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Commissioners briefed on Pleasanton fire-department options, possible absorption into fire district
Summary
County fire officials told commissioners that Pleasanton may disband its fire department; absorption into the county fire district could add property tax-based fire protection fees for Pleasanton residents and reduce the county's mill levy, staff said.
County fire and emergency management staff briefed the Board of Commissioners on May 5 about ongoing discussions with the City of Pleasanton concerning its municipal fire department.
Randy Hegweld, Linn County Rural Fire and Emergency Management, told commissioners the Pleasanton City Council was considering disbanding its fire department. If Pleasanton were absorbed into the county fire district, "everything that's inside the city limits... would then start seeing a fire protection fee just like everybody outside the city limits paid now," Hegweld said. He added the county already responds to many calls inside Pleasanton and that incorporating the city into the fire district would produce new revenue from property taxes for the county fire budget.
Hegweld said the county's fire budget is roughly $630,000 and that additional revenue from Pleasanton could reduce the department's mill levy. "For example, if that brought in $50,000 to our fire budget and we're still sitting at 630, then we could actually... drop our mill levy for the fire department," he said. Hegweld also described a mutual-aid agreement the county had submitted to Pleasanton as a "working document" that Pleasanton's council could accept, edit or return to the county. He said the city had not yet returned the draft mutual-aid agreement.
Commissioners asked to see the prior automatic-aid agreement and cost sheets that were presented to Pleasanton's council so the board could ensure all commissioners were "on the same page," according to the transcript. Hegweld said he would provide the automatic-aid agreement and the cost estimates that had been presented.
No formal action or binding agreement was reported at the May 5 meeting; staff recommended further discussion at a future meeting pending Pleasanton's council decisions and any formal request for absorption into the fire district.
