Fire Levy

Voters approve fire levy lid lift

August 2, 2023

We would like to thank the community for their support of our fire levy lid lift in the August 1, 2023, primary election. The levy lid lift will maintain full-time 24-hour staffing at Station 12 on Britton Loop Road, pay for long-deferred station repairs, and replace a fire engine that is past its usable life and starting to fail on a more regular basis.

We will continue to provide updates here as we make progress on these critical improvements.

Thank you for your partnership in helping to save lives and property.

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What we do

Whatcom County Fire District 4 contracts with North Whatcom Fire & Rescue (NWFR) for emergency services, covering 10,000 people over 40 square miles in the communities of Van Wyck, East Smith Road and Northshore. The contract with NWFR provides a higher level of emergency service at less cost for taxpayers than operating a standalone fire department.

What is the issue?

The contract was signed in 2011 and requires Whatcom 4 to pay 25 percent of NWFR’s operating costs. The contract expired in 2021 and NWFR will not grant another extension at the current rate. In the past, NWFR residents have subsidized Whatcom 4 residents to the tune of $500,000. This is no longer feasible. The contract is set to end December 31, 2023.

Challenges to service

Since 2019, call volumes have increased 63 percent. More calls mean higher costs to provide service and Whatcom 4 does not collect enough revenue to pay for the service it provides. This is due to the district’s low fire levy rate and annexations by the city of Bellingham, both of which reduce Whatcom 4 revenue.

What are the numbers?

Whatcom 4 property owners pay $0.63 per $1,000 of assessed property value, while NWFR property owners pay $0.85.

What is Whatcom 4 proposing?

Whatcom 4 has considered all options and found the most cost-effective solution is to ask voters to increase the fire levy rate to $0.99 per $1,000 of assessed property value (allowing for an annual inflation adjustment of up to 3 percent, but never to exceed $0.99 per $1,000) and continue to contract with NWFR for emergency services.

The $0.36 lid lift would cost the owner of a $550,000 home an additional $16.50 per month or $198 per year.

More expensive options include forming a standalone fire department and contracting with the city of Bellingham at a levy rate of $1.50 of $1,000.

What are the benefits?

The levy lid lift would maintain full-time 24-hour staffing at the Britton Loop Road Station 12. If the lid lift fails, the station would no longer be staffed 24 hours a day and residents would have to rely on mutual aid, which could increase response times up to 30 minutes or more.

Lid lift funding would also finance capital projects through a councilmanic bond to pay for long-deferred station repairs and replace a fire engine that is past its usable life and starting to fail on a more regular basis.

Fire Chief Jason Van Der Veen welcomes your questions at jvanderveen@nwfrs.com.

IN THE NEWS

Fire Levy Lid Lift on August ballot; community invited to Q&A sessions
Ferndale Record - 7/6/23

Fire Levy Lid Lift on August ballot; community invited to Q&A sessions
Lynden Tribune - 7/6/23

Letters to the Editor, Week of July 5, 2023
Cascadia Daily News - 7/5/23

Whatcom 4 hosting meeting on potential levy lift for fire response, EMS
KPUG - 4/27/23

Whatcom 4 hosting meeting on potential levy lift for fire response, EMS
KGMI - 4/27/23

Fire District No. 4 to hold levy lid lift public hearing
Lynden Tribune - 4/20/23

Whatcom County firefighters consider levy increase to help maintain emergency services
KOMO News - 3/15/23

Whatcom County Fire District 4 struggling to maintain emergency services
KGMI - 3/14/23

MEDIA RELEASES

Fire levy lid lift on the August primary ballot - July 5, 2023

Board of Fire Commissioners passes fire levy lid lift resolution - May 11, 2023

Board of Fire Commissioners to meet on fire levy lid lift - April 22, 2023

Whatcom County Fire District 4 is struggling to maintain emergency services – March 14, 2023

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VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT: The Board of Fire Commissioners for Whatcom County Fire District 4 approved a resolution to place a fire levy lid lift on the August 1, 2023, primary election ballot. If approved by voters, it would keep Station 12 on Britton Loop Road responding to emergency calls 24 hours a day. The fire district is accepting names of people interested in participating on the voter pamphlet statement pro or con committees. Citizens interested in participating, please contact Jennie Sand (jsand@nwfrs.com) by May 9, 2023.