CIFR pulls fire levy from Nov. ballot
By KRISTI PIHL Staff Reporter
Camano Island Fire and Rescue decided to pull the fire levy lid increase from the general election.
The fire district had initially submitted both the emergency medical services (EMS) levy renewal and the fire levy lid lift for the general election prior to the primary election results, said Levon Yengoyan, Camano Island Fire and Rescue assistant chief. That submission gave the district the ability to decide how to proceed based on the primary results.
Assuming the renewal of the EMS levy, at 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, is certified, that levy will not be on the Nov. 3 ballot, Yengoyan said. The preliminary primary results have the levy passing with 63 percent approval.
The fire district 1 commissioners also decided to pull the fire levy lid lift, at $1.20 per $1,000, from the general election, he said. In the preliminary primary results, the levy lid lift failed with 52 percent of voters against it.
Passage of the expiring EMS levy would allow the fire district to maintain its current services to island residents.
The fire levy lid lift would have permitted it to hire 10 to 12 more full-time firefighters to help staff the new Madrona fire station.
The district heard from the community that it wasn't the time to try to expand service, Yengoyan said.
The district appreciated the community feedback that it received, and will look at expanding service to Camano Island residents sometime in the future, he said.
