Fire & Emergency Medical Transition Committee - 10/24/2002City of Spokane Valley
Public Safety Transition Committee
Fire & Emergency Medical Services
Options and Recommendations
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Public Safety Transition Committee
The Public Safety Transition Committee for Fire - Emergency Services and
Animal Control has been meeting since July, 24'h 2002. The committee has
investigated the three options for providing fire and emergency medical services that
are provided through fire department organizations. Those three options are;
1. Annex into the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) also known as Fire
District #1 and Spokane County Fire District #8.
2. Create a new Fire Department for the City of Spokane Valley
3. Contract for services with an existing Fire Department.
The Committee's Recommendation
1. Remain part of the existing Fire Districts (SVFD, District #8, and District #9)
through 2003, as provided in RCW 52.04.161. This takes no action on the
v/ part of the city.
2. In late spring of 2003 request an extension of fire protection services from all
three departments, as provided in RCW 52.04.161, through the end of 2004.
3. In the spring of 2004 request a vote to annex into SVFD and Fire District #8,
RCW 52.04.061 & RCW 52.04.071. This option provides for a continuation of
the excellent service presently being provided and-does so with the least
possible effort and budgetary impact on the part of the new city. This option
also negates the negative impacts that could be forced upon Fire District #8.
Supportive documentation on options and referenced materials are provided.
10/24/2002 Page 2 of 16
Initial Fire Protection Services
The new city will have about 6,800 calls for emergency fire and medical services per
year. About 95% of those services are presently being provided by the SVFD. The
rest are being provided by Fire District #8, in the Ponderosa and Valley View Hills
areas, and a very small part by Fire District #9 on the north side-of the city.
Providing those services requires a complicated network of organizations. The first
call for assistance is to the 911 dispatch center. The call is then filtered and if fire
department related it is transferred to the Combined Communications Center (CCC).
There the call information is obtained and the appropriate units are paged from the
callers Spokane County fire agency.
Fire departments provide different levels of services. Some of those services are fire
suppression, basic life support (EMT's), advanced life support (Paramedics),
hazardous materials response, auto accident disentanglement, wildland fire
response, building inspections, technical rescue, arson investigation, public safety
education and many others.
The City's initial fire and emergency medical services will be provided by the current,
agencies with their level of services. The RCW that provides for this is listed below.
RCW 52.04.161
Newly incorporated city or town deemed annexed by district Withdrawal.
If the area of a newly incorporated city or town is located in one or more fire protection
districts, the city or town is deemed to have been annexed by the fire protection district
or districts effective immediately on the city's or town's official date of incorporation,
unless the city or town council adopts a resolution during the interim transition period
precluding the annexation of the newly incorporated city or town-by the fire protection
district or districts. The newly incorporated city or town shall remain annexed to the fire
protection district or districts for the remainder of the year of the city's or town's official
date of incorporation, or through the following year if such extension is approved by
resolution adopted by the city or town council and by the board or boards of fire
commissioners, and shall be withdrawn from the fire protection district or districts at the
end of this period; unless a ballot proposition is adopted by the voters pursuant to RCW
52.04.071 providing for annexation of the city or town to a fire protection district.
If the city or town is withdrawn from the fire protection district or districts, the
maximum rate of the first property tax levy that is imposed by the city or town after the
withdrawal is calculated as if the city or town never had been annexed by the fire
protection district or districts.
10/24/2002 Page 3 of 16
Option #1
Annex into the Spokane Valley Fire Department and Spokane
County Fire District #8
The City is currently served by the SVFD, Fire District #8 and a very small part by
Fire District #9. We recommend that the City pursue annexation into both SVFD and
SCFD#8 within their present Fire District boundaries RCW 52.04.061. This solution
maintains the high level of service and rapid response times for these Districts. If
Fire District #8 were to lose these response areas to the new city the response times
to these areas of the City could be increased breatly. In addition, the financial and
response impacts to the remainder of Fire District #8 could be severe due to the loss
of this tax revenue.
The City, with a positive vote in an election in both the City and the remaining SVFD
and Fire District #8 areas under RCW 52.04.061 and RCW 52.04.071, could vote to
annex and remain a part of SVFD and SCFD#8.
If at a later date the City decided that it wanted to provide fire protection services in
another way it can withdraw from SVFD and SCFD#8 under RCW 52.04.101 after
three years from the annexation date.
Positive Reasons to Annex into the SVFD and SCFD#8
1. City voters and residents have shown great approval and support for the services
that are currently being provided.
2. The City would not need to deal with any of the complicated employee transfer
issues related to the takeover of SVFD because of the over 60% assessed
valuation incorporation.
RCW 35.13.225
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees Rights and benefits.
RCW 35.13.215
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees.
RCW 35.13.235
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees Notice Time
limitation.
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Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Spokane Valley Fire
Department and Local 876 IAFF
ARTICLE 2 - TERM OF AGREEMENT
Section 5. Annexation, Consolidation, or Merger:
This agreement shall be binding upon the successors of the parties hereto, and
no provisions, terms, or obligations herein contained shall be affected, modified,
altered, or changed in any respect whatsoever by the consolidation, merger,
annexation, or transfer of either party, or by any change of any kind in the
ownership or management of either party, or by any change, geographically or
otherwise, in the location of place of business of either party hereto.
3. The City would not need to deal with the transfer of asset or indebtedness issues
involving SVFD and SCFD#8.
RCW 35.13.249
Annexation of fire districts Ownership of assets of fire protection district .
Outstanding indebtedness not affected.
RCW 35A.14.380
Ownership of assets of fire protection district Assumption of
responsibility of fire protection When at least sixty percent of assessed
valuation is annexed or incorporated in code city.
RCW 35A.14.400
Ownership of assets of fire protection district When less than sixty
percent of assessed valuation is annexed or incorporated in code city.
4. The City, through the Board of Fire Commissioners, would have an elected body
experienced with providing fire protection services.
5. The City would not need to levy taxes to make up for the loss of revinue being
provided annually with the SVFD's special leery. The 2002 levy is $1.59 per
$1000 of assessed valuation.
Less Positive Reasons to Annex into the SVFD and SCFD#8
1. The City Council would not have direct control over the Fire Department, its
budget, operations or service levels.
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UST T[-IS PAGE rOR
NOTES
10/24/2002 Page 6 of 16
Option #2
Create a "City" Fire Department
Under this option the City could take over the assets of SVFD, RCW 35A.14.380, At
the same time they would assume its indebtedness and liabilities, RCW 35.13.249.
Fire District #8 would end up owing the City for its percentage of capital assets,
approximately 11 RCW 35A.14.400. The citizens remaining outside the city
limits, but within the existing SVFD, could vote to have their fire protection services
provided by the new City Fire Department, RCW 35A.14.380.
Positives To Starting A City Fire Department
1. The City Council would have direct control over the Fire Department's budget,
operations and service levels.
Less Than Positive Reasons To Start A City Fire Department
1. The City would need to deal with all of the complicated employee transfer
issues.
RCW 35.13.225
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees Rights and benefits.
RCW 35.13.215
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees.
RCW 35.13.235
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees Notice Time
limitation.
Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Spokane Valley Fire
Department and Local 876 IAFF
ARTICLE 2 - TERM OF AGREEMENT
Section 5. Annexation, Consolidation, or Merger:
This agreement shall be binding upon the successors of the parties hereto, and
no provisions, terms, or obligations herein contained shall be affected, modified,
altered, or changed in any respect whatsoever by the consolidation, merger,
annexation, or transfer of either party, or by any change of any kind in the
ownership or management of either party, or by any change, geographically or
otherwise, in the location of place of business of either party hereto.
10/24/2002 Page 7 of 16
3. The City would need to deal with the transfer of assets and indebtedness issues
from SVFD, Fire District #8 and maybe #9.
RCW 35.13.249
Annexation of fire districts Ownership of assets of fire protection district
Outstanding indebtedness not affected.
RCW 35A.14.380
Ownership of assets of fire protection district Assumption of
responsibility of fire protection When at least sixty percent of assessed
valuation is annexed or incorporated in code city.
RCW 35A.14.400
Ownership of assets of fire protection district When less than sixty.
percent of assessed valuation is annexed or incorporated in code city.
4. The City would need to levy taxes to make up for the loss of the SVFD's
special levy in order to pay for services. The 2002 SVFD special levy is $1.59
per $1000 of assessed valuation. On the cities assessed valuation it would be
approximately $8.3 million.
Option #3
Contract for Fire Protection Services
The committee explored contracting out for fire and emergency medical services but
found the issue very complicated. The same issues that were raised in forming our
own fire department were raised in contracting for services. Those issues were
asset transfers, indebtedness liability, employee rights, labor contract issues and the
need to find the tax revenue to support the contract without the SVFD special fire
levy. Because of these issues we do not feel that contracting for services is a viable
option.
10/24/2002 Page 8 of 16
1 Referenced RCW's and Items
RCW 52.04.161
Newly incorporated city or town deemed annexed by district Withdrawal.
If the area of a newly incorporated city or town is located in one or more fire
protection districts, the city or town is deemed to have been annexed by the fire
protection district or districts effective immediately on the city's or town's official date
of incorporation, unless the city or town council adopts a resolution during the interim
transition period precluding the annexation of the newly incorporated city or town by
the fire protection district or districts. The newly incorporated city or town shall
remain annexed to the ire protection district or districts for the remainder of the year
of the city's or town's official date of incorporation, or through the following year if
such extension is approved by resolution adopted by the city or town council and by
the board or boards of fire commissioners; and shall be withdrawn from the fire
protection district or districts at the end of this period, unless a ballot proposition is
adopted by the voters pursuant to RCW 52.04.071 providing for annexation of the
city or town to a fire protection district.
RCW 52.04.061
Annexation of adjacent city or town Procedure.
A city or town lying adjacent to a fire protection district may be annexed to such
district if at the time of the initiation of annexation the population of the city or town is
100,000 or less. The legislative authority of the city or town may initiate annexation
by the adoption of an ordinance stating an intent to join the fire protection district and
finding that the public interest will be served thereby. If the board of fire
commissioners of the fire protection district shall concur in the annexation,.
notification thereof shall be transmitted to the legislative authority or authorities of
the counties in which the city or town and the district are situated.
RCW 52.04.071
Annexation of adjacent city or town Election.
The county legislative authority or authorities shall by resolution call a special
election to be held in the city or town and in the fire protection district at the next
date provided in RCW 29.13010 but not less than forty-five days from the date of
the declaration of the finding, and shall cause notice of the election to be given as
provided for in RCW 29.27.080.
The election on the annexation of the city or town into the fire protection district
shall be conducted by the auditor of the county or counties in which the city or town
and the fire protection district are located in accordance with the general election
laws of the state. The results thereof shall be canvassed by the canvassing board of
the county or counties. No person is entitled to vote at the election unless he or she
is a qualified elector in the city or town or unless he or she is a qualified elector
within the boundaries of the fire protection district. The ballot proposition shall be in
substantially the following form:
10/24/2002 Page 9 of 16
"Shall the city or town of be annexed to and be a part of fire
protection: district?
YES..........
NO..........
If a majority of the persons voting on the proposition in the city or town and a
majority of the persons voting on the proposition in the fire protection district vote in
favor thereof, the city or town shall be annexed and shall be a part of the fire
protection district.
RCW 52.04.101
Withdrawal by annexed city or town Election.
The legislative body of such a city or town which has annexed to such a fire
protection district, may, by resolution, present to the voters of such city or town a
proposition to withdraw from said fire protection district at any general election held
at least three years following the annexation to the fire protection district. If the
voters approve such a proposition to withdraw from said fire protection district, the
city or town shall have a vested right in the capital assets of the district proportionate
to the taxes levied within the corporate boundaries of the city or town and utilized by
the fire district to acquire such assets.
RCW 35.13.225
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees Rights and benefits.
(1) An eligible employee may transfer into the'civil service system of the city, code
city, or town fire department by filing a written request with the city, code city, or
town civil service commission and by giving written notice thereof to the board of
commissioners of the fire protection district. Upon receipt of such request by the civil
service commission the transfer of employment shall be made. The employee so
transferring will (a) be on probation for the same period as are new employees of the
city, code city, or town fire department in the position filled, but if the transferring
employee has already completed a probationary period as a fire fighter prior to the
transfer, then the employee may only be terminated during the probationary period
for failure to adequately perform assigned duties, not meeting the minimum
qualifications of the position, or behavior that would otherwise be subject to
disciplinary action, (b) be eligible for promotion no later than after completion of the
probationary period, (c) receive a salary at least equal to that of other new
employees of the city, code city, or town fire department in the position filled, and (d)
in all other matters, such as retirement, sick leave, and vacation, have, within the
city, code city, or town civil service system, all the rights, benefits, and privileges to
which he or she would have been entitled as a member of the city, code city, or town
fire department from the beginning of employment with the fire protection district:
PROVIDED, That for purposes of layoffs by the annexing fire agency, only the time
of service accrued with the annexing agency shall apply unless an agreement is
10/2412002 Page 10 of 16
reached between the collective bargaining representatives of the employees of the
J annexing and annexed fire agencies and the annexing and annexed fire agencies.
The board of commissioners of the fire protection district shall, upon receipt of such
notice, transmit to any applicable civil seniice commission a record of the
employee's service with the fire protection district which shall be credited to such
employee as a part of the period of employment in the city, code city, or town fire
department. All accrued benefits are transferable provided that the recipient agency
provides comparable benefits. All benefits shall then accrue based on the combined
seniority of each employee in the recipient agency.
(2) As many of the transferring employees shall be placed upon the payroll of the
city, code city, or town fire department as the department determines are needed to
provide services. These needed employees shall be taken in order of seniority and
the remaining employees who transfer as provided in this section and RCW
35.13.215 and 35.13.235 shall head the list for employment in the civil service
system in order of their seniority, to the end that they shall be the first to be
reemployed in the city, code city, or town fire department when appropriate positions
become available: PROVIDED, That employees who are not immediately hired by
the city, code city, or town shall be placed on a reemployment list for a period not to
exceed thirty-six months unless a longer period is authorized by an agreement
reached between the collective bargaining representatives of the employees of the
annexing and annexed fire agencies and the annexing and annexed fire agencies.
RCW 35.13.215
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees.
If any portion of a fire protection district is annexed to or incorporated into a city,
code city or town, any employee of the fire protection district who (1) was at the
time of such annexation or incorporation employed exclusively or principally in
performing the powers, duties, and functions which are to be performed by the
city, code city or town fire department (2) will, as a direct consequence of
annexation or incorporation, be separated from the employ of the fire protection
district, and (3) can perform the duties and meet the minimum requirements of
the position to be filled, then such employee may transfer employment to the civil
service system of the city, code city or town fire department as provided for in this
section and RCW 35.13.225 and 35.13.235.
RCW 35.13.235
Annexation of fire districts Transfer of employees Notice Time limitation.
If any portion of a fire protection district is annexed to or incorporated into a city,
code city or town, and as a result any employee is laid off who is eligible to
transfer to the city, code city or town fire department under this section and RCW
35.13.215 and 35.13.225 the fire protection district shall notify the employee of
the right to transfer and the employee shall have ninety days to transfer
employment to the city, code city or town fire department.
10/2412002 Page 11 of 16
RCW 35.13.249
Annexation of fire districts Ownership of assets of fire protection district -
- Outstanding indebtedness not affected.
When any portion of a fire protection district is annexed by or incorporated into a
city or town, any outstanding indebtedness, bonded or otherwise, shall remain an
obligation of the taxable property annexed or incorporated as if the annexation or
incorporation had not occurred.
RCW 35A.14.380
Ownership of assets of fire protection district Assumption of responsibility
of fire protection When at least sixty percent of assessed valuation is
annexed or incorporated in code city.
If a portion of a fire protection district including at least sixty percent of the assessed
valuation of the real property of the district is annexed to or incorporated into a code
city, ownership of all of the assets of the district shall be vested in the code city,
upon payment in cash, properties or contracts for fire protection services to the
district within one year, of a percentage of the value of said assets equal to the
percentage of the value of the real property in the entire district remaining outside
the incorporated or annexed area.
The fire protection district may elect, by a vote of a majority of the persons
residing outside the annexed area who vote on the proposition, to require the
' annexing code city to assume responsibility for the provision of fire protection, and
for the operation and maintenance of the district's property, facilities, and equipment
throughout the district and to pay the code city a reasonable fee for such fire
protection, operation, and maintenance.
RCW 35A.14.400
Ownership of assets of fire protection district When less than sixty percent
of assessed valuation is annexed or incorporated in code city.
If a portion of a fire protection district including less than sixty percent of the
assessed value of the real property of the district is annexed to or incorporated into a
code city, the ownership of all assets of the district shall remain in the district and the
district shall pay to the code city within one year or within such period of time as the
district continues to collect taxes in such incorporated or annexed areas, in cash,
properties or contracts for fire protection services, a percentage of the value of said
assets equal to the percentage of the value of the real property in the entire district
lying within the area so incorporated or annexed: PROVIDED, That if less than five
percent of the area of the district is affected, no payment shall be made to the code
city except as provided in RCW 35.02.205. The fire protection district shall provide
fire protection to the incorporated or annexed area for such period as the district
continues to collect taxes levied in such annexed or incorporated area.
10/24/2002 Page 12 of 16
Collective Bargaining Agreement
Portions of Articles
Between
The Spokane Valley Fire Department
And
Local 876 IAFF
ARTICLE 1 - RECOGNITION
Section 1. Bargaining Agent:
(a) The District recognizes the Union as the exclusive bargaining agent for all
bargaining unit members and positions as listed in Appendix A. First year fire fighters
are considered at will employees.
ARTICLE 2 - TERM OF AGREEMENT
Section 5. Annexation, Consolidation, or Merger.
This agreement shall be binding upon the successors of the parties hereto, and no
provisions, terms, or obligations herein contained shall be affected, modified, altered,
or changed in any respect whatsoever by the consolidation, merger, annexation, or
transfer of either party, or by any change of any kind in the ownership or
management of either party, or by any change, geographically or otherwise, in the
location of place of business of either party hereto.
10/24/2002 Page 13 of 16
Spokane Valley Fire Department
2002 Fact Sheet
Mission: The Spokane Valley Fire Department is an all-risk emergency agency,
protecting its citizens' lives, property and the environment through a cost effective and
responsive people oriented service.
Established
1939
Governing Body
Board of Five Fire Commissioners
Personnel
143
Area
74 square miles
Population Served
115,000
Responses
7,439 in 2001
Fire Rating
Class 4
Assessed Evaluation
Budget
Regular Tax
Special Levy
Department Composition
Services Provided
Benefits and Outcomes
5.4 billion
15.6 million
1.37
1.59
43,000 Homes
Major Hospital
53 Schools
Fire Suppression
Advanced Life Support
Building Inspections
Arson Investigation
Hazardous Materials Response
Combined Communications
Disentanglement
Safer Citizens
Lower Insurance Rates
Greater Survivability Rates
Reduced Property Losses
10/24/2002 Page 14 of 16
4,500 Business
Interstate Highway
21 Nursing Homes
Basic Life Support
Paramedics
Technical Rescue
Hydrant Testing
Safety Education
State Mobilizations
Spokane Valley Fire Department
2002 Fact Sheet
Stations Locations 1 - 10319 E. Sprague
2 - 8007 E. Trent
3 - 2218 N. Harvard
4 - 22406 E. Wellesley
5 - 15510 E. Marietta
6 - 6303 E. Sprague
7 - 1121 S. Evergreen
Response Apparatus 5 - Class A Pumpers
1 -100' Pumper Ladder
1 - 65' Pumper Ladder
1 - Heavy Rescue
2 - Paramedic Units
2 - Wildland Apparatus
6 - Command Vehicles
4 - Prevention Vehicles
10/24/2002 Page 15 of 16
2002 Assessed Valuation and Tax Information
on
Cities and Fire Departments
~r
City of Spokane Valle
Assessed Valuation 3.95 Billion
Percentage of SVl^ D 74%
Liberty Lake
Assessed Valuation $452 Million
Regular Levy $ 2-10
Valley Fire Total Levy Rate $ 2.95
Total Tax Levy Bate $ 5.0
Spokane Valle Fire Department
Assessed Valuation
8,34 Billion
Regular Levy Rate
1.378
Special Levy Rate
1.589
Total Tax Levy Rate
2.97
2002 Budget
$ 15-6 Million
WBRB Class 4
Fire District 8
Assessed Valuation
$ 1-1 Billion
Regular Levy Rate.
$ 1-266
EMS Levy }date
.491
Building Bond
$ .297
Total Tax Lever Rate
107
2002 Budget
2;320 Million
W RB Class ,5
Assessed Valuation Ponderosa Area
71,559,000 = Tax $221,216
Valle View Hills
35.317 000 = Tax 73,000
Total
$106,876,000 - $294,216
Fire District
Assessed Value
Regular Levy Rate
Special Levy Rate
Building Bond
Total Tax Levy Date
i ~
1,67 Billion
1.50
$ 1.386
-172
3.060
10124/2002 Page 16 of 16