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1. What does it mean to annex to Clark County Fire District 3?

The area within the city limits becomes part of Fire District 3’s jurisdiction. City of Battle Ground property owners would be within the fire district and pay for fire/EMS services directly to the fire district.

2. Doesn't the city already provide fire and emergency medical service?

Unlike all other Clark County cities, Battle Ground does not have its own fire department nor is it part of a fire district. The city contracts with Fire District 3 to provide services within the city. The current contract expires in 2021 and must be renegotiated.

3. Why doesn’t the city have its own fire department?

The city has explored this option. The estimated startup costs alone are nearly $7 million and annual operating costs would exceed $3 million, which the city cannot afford. We also cannot rely on a volunteer fire department considering the size of the city, which is 21,500 people making more than 2,500 emergency calls per year.

4. Has the city looked at contracting with other providers?

Yes, the city went through a competitive bidding process. Fire District 3 was the most cost-effective and provided the highest level of service for our community.

5. How much do property owners pay now, and would pay under annexation?

The amount an individual property owner pays varies because it is based on the assessed value of their property.  Currently, property owners pay the equivalent of $1.35 per $1,000 of assessed property value to the city for Fire/EMS services.  This is paid out of the city’s general property tax levy of $1.37/$1,000.  

Under annexation, the fire levy is projected to be $1.30/$1,000.  To determine the projected annual cost of a Fire/EMS levy, simply multiply $.0013 by the assessed value of your home.   For homes assessed between $300,000 and $400,000, the projected annual cost would range between $390 and $520.  (The median assessed value of a residential property in the city is $298,000.)     

To help offset the cost, the city will reduce its utility (water, sewer, stormwater drainage) tax from the current rate of 22% to 12% - a 46% decrease in the utility tax you pay.  For the average customer using 8 units of water and 6 units of sewer, the savings equates to $103 per year.  The reduction in utility tax is beneficial to both homeowners and renters.  

6. Does the city plan to reduce taxes to offset this cost?

Yes, to help offset the cost, the city will reduce its utility (water, sewer, stormwater drainage) tax from the current rate of 22% to 12% - a 46% decrease in the utility tax you pay.  For the average customer using 8 units of water and 6 units of sewer, the savings equates to $103 per year.   The reduction in utility tax is beneficial to both homeowners and renters.  

The remaining revenue will be used to fund better response times for fire and police (including investigative services and stronger traffic enforcement), more street maintenance and preservation projects, sidewalk repair and replacement, parks maintenance and planning for park and recreation facilities, and more programs and events that engage and strengthen community.

7. What happens if annexation is approved?

City property owners will pay Fire District 3 directly for fire and emergency medical services.  The city will use the remaining revenue for:

• Better fire and police response times, including more firefighters and officers for traffic patrols and investigative services
• Capital improvements for emergency apparatus and facilities
• More street maintenance and preservation projects, sidewalk repairs and replacement
• Better parks maintenance, and planning for park and recreation facilities and a network of trails and bikeways
• More programs and events that engage and strengthen community

8. What happens if annexation is not approved?

The fire/EMS services contract will exceed the city’s property tax collection revenues by 2021. Without annexation, emergency service levels would have to be reduced for the city to maintain a balanced budget.  The city has discussed what these and other service level cuts would be, including:

• Cuts to personnel in fire and police, which means longer response times
  • For fire services:
    • Reducing types of calls responded to, such as falls at care facilities in the City
    • Reduced day time staffing at the City fire station 
    • Eliminating community service programs, such as free blood pressure checks, station tours, National Night Out, open houses, free smoke alarm installation, school prevention programs, and career night
    • Eliminating fire safety and prevention services in local schools
  • For police services:
    • Investigative priority will be crimes of violence and property crimes with known suspects; investigations will be delayed due to fewer staffing resources
    • Reduction in traffic enforcement and other community patrols
    • No police response to traffic accidents except for injuries and DUIs
    • No in-person police response for theft, fraud, vandalism where there is no suspect information (on-line reporting only) 
    • No police response to drug and vice complaints
    • Cuts to police participation in community events such as the downtown Halloween event, police station tours, National Night Out, Shop with a Cop, K-9 presentations, and Drug Take Back Days
• Higher insurance premiums for home and business owners due to lower levels of emergency services 
• Less street maintenance and preservation projects and street sweeping 
• Infrequent mowing and watering of parks; closure of splash pads
• Cuts to community center hours as well as summer playground and holiday programs and activities.

9. What is the current cost of the fire services contract?

In 2019, the contract costs $2,964,508 which comes out of the city’s general fund. The general fund also pays for other city services such as police, parks and recreation, community development (planning, building, code compliance), and public works (streets and public facilities).

10. Who votes on annexation?

The city and fire district continue to talk about the possibility of annexation.  Voters in both the city and the fire district must approve annexation for it to occur.