An attempt to repeal a Whatcom County Council decision to fund an independent review of the county’s fire and emergency medical structure and services failed in committee Tuesday, April 9.
Though briefly revived during the council’s regular session, the resolution was put down, again, in a 5-2 vote Tuesday night. Only council members Ben Elenbaas and Mark Stremler voted to repeal.
The resolution calling for an efficiency study of the county’s 13 fire districts and two city departments to cut costs was passed in a 5-1 vote at a Dec. 5, 2023 meeting. It was brought forward by Carol Frazey in her final days on the council after deciding not to seek reelection.
The county faced significant pushback from some fire officials who said they weren’t consulted before council members called for the $275,000 study. The Whatcom County Fire Commissioners voted in March to ask the county to repeal the resolution.
A letter signed by more than two dozen fire commissioners said the resolution’s failure to include insights provided by fire commissioners and fire chiefs in the December meeting resulted in “numerous errors” in supporting documents, and an inaccurate portrayal of the state of the fire service in the county.
Commissioners, who set policies and approve fire district budgets, are only paid for attending meetings and participating in other district functions.
They requested a more collaborative process be initiated that included “robust engagement with elected commissioners and fire chiefs, ensuring that their expertise and perspective are fully incorporated into any future deliberations.”
Stremler proposed the repeal in early April.
Council member Kaylee Galloway explained that while it was important to recognize that junior taxing districts and their elected fire commissions are their own jurisdiction with authority and autonomy, the EMS levy was “squarely within the county’s jurisdiction.”
“If we do feel like there’s some scope adjustment that needs to happen to stay within our lane, I’m open to having that conversation, but ultimately, I do want to ensure this is a collaborative process moving forward,” she said, noting that evaluating processes on county administrative levies are not new in Whatcom County.
Elenbaas, the sole dissenting vote on the original proposal, said while he supports a collaborative review of EMS services, he doesn’t believe the current plan best serves the community.
“My major concern is with every single fire chief and the fire unions and, you know, basically all involved that are going to be giving input into this study opposed to it, I don’t know that we’re going to get the result that we want,” he said.
He said he was also concerned that any recommendations that come out of the process will not be well accepted.
“As it relates to the EMS Levy, I would argue that it’s our council’s fiduciary responsibility to ensure accountability, transparency and otherwise being a good steward of the taxpayer dollar. Conducting a review should be a part of that,” Galloway said.
Isaac Stone Simonelli is CDN’s enterprise/investigations reporter; reach him at isaacsimonelli@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 127.
