Crime & Safety

Woodinville Fire Counters Bothell's Annexation Proposal

Citing concerns over service levels and lost revenue, commissioners countered Bothell's plan with the possibility of reopening Station 34.

 

A year after Woodinville Fire & Rescue lost six firefighter positions and a fire station in the wake of Kirkland’s annexation of the Kingsgate area, the board of commissioners is grappling with the possible effects of another proposed annexation of areas within its district, this time by Bothell.

The unincorporated parcels Bothell plans to annex (see map) are within Bothell’s sphere of annexation under the Growth Management Act. While the annexation itself represents only 3 percent of land from the Woodinville district’s coverage, it will mean an 8.6 percent loss in revenue, according to Deputy Fire Chief Mark Chubb. That could result in $1 million less revenue for the district, and the possible loss of eight firefighters.

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At Monday’s meeting, commissioners cited concerns of reduced service when they agreed unanimously to send a letter in response to Bothell’s draft inter-local agreement detailing its proposed annexation. Among other things, the commission’s counterproposal seeks the temporary reopening of Station 34, which was closed when Kirkland annexed the Kingsgate area last year.

Bothell first proposed the annexation back in August 2010, but the Woodinville district was not ready to talk in wake of the , which was completed on June 1, 2011 and resulted in the lost positions and station. Chubb said the District wants to avoid any similar losses in the Bothell Annexation.

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In his report to the commissioners Monday night, Chubb read from a prepared statement:

“As you know, areas in and near the proposed annexation areas have historically experienced poor fire and EMS response times. None of the surrounding fire agencies – the City of Kirkland, City of Bothell, Northshore Fire District or Woodinville Fire & Rescue – is particularly well-positioned to service demand in these areas. This is particularly true since the closure of Fire Station 34 on May 1, 2011.

“Negotiations with the City of Bothell have failed to provide explicit assurances that the city will advance its plans to build and staff a fire station to serve the annexed areas in the foreseeable future. Efforts to facilitate this decision by offering the City cash and property assets in excess of statutory requirements in exchange for such a commitment have not been fruitful. Nevertheless, city officials engaged in discussions with me have indicated a willingness to explore alternatives that address our concerns about future service levels.

“Clearly, the loss of revenues following annexation would undermine the District’s capacity to service areas adjacent to the proposed annexation areas. As previously reported, I anticipate the impact of these revenue losses to be the possible elimination of eight positions in the response operations section. This impact equals the full-time equivalent (FTE) staffing required to maintain 24×7 staffing of a two-person aid car.”

In its letter to Bothell, the commission states, “We have concluded that the proposed agreement does not contain adequate assurances of the City’s commitment to providing or improving fire and EMS service in an already underserved area.” (see PDF).

The letter goes on to list five demands from Woodinville:

  1. Woodinville Fire & Rescue agrees to reopen Fire Station 34 located at 12703 NE 144th Street and staff the station with a two-person aid crew on a 24×7 basis to respond to incidents within the proposed annexation areas and adjoining portions of the City of Bothell, City of Kirkland, Northshore Fire District and Woodinville.
  2. Woodinville Fire & Rescue will approach the City of Kirkland with a proposal to increase the staffing at Fire Station 34 by one additional 24×7 position to facilitate cross-staffing an engine company and aid car.
  3. The City of Bothell agrees to assume financial responsibility for post-annexation staffing of Fire Station 34 on a 24×7 basis by a minimum of two 24×7 personnel (8.0 FTE) until such time as the city builds and opens a new fire station in or near the proposed annexation areas.
  4. Woodinville Fire & Rescue will continue to fund the maintenance and upkeep of Fire Station 34 until such time as it closes and a new fire station constructed by or for the City of Bothell opens in the proposed annexation area to replace it.
  5. In exchange for the transfer of firefighting assets, including an engine or ladder truck equipped to NFPA 1901 standards, an aid car and such cash assets as the District may generate from the sale or disposal of Fire Station 34 and other surplus real property in or near the proposed annexation area, i.e., WF&R Fire Station 37 at 12600 NE 173rd Place, the City of Bothell agrees to pursue without delay the design, funding and construction of a new fire station to serve the proposed annexation areas.

The commission sent its letter to Bothell officials this week and now awaits a response.


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