How about maintaining and repairing the equipment we have instead of always purchasing insanely overpriced new equipment?
I will be voting NO on this bond and I urge everyone to do the same.
Given the dedication our fire department displayed this summer, putting out multiple wildfires with no loss of homes, bringing in fire trucks and helicopters from off island to save our land and property, OIFR has my vote. They’ve proved their worth.