Showing posts sorted by relevance for query northshore fire ballot. Sort by date Show all posts
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Updates/Corrections: LFP residents to vote on proposed Fire District Merger in April 27 ballot

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

The Northshore fire district has two stations. This one is in Kenmore.
Photo by Jerry Pickard

By Tracy Furutani and Diane Hettrick

“The Northshore Fire Department is asking voters to approve a merger with Woodinville Fire and Rescue during the April 27, 2021 Special Election,” said Woodinville Fire and Rescue Chief Greg Ahearn in a letter to Shoreline Area News. 

“The goal of this merger is to save money for taxpayers and improve emergency services. The Boards of Fire Commissioners representing both districts support the merger because it is in the best interest of the communities we serve.”

The ballot, which should be arriving in the mail this week from King County Elections to voters in Lake Forest Park and Kenmore, will contain a single item labeled Proposition No. 1: Should the proposal to merge the Northshore Fire Department (also known as Fire Protection District No. 16) into Woodinville Fire and Rescue be approved?

The Northshore Fire Department serves the cities of Lake Forest Park and Kenmore. The reason why the Northshore FD would be merged into Woodinville F/R even though the two districts are not contiguous is a bureaucratic issue: Woodinville F/R has one more fire station and about a dozen more personnel than the Northshore FD. Woodinville residents will not be voting on this proposal. 

The fact that the two districts are not adjacent will have no effect on fire department call service, because interagency agreements allow the nearest fire department to respond to calls, said Roger Collins, the chair of Woodinville F/R Board of Commissioners, “boundaries have nothing to do with service.”

There is organized opposition to the merger. “No on Prop. 1” yards signs have appeared throughout both Lake Forest Park and Kenmore, sponsored by the group Citizens For A Safer Northshore, which lists an affiliation with the Northshore FD’s firefighters’ union, IAFF Local 2459, according the Public Disclosures Commission.

“We’ve been very supportive of merger, but once they stopped working with our labor group that raised some red flags,” said Lieutenant Jeremiah Ingersoll of the Northshore Firefighters, and IAFF Local 2459 President. “We still tried to work with them on [the merger], but we saw a lot of misleading information like [the proposed] cost savings.”

There will be no Voters’ Pamphlet sent out. The fire districts would have had to pay for it, and “it was an expense that didn’t seem like it needed to be spent,” said Collins.

The Boards of each district were not unanimous in their approval of putting the merger on the April ballot.

The Northshore Board split 3-2 in favor of the proposal. The Woodinville board voted 4-0 in favor, with one abstention. 

Some of the Northshore Board members in the minority have been giving public comment in opposition. “I have voted against this merger from the beginning,” said Rick Verlinda, a Board member of the Northshore FD, at the March 25 Lake Forest Park City Council meeting, though he made clear he was not speaking as a Board member.

The Lake Forest Park station is the second station in the Northshore Fire District
Photo by Jerry Pickard

The administration and the Boards of Fire Commissioners in each district argue that the residential and property owners in the Northshore FD will save money. According to Collins, the combined rate for fire services (which includes both the Fire Benefit Charge and the portion of the King County property tax that is earmarked for fire protection) will be reduced from $1.30 per $1000 of assessed property value to $1.19.

The firefighters’ unions and the No on Prop. 1 campaign argue that that rate is not sustainable, and that the rate would have to increase over time. Ingersoll said “they [the Boards of the fire districts] are putting out these tax rates… no one can justify them.” He also mentioned that the new merged district would be assuming debt from a refinanced 2009 Northshore bond, and it was not clear if Woodinville residents would be helping to pay off that bond through their property tax levy.

“The city is with the union, and the union is against the merger,” said Kenmore Mayor David Baker, commenting on the Kenmore City Council unanimously opposing Prop. 1 at a meeting last Monday. The Bothell-Kenmore Reporter quoted a Kenmore City Council member’s reason for opposing the measure as the fire district not being transparent about their financial and service information.

The next chance for public comment is this Thursday at 7pm when the Lake Forest Park City Council includes a public hearing on the merger as part of its regular business meeting.

If the proposal passes “we would merge into Woodinville,” said Ingersoll. “Our labor group would assume [Woodinville’s] contract, policies and procedures and Northshore fire would cease to exist.”

If the proposal does not pass “the two districts will remain separate entities and the two Boards of Commissioners will have to decide the next step,” said Collins. “A ‘no’ vote does not mean that a merger can not be put forth again, but it would be some time before that could happen.”

Correction: Correction to the commission vote at Woodinville whose board voted 4-0 in favor with one abstention.

Update: Since the article was published the Lake Forest Park City Council voted unanimously to oppose the merger.



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Northshore Fire Department votes to approve consolidation with Woodinville Fire and Rescue

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Northshore fire station in Kenmore
Photo by Jerry Pickard


On Wednesday, August 5, 2020, the Northshore Board of Fire Commissioners approved a vote to pursue organizational consolidation with Woodinville Fire and Rescue. 

Over the past year, the Northshore Fire Department has been considering merger options with Shoreline Fire Department and Woodinville Fire and Rescue. The goal of these discussions was to explore service improvements and cost reductions.

“It has been increasingly difficult for smaller agencies to operate at the high level of efficiency desired,” said Northshore Board Chair David Maehren. 
“This consolidation effort is part of a larger regional trend of fire department annexations and mergers. We look forward to building on what is already an excellent relationship with Woodinville Fire and Rescue.”

The advisory vote authorizes the Northshore Board of Commissioners to engage with the Woodinville Fire Board of Commissioners to pursue a 2021 ballot measure for a merger. Woodinville Fire and Rescue’s Board of Commissioners approved a similar measure in February. In preparation for the merger, both organizations will be hosting joint open public meetings and facilitating discussions with their local municipalities.

“Both organizations have a shared focus on community feedback and transparency,” said Fire Chief Greg Ahearn. “As partners, we can utilize existing personnel and resources to find better ways to serve our residents.”

Woodinville Fire and Rescue’s Fire Chief Gregory Ahearn has been serving as Northshore’s Interim Fire Chief since February. Both organizations have been working closely over the past year to examine operational efficiencies. In July, Northshore began an informational technology (IT) services contract with Woodinville.

The action by the Northshore Board could lead to a ballot measure as early as the Spring of 2021. The dates for the next regular Board of Commissioner meetings are as follows:

  • Woodinville Fire and Rescue: 5:00pm, August 11, 2020
  • Northshore Fire Department: 5:00pm, August 19, 2020
Both agencies post their meeting dates and preliminary agendas on their respective websites.

Since 1942, the Northshore Fire Department has provided comprehensive fire prevention, education, and emergency fire suppression services to the residents of the cities of Kenmore and Lake Forest Park. Northshore Fire Department has two fire stations and services an estimated 36,000 people.



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More details on Northshore Fire proposed merger with Woodinville

Monday, November 23, 2020

Approximate territory of a combined Northshore - Woodinville fire department
Note that the station on the left is Shoreline. The LFP station is not shown. Bothell is not part of the proposed merger. Woodinville has two other stations that are not indicated on the map.



Information in this notice is from the Northshore Fire Department and Board of Commissioners

The Board of Fire Commissioners for the Northshore Fire Department approved a resolution asking voters to approve merging with Woodinville Fire and Rescue.

Current Northshore service area
Courtesy Northshore Fire

The measure will be on the April 27, 2021 Special Election ballot for voters in Northshore’s service area of Lake Forest Park and Kenmore.

The purpose of merging is to improve service for residents and provide cost-efficiencies for taxpayers.

“Many fire districts in King and Snohomish counties are merging or have merged to be more efficient,” said David Maehren, who chairs the Northshore Board of Fire Commissioners 
“We have a real opportunity to improve service and save money for taxpayers by making our existing partnership with Woodinville Fire and Rescue permanent with this merger.”

The Northshore Fire Department and Woodinville Fire and Rescue are similar in size and fund emergency services with a fire levy and fire benefit charge. 

The agencies share training programs for emergency personnel, administrative positions (fire chief, deputy chief, and a chief administrative officer) and joint departments, including finance, human resources, and IT. A merger would make these administrative efficiencies permanent.

Merging also would improve emergency operations for residents and businesses in both service areas. It would allow better deployment of emergency personnel and use of apparatus and equipment. Merging also reduces impacts to taxpayers for long-term for capital items (such as stations and apparatus) because costs are shared by more property owners.

Additional benefits include better training opportunities for firefighters, stronger fire prevention programs in local schools, more community engagement, and economies of scale in purchasing goods and services. There also is likely to be a cost savings for taxpayers in both communities, and that information will be shared as soon as data is available.

“As call volumes increase so does the cost to provide service,” said Chief Greg Ahearn, who serves as Fire Chief for both agencies. 
“We need to find ways to be more efficient so we can protect the level and quality of emergency services that our communities need. Merging does just that.”

The plan is that Northshore will merge into Woodinville Fire and Rescue. By state law, this means the measure would only appear on the ballots of voters in Northshore’s service area (Lake Forest Park and Kenmore). The agencies would develop a new name that reflects all three communities if the merger is approved by voters.

More information can be found on the fire districts’ websites at www.northshorefire.com or www.wf-r.org. Chief Greg Ahearn is available to answer questions about the proposed merger at 425-354-1780 or GAhearn@northshorefire.com.

Northshore Fire Department provides fire and emergency medical services to approximately 37,000 people over 10 square miles, including the cities of Lake Forest Park and Kenmore. Its emergency call volumes average 3,600 a year. It has two stations.

Woodinville Fire and Rescue provides fire and emergency medical services to approximately 37,000 people over 30 square miles. Its emergency call volumes average 4,000 a year. It has three stations.



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Northshore Fire Department approves merger resolution; measure on April 27 Special Election Ballot

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Northshore Fire Station in Kenmore
Photo by Jerry Pickard

The Board of Fire Commissioners for the Northshore Fire Department approved a resolution asking voters to approve merging with Woodinville Fire and Rescue. 

The measure will be on the April 27, 2021 Special Election ballot for voters in Northshore's service area. The purpose of merging is to improve service for residents and provide cost-efficiencies for taxpayers.

"Many fire districts in King and Snohomish counties are merging or have merged to be more efficient," said David Maehren, who chairs the Northshore Board of Fire Commissioners. 
"We have a real opportunity to improve service and save money for taxpayers by making our existing partnership with Woodinville Fire and Rescue permanent with this merger."

The Northshore Fire Department and Woodinville Fire and Rescue are similar in size and fund emergency services with a fire levy and fire benefit charge.

The agencies share training programs for emergency personnel, administrative positions (fire chief, deputy chief, and a chief administrative officer) and joint departments, including finance, human resources, and IT. A merger would make these administrative efficiencies permanent.

Northshore Fire Station in Lake Forest Park
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Merging also would improve emergency operations for residents and businesses in both service areas. It would allow better deployment of emergency personnel and use of apparatus and equipment. Merging also reduces impacts to taxpayers for long-term for capital items (such as stations and apparatus) because costs are shared by more property owners.

Additional benefits include better training opportunities for firefighters, stronger fire prevention programs in local schools, more community engagement, and economies of scale in purchasing goods and services. There also is likely to be a cost savings for taxpayers in both communities, and that information will be shared as soon as data is available.

"As call volumes increase so does the cost to provide service," said Chief Greg Ahearn, who serves as Fire Chief for both agencies. "We need to find ways to be more efficient so we can protect the level and quality of emergency services that our communities need. Merging does just that."

The plan is that Northshore will merge into Woodinville Fire and Rescue. By state law, this means the measure would only appear on the ballots of voters in Northshore's service area (Lake Forest Park and Kenmore). The agencies would develop a new name that reflects all three communities if the merger is approved by voters.

More information can be found on the fire districts' websites at www.northshorefire.com or www.wf-r.org. Chief Greg Ahearn is available to answer questions about the proposed merger at 425-354-1780 or, GAhearn@northshorefire.com




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Kenmore City Council approves resolution in opposition of merger of Northshore Fire Department with Woodinville Fire and Rescue

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

On March 22, 2021, Kenmore City Council unanimously passed a motion approving a resolution in opposition of the merger of Northshore Fire Department into Woodinville Fire and Rescue (King County Fire Protection District No. 16 , Proposition No.1). 

The ballot measure is up for vote as part of the King County April Special Election on April 27, 2021.

This proposition would merge King County Fire Protection District No.16 (Northshore Fire Department) into Woodinville Fire and Rescue, creating one fire protection district to provide fire and emergency medical services for the areas currently served by the two districts, which includes Kenmore. 

The City Council’s action occurred approximately one week after the Northshore Board of Fire Commissioners passed a motion on March 16, 2021, to “cease any and all efforts in moving forward with the merger consolidation with Woodinville Fire and Rescue until such time that we are working with the support and cooperation of Northshore Firefighters Local 2459.”

On March 23, 2021, the Northshore Board of Fire Commissioners later reversed their decision at a Special Meeting, clarifying that the motion the Board passed on March 16th was meant to be temporary.

RCW 42.17A.555 authorizes the City Council to take action to collectively express a decision, or to actually vote upon a motion, proposal, resolution, order, or ordinance, or to support or oppose a ballot measure so long as the agenda includes the title and number of the ballot proposition, and members of the public and councilmembers are afforded an approximately equal opportunity to express an opposing view.

Kenmore City Council March 22 meeting (Discussion on this merger begins at 49:00)

King County Fire Protection District No. 16 , Proposition No. 1 ballot measure



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Kenmore City Council adopts resolution in support of Northshore Fire levy rate ballot measure (Proposition No. 1)

Sunday, July 28, 2024

KENMORE, Wash. – At the July 22, 2024 meeting, the Kenmore City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution in support of the Northshore Fire levy rate ballot measure, also known as Proposition No. 1.

If approved, this levy would provide a major funding source for emergency services provided by the Northshore Fire Department. (See previous article)

The Northshore Fire Department is seeking voter approval to restore its fire levy to $0.70 per $1,000 of assessed valuation in 2024 (to be collected in 2025), which is an increase of approximately $0.18 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

State limitations on funding increases have not allowed the Northshore Fire Department to keep up with increasing labor and operational costs and planned capital improvement projects. 

Voter approval of Proposition No. 1 would provide funding for the Northshore Fire Department to continue providing fire and emergency medical services at existing levels in Kenmore. The last time that the Northshore Fire Department asked for a fire levy rate increase was 20 years ago.

Proposition No. 1 will be included on the ballot for the primary election on August 6, 2024.

The City Council's adopted resolution can be viewed here.


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Northshore Fire special election April 23

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Voters in Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and the rest of the Northshore Fire District (King County Fire Protection District 16) have their ballots for the April 23 special election.

The only item on the ballot is a six-year continuation of a benefit charge.

Voters Guide
King County Fire Protection District No. 16
Ballot Title
Proposition No. 1
Benefit Charge Continuation
Shall King County Fire Protection District No. 16 be authorized to continue voter-authorized benefit charges each year for six years, not to exceed an amount equal to sixty percent of its operating budget, and be prohibited from imposing an additional property tax under RCW 52.16.160?
Yes __
No __

The complete text of this measure is available at the Elections Office or online.

Explanatory statement
The Northshore Fire Department (King County Fire Protection District 16) is responsible for providing fire protection and emergency medical services in your community. For the last twenty-four years the Fire Department has funded these services primarily through a combination of property taxes and voter approved benefit charges.

Benefit charges are based on risk factors and the cost of providing fire protection services, unlike property taxes that relate to the value of property. Under state law, voters must approve the use of benefit charges every 6 years and the Elected Board of Commissioners is required to hold a public hearing each year to review and establish the amount of the benefit charge. Once established the aggregate amount of the charge is pro-rated to individual properties based on risk factors and collected by the county assessor, together with real estate taxes. The amount of any benefit charge imposed on any given property cannot exceed the measurable benefits of the services afforded to the property by the Fire Department and are subject to appeal.

Under state law, fire districts which collect benefit charges authorized under Chapter 52.18 RCW have reduced taxing authority. Benefit charges can constitute no more than 60 percent of a district’s annual operating budget and the maximum property tax rate is reduced from $1.50 to $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

If approved, Proposition 1 would continue the current funding method of providing emergency medical and fire protection services for 6 more years.

For additional questions regarding this measure contact:
Jim Torpin - Fire Chief, 425-354-1776

Statement in favor

Citizens of the Northshore Fire District have wholeheartedly supported the work of our fire department, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. We have one of the finest departments in the Northwest. Its professional team of well-trained staff has proven itself repeatedly in the performance of its duties. For over two decades our citizens have voted to fund a benefit charge to support the department’s operating budget.

The combined assessment from property tax and the benefit charge for fire protection would continue to average approximately $1.50 per thousand. This is not a new tax, but it must be approved by voters every six years, and it is time to renew that commitment once again. By supporting this renewal, the taxation level for the fire district remains constant and provides a vital and reliable source of revenue for planning, equipment maintenance and replacement, and property protection. This is a crucial investment in our community, one which we will be glad we made in case our own family needs emergency assistance, or we face a natural disaster or public safety crisis. Join us in continuing the commitment to maintaining our excellent fire department.
Please vote to approve this measure.

Statement submitted by: Marella Alejandrino, Kent Sturgis, and Jack Rogers • 206-367-7153

Statement in opposition
No statement submitted.

Statements in favor of and in opposition to a ballot measure are submitted by committees appointed by the jurisdiction. No persons came forward to serve on the committee and to write a statement in opposition. If you would like to be involved with a committee in the future please contact the jurisdiction.

See previous article on obtaining and submitting ballots.


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Fire Chief Cowan sounds the alarm on Northshore’s “critical” budget imbalance

Saturday, July 20, 2024


For the first time in over 20 years, the Northshore fire department will ask voters to approve a levy lid lift on the August 6th ballot. Rising labor and operational costs plus upcoming capital improvement projects are burning up Northshore’s budget but state laws limit how fast the department can raise rates to pump in more revenue.

This week, Fire Chief Matt Cowan warned the city councils of Lake Forest Park and Kenmore the department’s revenue has reached a “critical” imbalance.

“The reason we need to do a lid lift, is this slide,” Fire Chief Matt Cowan told the Lake Forest Park city council about a graph that shows revenues from the fire benefit charge increasing above 60% 

Most of Northshore’s revenue comes from two sources: the fire levy and the fire benefit charge. Under state law, the revenue collected from the fire benefit charge may not exceed 60% of the operating budget but state law allows fire departments to increase levy revenue by no more than 1% per year.

Expenses have been increasing at a much faster rate than 1% in recent years which means the share of revenue coming from the fire benefit charge now exceeds 60%.

“This has been known for at least over the last seven or eight years… previous administrations prior to Shoreline taking on the contract have known about this. Staff has made the recommendations to do a lid lift in previous years and it has not been done,” Cowan told the Kenmore council
“I’m not going to guess as to the different reasons but it has been deferred and deferred… to the point now where it's critical,” he said.

Screenshot from LFP City Council meeting
showing Chief Cowan addressing the council
Cowan told the Lake Forest Park council the lid lift should not result in major tax increases because any increases in the levy rate will be offset by decreases in the fire benefit charge.

“We may not need to increase the revenues much at all or very minimally. So this is not about getting more money… We're just trying to make it proportionate and diversified again,” said Cowan.

The fire levy is based on the assessed value of a property while the fire benefit charge is based on square footage of buildings - which means some property owners with relatively small homes and homes with relatively high assessed values might see increases in their property taxes.

Northshore voters first approved the fire benefit charge in 1989 and voters re-authorize the fee every six years - meaning it will need to be re-authorized for the sixth time next year.

In 2022, Northshore signed a contract to pay the Shoreline Fire Department to provide administrative, operational, and support services; all employees work for the Shoreline Fire Department but the two fire departments have separate levies and fire benefit charges.

The Shoreline and Northshore Fire Departments plan to place a measure on next February’s ballot to seek approval to merge the departments together into a Regional Fire Authority (RFA). If approved, the levy rate would be adjusted again to be the same across the RFA service area.

Information on how to attend future fire commissioner meetings and provide comments is available on the department’s website.


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Filing period ends with few local offices requiring primary ballot

Saturday, May 20, 2017

By Evan Smith

Filing for local offices ended Friday with few local offices having enough candidates to require a place on the Aug. 1 primary election ballot.

The only races on the primary ballot are those with three or more candidates. The top two vote getters in each primary contest advance to the Nov. 7 general-election ballot.

All local positions are non-partisan.

Non-partisan positions with only one or two candidates appear only on the November ballot.

One position that will appear on the primary ballot is a Shoreline City Council position with three candidates for the seat held by incumbent Shari Winstead, who has withdrawn from the race.

The other local positions with primary contests will be three-way races to replace retiring Shoreline School Board member Debi Ehrlichman and Northshore Fire Commissioner Eric Adman. The Northshore Fire District includes Lake Forest Park and Kenmore​.


SHORELINE AREA CANDIDATE FILING

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 1
Rod Dembowski
Lake Forest Park, Council Position 1
Semra Riddle
Lake Forest Park, Council Position 3
John Wright
Benjamin Gonzalez O'Brien
Lake Forest Park, Council Position 5
Mark Phillips
Lake Forest Park, Council Position 7
John Resha
City of Shoreline, Council Position 1
Keith A. McGlashan
Jin-Ah Kim
City of Shoreline, Council Position 3
Will Hall
City of Shoreline, Council Position 5
Shari Winstead Withdrawn
Bergith Kayyali
Carolyn Ahlgreen
Susan Chang
City of Shoreline, Council Position 7
Christopher Roberts
Shoreline School District 412, Director District 2
Heather Fralick
Jill Brady
Mike (Dee) McMullin
Shoreline School District 412, Director District 3
David Wilson
Steven J. Pollak
King County Fire Protection District 16
(Northshore Fire Department)
Commissioner Position 1
John Buller
Rick Verlinda
Don Ellis
• Lake Forest Park Water District, Commissioner Position 1
David A. Hammond
North City (Shoreline) Water District, Commissioner Position 1
Ronald F. (Ron) Ricker
Northshore Utility District,
Commissioner Position 1
Trudy C. Rolla
Chris Kuehn
Northshore Utility District,
Commissioner Position 3 (Unexpired 4-year term)
Edward Wiggins
Matt Breysse
Northshore Utility District,
Commissioner Position 4
D. Bruce Gardiner
Alexander Quigley Freedman
Ronald Wastewater District,
Commissioner Position 1
Robert L. (Bob) Ransom
Andrew Kane
Shoreline Fire Department,
Commissioner Position 1
Jon Kennison
Shoreline Fire Department,
Commissioner Position 4
Larry Hadland Withdrawn
David M. Harris



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Shoreline and Northshore fire departments ask voters for levy increase and regional fire authority

Thursday, June 20, 2024


By Oliver Moffat

The Shoreline and Northshore Fire Department commissioners met on Monday, June 17, 2024 to discuss merging the departments together into a Regional Fire Authority (RFA).

A simple majority of voters in Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and Woodway would need to approve the RFA in a ballot measure planned for February of 2025.

The levy rate across the RFA would need to be the same but currently Shoreline’s levy rate is higher than Northshore’s.

“It’s been twenty years since the fire levy has been reset,” said Fire Chief Matt Cowan about Northshore’s tax rate. And since then, the expenses of running a fire department and the assessed values of properties in Kenmore and Lake Forest Park have increased significantly.

As a result, Northshore has been increasing the Fire Benefit Charge to keep up with costs.

Which is why, said Chief Cowan, the department will be asking Lake Forest Park and Kenmore voters to approve a levy increase with a ballot measure in August.

“We’re going to decrease the Fire Benefit Charge and increase the fire levy. But roughly to the same equivalent levy rate. So tax payers may not see an increase at all,” said Chief Cowan.

According to data shared by Chief Cowan at the meeting, an RFA could reduce costs, potentially lowering levy rates for all taxpayers.

Since 2022, Northshore has paid Shoreline about $13.6 million per year to provide services under a contract but the two fire departments have separate elected commissioners. All employees work for the Shoreline Fire Department, are in a single chain of command, and belong to the same union.

In May, Bothell signed an agreement with the Shoreline Fire Department to provide administration services, essentially hiring Cowan to serve as the Fire Chief for the Bothell Fire Department. Bothell called the agreement, “part of an ongoing exploration into the possibility of further regionalization in the future.”

Information on how to attend future fire commissioner meetings and provide comments is available on the department’s website.


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Local ballots in 2015 will have city councils, school boards, others

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

By Evan Smith

Local ballots in 2015 will have the position of Lake Forest Park mayor, three positions each on the Lake Forest Park and Shoreline city councils, three positions on the Shoreline School Board, two spots each on the Northshore Fire Department and Ronald Wastewater District boards, and one each on the Shoreline Fire Department board, the Lake Forest Park Water and Wastewater District board and the North City Water Commission board.

All candidates for city, fire district and water or wastewater districts run at large.

School Board
Voters throughout the School District elect each board member, but candidates for each position must live in one of five director districts. The three positions on 2015 ballots are those representing 
  • Director District 1, an area north of Richmond Beach Road and east of a line that mostly follows 12th Avenue Northeast
  • Director District 4, which straddles Interstate 5 in the south part of the School District; and
  • Director District 5 along Lake Washington in the southeast corner of district.
Mike Jacobs currently represents Director District 1; Richard "Dick" Nicholson now represents district 4; and Richard Potter represents district 5.

David Wilson, who represents Director District 3, including all areas south of Richmond Beach Road and areas north of Richmond Beach Road and west of 12th Northeast, holds his position through the 2017 ballot, as does Debi Ehrlichman, who represents district 2 in the northeast part of the district.

Shoreline City Council positions on the 2015 ballot are those now held by Council members Chris Eggen, Doris McConnell and Jesse Salomon. Lake Forest Park positions on the ballot include those held by mayor Mary Jane Goss, and Council members Jeff Johnson, Tom French and Catherine Stanford.

Ronald Wastewater District positions will be those held by Commissioners Brian T. Carroll and Arnie Lind.

The Shoreline Fire District Commissioner position will be the one that Commissioner Rod Heivilin holds; the Northshore Fire District positions are the ones that Ron Gehrke and David Maehren hold.

In the North City Water District (formerly the Shoreline Water District), the position that Commissioner Charlotte Haines holds will be on the ballot. In the Lake Forest Park Water District, voters will fill the position that William F. Donahue holds. Ballots in the Northshore Utility District, including part of northeast Lake Forest Park, will include the position held by Margaret R. Wiggins.

Shoreline City Councilman Solomon is the first local candidate to register with the State Public Disclosure Commission. He will start his campaign with $17,675 raised.

Candidates must register before they raise or spend any money.

Candidates for all positions file in May. Positions with three or more candidates will appear on the August primary ballot, with the top two vote getters for each position advancing to the November general election. Positions with only one or more candidates will appear only on the November ballot.

Also on this year’s ballot will be the positions of county assessor, county elections director and two of the five positions on the Seattle Port Commission.


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Northshore Fire on the February 12 ballot

Friday, January 11, 2019

February 12 2019 Special Election will have a Ballot measure for King County Fire Protection District No. 16 aka Northshore Fire Department.

Proposition No. 1 Benefit Charge Continuation

Shall King County Fire Protection District No. 16 be authorized to continue voter-authorized benefit charges each year for six consecutive years, not to exceed an amount equal to sixty percent of its operating budget, and be prohibited from imposing an additional property tax under RCW 52.16.160?

Yes
No

Explanatory statement - this link has pro and con statements

The Northshore Fire Department (King County Fire Protection District 16) is responsible for providing fire protection and emergency medical services in your community. For the last thirty years the Fire Department has funded these services primarily through a combination of property taxes and voter approved benefit charges. Benefit charges are based on risk factors and the cost of providing fire protection services, unlike property taxes that relate to the value of property.

Under state law, voters must approve the use of benefit charges every 6 years and the Elected Board of Commissioners is required to hold a public hearing each year to review and establish the amount of the benefit charge. Once established the aggregate amount of the charge is pro-rated to individual properties based on risk factors and collected by the county assessor, together with real estate taxes. The amount of any benefit charge imposed on any given property cannot exceed the measureable benefits of the services afforded to the property by the Fire Department and are subject to appeal.

Under state law, fire districts which collect benefit charges authorized under Chapter 52.18 RCW have reduced taxing authority. Benefit charges can constitute no more than 60 percent of a district’s annual operating budget and the maximum property tax rate is reduced from $1.50 to $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

If approved, Proposition 1 would continue the current funding method of providing emergency medical and fire protection services for 6 more years.



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Lake Forest Park City Council unanimously rejects Fires District merger

Monday, April 12, 2021

LFP City Council opposes Ballot Proposition 1
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

At its regular business meeting on Thursday April 8th, the Lake Forest Park City Council voted unanimously to take a position opposing Ballot Proposition 1, which proposes a merger of Northshore Fire Department into Woodinville Fire and Rescue.

Prior to the Business Meeting, the Council held a Public Hearing featuring presentations from Acting Fire Chief Greg Ahern speaking in favor of the ballot proposition, and Northshore Fire Department Lt. Jeremy Jamerson speaking against the proposition. 

Following the presentations, several members of the public gave comments, including residents of Kenmore, Woodinville and LFP as well as Northshore firefighters who serve the community of Lake Forest Park.

Council members then posed several questions to both Chief Ahern and Lt. Jamerson to understand more about the Ballot Proposition and the explore topics raised by the public comments.

During later discussion prior to their unanimous vote to reject Ballot Proposition 1, council members expressed common concerns including:
  • the wisdom of moving ahead with the ballot measure when the firefighters are opposed,
  • the lack of clear and convincing financial data supporting the merger,
  • the uncertainty of future LFP representation on a combined district Board of Commissioners,
  • the potential of future growth in Woodinville leaving LFP behind, and
  • that the merger proposal as presented is not in line with the values nor in the best interests of the citizens of Lake Forest Park.
Mayor Jeff Johnson concluded the meeting by expressing the city’s appreciation of the service provided by all the firefighters and the Acting Chief and encouraging them to recommit to working together to serve the citizens of Lake Forest Park.

The Public Hearing and Council Meeting are available on video here: AV Capture ALL

Phillippa Kassover, Deputy Mayor
Lake Forest Park



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Would you like to know what's on your ballot?

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Updated 9/10/2011 11:45pm


By Diane Hettrick

Several times in the past, I walked into my voting place, looked at the ballot, and was shocked to find a race I wasn't expecting on my ballot.

I learned to read the sample ballot on the wall before signing in and looked at all the fine print in the voter's guide, but it was still difficult to figure out which races were going to be on my ballot.

City Council, school board, and county council races usually get a lot of publicity. Even water commissioner and fire commissioner candidates have been known to wave signs on corners.

But Port Commissioners? Judicial candidates for the various levels of courts? Democracy is not for the faint of heart.

King County Records and Elections has made it easy. If you go to this page, you can enter your name and birthdate in the Voter Guide section in the right column and it will generate a list of everything that will be on your ballot.

I just ran mine and I see that we will all have four county races this time:
  • Assessor - where Lloyd Hara is running unopposed
  • Director of Elections - incumbent Sherrill Huff and challenger Mark Greene
  • Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 2 - incumbent Gael Tarleton, and Richard Pope, who runs for something in every election
  • Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 5 - Bill Bryant and Dean Willard

The rest of the ballot depends on where you live.

City is the next category. Shoreline has three contested city council races. Lake Forest Park has a mayor's race and three city council races, all contested.

Judicial - we all have the uncontested position with incumbent Michael Spearman which was already in the primary. (see previous article)

School Board - Shoreline and LFP will vote on three school board races. These positions are different from all the others because school board members aka "District Directors" have to live in their district. However, we vote on all the positions.

District races include fire, water, and wastewater races. 
  • Shoreline is, I believe, wholly within the Shoreline Fire District. 
  • Lake Forest Park is in the Northshore Fire District which includes Kenmore. 
  • Shoreline has two water companies
    • east Shoreline is in Shoreline Water
    • west Shoreline is in Seattle Water 
  • Lake Forest Park has four water districts
    • Shoreline Water
    • LFP Water
    • Northshore Utility
    • Seattle Water 
  • Shoreline is in the Ronald Wastewater District
    • The Highlands has its own sewer district
  • LFP has two:
    • LFP Sewer System
    • Northshore Utility District
Although, it is apparently not a perfect system, as the King County Prop 1 Veterans and Human Services Levy that was approved in the primary still shows on my ballot.


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LFP Citizens Commission to hold session on proposed fire department merger Wednesday

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

The Citizens Commission is a volunteer group not affiliated with the City of Lake Forest Park

At Wednesday night's Lake Forest Park Citizens Commission Meeting, we will have a Presentation from the Northshore Fire District on Proposition #1- the Proposed Ballot Measure to Merge Northshore Fire (King County Fire Protection District #16), into the Woodinville Fire & Rescue District.

We will also allow for Questions, Clarifications, and Answers, in addition to Pro and Con Statements, comments, and opinions.

This event is open to everyone.

According to those involved, it can make a difference to the future of Shoreline Fire, Northshore Fire, Bothell Fire, and Woodinville Fire and Rescue.

The event will start at 5:00pm and continue to 8:00pm, Wednesday, March 31, 2021.
People are welcome to attend at any time, and leave at any time.

The Google Meet Link is:
https://meet.google.com/dxv-pwqd-imm



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Letter to the Editor: Northshore - Woodinville fire department merger to be on April ballot

Friday, December 4, 2020

To the Editor:

The Board of Fire Commissioners for the Northshore Fire Department recently approved a resolution asking voters to merge with Woodinville Fire and Rescue. The merger request will be on the April 27, 2021 Special Election ballot for voters in the communities of Kenmore and Lake Forest Park.

Many fire districts are merging with other agencies to be more cost-effective for taxpayers. Northshore and Woodinville Fire currently share training programs for emergency personnel, administrative positions (fire chief, deputy chief, and a chief administrative officer) and finance, human resources and IT departments. Merging would make these cost efficiencies permanent. Costs for future capital items, (such as stations and apparatus) would be less for taxpayers as well because it is shared by more property owners.

Another issue driving this request is improving service. Merging would allow better deployment of emergency personnel, and sharing of specialized apparatus and equipment when responding to emergency calls. It also would provide better training opportunities for firefighters, stronger fire prevention programs in our local schools, and more community engagement.

More information can be found on our website at www.northshorefire.com/merger-updates We appreciate you considering our request, and welcome your questions.

Thank you,

Dave Maehren, Chairperson
Northshore Fire Department
425-354-1780 dmaehren@northshorefire.com



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UPDATE: The differences among Prop 1 and Prop 1 and Prop 1

Saturday, April 17, 2021

Shoreline Fire Chief Matt Cowan issued a short statement to let voters know the Shoreline Fire Prop 1 has nothing to do with the other Prop 1 measures

By Diane Hettrick

Considering that both Shoreline and Lake Forest Park have Prop 1 on their ballots, it's understandable that there is some confusion. To add to the confusion, Shoreline Fire has a measure on the Shoreline ballot to renew their benefit charge.

AND Shoreline Fire Chief Matt Cowan has reminded me that their renewal measure is ALSO CALLED PROP 1

Shoreline Fire benefit charge

This is a reauthorization of charges that Shoreline residents pay for fire protection and emergency services. 

There is no organized opposition.

Only Shoreline residents vote on this measure.

Northshore Fire measure
Photo by Diane Hettrick
Red signs

Lake Forest Park / Kenmore Prop 1 is about the proposed merger of two fire departments - Northshore, which serves LFP and Kenmore and Woodinville Fire and Rescue, which serves Woodinville.

The Northshore firefighters' union is strongly opposed and is placing red No signs all over both cities.

The city councils of Lake Forest Park and Kenmore voted unanimously to oppose the measure.

Only Lake Forest Park and Kenmore residents vote on this measure.

20 years of park improvements in Shoreline

Green signs

Shoreline Prop 1 is about a 20 year plan for major improvements on five existing parks and acquisition of new land for green spaces as the city fills up with multifamily buildings.

It is a renewal of an existing, expiring charge and will add a monthly amount of around $5 a month, depending on the value of your property. (see article on how to find out what you would pay)

There are Yes yard signs and people on corners waving Yes signs to support the parks proposition.

There is no organized opposition.

Only Shoreline residents vote on the Parks measure.


Turn in ALL ballots by Tuesday, April 27, 2021

You can take your ballot to any King county drop box. They all get sent to the same place.
  • 192nd and Aurora Park n Ride in the corner with the rain garden
  • Shoreline Library parking lot on the corner of NE 175th and 5th NE (remember you can't turn across 175th when you are headed west)
  • Lake Forest Park City Hall in the northeast corner of Town Center at the intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way
  • You can also mail your ballot with no postage required.

There is a high validation requirement because of the turnout for the Presidential election, so voting - whether Yes or No - is important if you want your opinion heard.



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Bothell-Kenmore Reporter: Now both firefighters union and fire commissioners oppose the proposed district merger

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Northshore fire station in Lake Forest Park
Photo by Jerry Pickard

By Diane Hettrick

After a year of discussion, shared fire chief, some shared operations and cheerful press releases about how much money it would save ratepayers to combine Northshore Fire and Woodinville Fire, the whole deal has flipped.

The unions and the fire commissioners now say that they will not support the merger, which will be on the April 27th ballot anyway.

I don't know the backstory but Cameron Sheppard in the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter did a nice job of reporting the forward-facing story.

"The union claims the proposed merger has been a contentious one, with IAFF local unions representing Northshore Firefighters Local 2459, as well as Woodinville, Bothell and Shoreline opposing the merger."

Shoreline was originally in the talks to merge the three fire departments, but dropped out months ago.

"According to the union, first responders who serve the community believe the merger offers no increase to emergency services, proposes a budget and structure that is unsustainable, merges two jurisdictions that do not have contiguous borders, and reduces the wages of our Northshore Firefighters."

Read the story HERE 



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Adman, Ellis officially head for November ballot as Northshore Fire District primary votes go final

Saturday, September 3, 2011

By Evan Smith

Northshore Fire District challenger Eric Adman finished the final certified vote primary count with 55.32 percent of the vote to 34.12 percent for incumbent Commissioner Don Ellis as the two now officially head for the Nov. 8 general-election ballot.

To close the gap, Ellis will have to pick up most of the thousands of Northshore voters who didn’t participate in the primary. Two years ago, 56.24 percent of voters participated, compared to 33.41 percent in this year’s primary.

The primary results became final Wednesday when the King County canvassing board met. The County canvassing board consists of the County elections manager, the chairman of the County Council and the County prosecuting attorney,

The Northshore Fire District, also known as Fire District 16, includes Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and nearby unincorporated areas.

The District had a primary-election voter turnout of 30.90 percent, compared to the King County average of 30.83 percent.


1,403 of the votes cast did not make a selection in this race.

KING COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO. 16
Final Certified Primary vote count

Commissioner Position No. 1


Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: *7793/2332533.41%

Commissioner Position No. 1


Stan Isenhath
631
9.81%


Don Ellis
2194
34.12%


Eric Adman
3557
55.32%


Write-in
48
0.75%


Read more...
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