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Public safety committee: Anacortes expects full staffing by December; user‑fee model will shift costs in 2026
Summary
Public safety liaisons reported the city expects to reach full fire/EMS staffing by December after conditional offers and academy graduates; the committee also heard a new user‑fee model (rollout in 2026) that increases police costs, reduces fire costs and lowers total city cost by about $13,000 in the presenters estimate.
Anacortespublic safety committee members told the City Council Sept. 2 that the city is on track to be fully staffed in the fire and paramedic ranks by December and that a new user‑fee model will change the distribution of costs between police and fire beginning in 2026.
Why it matters: Full staffing affects emergency response capability and overtime costs; shifts in user‑fee allocation change how costs are borne across departments and may influence next years budget decisions.
Councilmember Hubig, reporting from the public safety committee, said two paramedic/fire positions have conditional offers outstanding and several new hires are in field training; two recruits were in week four of the academy with a December graduation anticipated. “Thanks to all of the work that our citizens have approved, we are planning to be fully staffed, come December,” Hubig said.
Hubig also summarized a finance update: the committee heard about a new user‑fee model that will take effect in 2026. She described the change as increasing the police portion of the fee while decreasing the fire portion, and said the citywide net cost impact would be a modest reduction — “Total cost to the city will go down at nearly $13,000,” she said. The committee also discussed wildfire evacuation challenges and coordination with the Washington Department of Natural Resources regarding warnings and evacuation assistance; Hubig noted wildfire evacuation dynamics differ from tsunami planning because fire behavior and wind conditions can rapidly change available evacuation routes.
What was not decided: The report was informational; no staffing hires, budget changes or fee adjustments were adopted at the council meeting. Staff and councilmembers discussed continued recruitment and coordination on evacuation planning and public warning systems.
Next steps: Staff will continue recruitment and training activities; the committee and staff will continue to monitor and present fee and budget options as part of the broader capital and operating budget process.
