Working group backs study of fire-district options as Gresham IGA moves to city council
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Summary
The Public Safety Services Delivery Working Group reviewed a proposed extension to Gresham's fire-and-emergency IGA and agreed to commission a jointly funded financial study to evaluate service models — including a fire district — to address service gaps and rising costs.
The Public Safety Services Delivery Working Group on Nov. 17 reviewed a proposed intergovernmental agreement (IGA) extension with the City of Gresham for fire and emergency services and agreed to move forward with a jointly funded financial study to evaluate alternative delivery models, including formation of a fire district.
Speaker 2, who introduced the IGA extension, said Gresham revised the contract to address two earlier concerns: removal of an initial 10% first‑year charge and inclusion of an early‑exit provision. Speaker 2 said the IGA, which includes a 7.3% annual escalator, will be on Gresham’s city council agenda the following day and that signing the extension gives the four cities time to study longer‑term options.
Why it matters: Members said residents could face substantial tax increases under some models. Speaker 2 said Troutdale’s current subsidized rate is “about a dollar 56 per thousand,” while an example fire‑district rate of $2.85 per thousand would be a “substantial increase” for many residents. The group asked the study to estimate station numbers, service outcomes and tax impacts under scenarios capped near $40,000,000 and under a range of tax rates.
What the study will examine: The task force expects the study to model delivery options (standalone fire district, contract models, hybrid EMS-focused units), estimate capital needs (the task force cited about 8.3 stations within a roughly $40 million cap as a planning benchmark) and quantify operational tradeoffs. Speaker 6 emphasized the study’s funding comes from all participating cities, the union and Fire District 10 to keep the analysis impartial.
Service gaps and operational fixes: Several members described service deserts — notably between Troutdale and Fairview, north of Interstate 84 and in south Gresham — with local response times commonly in the 11–20 minute range. Participants said some near‑term operational steps (for example, a temporary unit or mobile station near the Wood Village hub) could cut response times significantly at relatively low cost. Speaker 2 said Chief Bernard suggested a minimal temporary site could handle roughly 75% of nearby calls.
Dispatch and turnout times: Members discussed dispatch (BOAC) pickup delays and turnout times. Speaker 4 noted national turnout averages of about 60 seconds for EMS and 80 seconds for fire, and said Gresham’s average turnout was closer to two minutes; others said BOAC has recently implemented measures that appear to have reduced pickup time but recommended further verification.
Public acceptability: Members said taxpayer tolerance for higher rates must be tested. Speaker 7 asked whether polling on taxpayer tolerance would be included; Speaker 2 said the consultant Praxis is under contract and that public polling and education would likely follow the study’s findings rather than precede them.
Next steps: Speakers said the task force expects a sample scope of work by December and will return to the working group for input; members stressed the need for a contingency 'plan B' if one city does not join a new district. The working group did not vote to adopt a model; it authorized the study process and scheduled follow‑up discussion.
Source: Public Safety Services Delivery Working Group meeting transcript, Nov. 17, 2025. The working group discussed the IGA extension, study scope and near‑term operational options; the IGA itself was scheduled for Gresham’s council the next day.
