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Bothell council directs staff to prepare resolution seeking annexation into Shoreline Regional Fire Authority
Summary
Council voted 7–0 to direct the city manager to prepare a resolution requesting annexation consideration by the Shoreline Regional Fire Authority and to begin outreach steps including a pro/con committee and public hearing planning; financial scenarios and governance options will return to council in July.
The Bothell City Council voted unanimously June 2 to direct the city manager to prepare a resolution seeking annexation consideration by the Shoreline Regional Fire Authority (RFA) and to begin associated public-notice and outreach steps.
City staff briefed the council on a multi-year review that began in 2023, summarizing current operational partnerships with Shoreline (including a city-contracted chief and shared executive services), governance-model options, projected financial scenarios, and transitional issues such as leave liabilities, reserve treatment, and transfer or sublease of city-built fire stations (the council intends to retain station ownership and sublease to the RFA through bond terms). Staff said that property-tax changes that would result from annexation would lag implementation by roughly a year or more.
The city manager described next steps if council approves sending a resolution: staff would invite the Shoreline RFA board to consider the request, develop ballot language and a pro/con committee appointment process, post financial-scenario materials for public review, and schedule a public hearing in July so the community has information before any ballot action. Council would then be asked to approve final ballot language and appoint members to the pro/con committee ahead of a November vote.
Discussing the financial implications, Finance Director Quan (spelled in transcript) and staff said they will model multiple taxpayer-impact scenarios for council review in July. Council members emphasized the importance of clear, accessible cost-to-taxpayer explanations and strong public outreach to ensure voters understand potential tax impacts and service-level trade-offs.
Deputy Mayor Jenny Alderks moved that the city manager prepare the annexation-resolution packet; the motion was seconded and the clerk recorded a 7–0 voice/roll-call in favor.
Next steps: staff to prepare resolution, model taxpayer scenarios, and post materials and hearing notices before July; if council approves final ballot language, the annexation question would go before voters later in the year.
