EMAIL TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT
Dear D.J.,
If you get a chance, I would appreciate your sharing the attached PowerPoint with the Citizens Committee.
This information provides evidence, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the City of Edmonds has been providing Fire and Emergency Medical Services for less than the cost of service to the unincorporated Esperance and Fire District No. 1.
I'm hoping the group will truly look to Budget before focusing on just the taxpayer's pocketbook. The question I ask you; Is the newly created EMS Transport fee required for the subsidization of the two interlocal agreements with Esperance and Woodway? The council, mayor and staff have not done proper due diligence of the current and passed city financial decisions to start requesting more and new taxes from the citizens.
Fire District No. 1 collects tax revenue 1 million
City of Edmonds charges 300,000 for service.
City of Edmonds makes annual payment for Station No. 10 to Fire District No. 1 65,000.
City of Edmonds cost to provide Fire/EMS service to the Esperance area 900,000.
I just don't know how I can make the facts any clearer. This contract is a very bad deal for the City of Edmonds and it's residents. It's been a bad contract since the purchase of the Fire Station.
If you get a chance, I would appreciate your sharing the attached PowerPoint with the Citizens Committee.
This information provides evidence, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the City of Edmonds has been providing Fire and Emergency Medical Services for less than the cost of service to the unincorporated Esperance and Fire District No. 1.
I'm hoping the group will truly look to Budget before focusing on just the taxpayer's pocketbook. The question I ask you; Is the newly created EMS Transport fee required for the subsidization of the two interlocal agreements with Esperance and Woodway? The council, mayor and staff have not done proper due diligence of the current and passed city financial decisions to start requesting more and new taxes from the citizens.
Fire District No. 1 collects tax revenue 1 million
City of Edmonds charges 300,000 for service.
City of Edmonds makes annual payment for Station No. 10 to Fire District No. 1 65,000.
City of Edmonds cost to provide Fire/EMS service to the Esperance area 900,000.
I just don't know how I can make the facts any clearer. This contract is a very bad deal for the City of Edmonds and it's residents. It's been a bad contract since the purchase of the Fire Station.
Comments
I'll take a look at it, Finis. Thanks for forwarding it along.
Finis--
Slide 17 I think is important and I'm glad to see you've included it here. Because, at the end of the day, this is a negotiated arrangement. The City Edmonds can only get what we can get out of the negotiations. So, one person's "Great Deal!" can be another person's terrible one.
Moreover, the logic is that if we push too hard and don't get to a deal with FD1, we'll lose that revenue for our own purposes. In other words, we'll be forced to make calls to Esperance due to mutual aid agreements, but won't have the resources to cover those calls. It could mean layoffs, cuts, etc, without those dollars. I don't know how much I put in that argument, but it seems to make sense when I hear it made to me.
That said, from what I've seen and understood, many people I respect, including Ron Wambolt, basically agree with your conclusion insofar as you say that we should get a better deal from FD1.
And, it's my understanding that in negotiations with FD1 that will conclude this year, even folks like my friend Ron Wambolt will be pleased with the outcome. In other words, I expect that the City of Edmonds will get a much higher amount of revenue from this contract in the future.
So, I think I understand your frustration - or at least your argument. And, I think it generally has merit. I think the good news is that the problem is being addressed, and hopefully it will result in an outcome that will be beneficial to everyone involved.
DJ
Dear D.J.,
Thank you for your response. Again, I request the Esperance Contract PowerPoint be provided to the Levy Committee to demonstrate a classic example of government failure and not a result of actions of Tim Eyman. Also, it is readily apparent from the content and argument of your email, you are misinformed and are being misled by the Mayor and Fire Chief.
The argument pertaining to the mutual aid agreements fails me and is illogical. The Edmonds Fire Department currently provides more mutual aid service to Fire District #1 than Edmonds receives in return. Here are the facts, found in the 2007 Annual Fire Department Report, Automatic Aid (By Unit) Fire District #1/MLT Edmonds Gave 385 Edmonds received 168. So this argument has no merit.
The argument you made previously about the cost based on number of calls is illogical. For example, I've lived in Edmonds for 30 years and called 911 for Fire/EMS services two times. Presently, if I call for EMS Services I will pay an additional transport fee on top of all the EMS levy taxes paid over years. Therefore, I've only call twice, should I get a better deal and not have to paid for the EMS Service?
Also, I would like to point out to you that the original interlocal cooperation agreement was entered into in 1995 and has been modified three times. These modifications to the agreement never included property value or cost of service including overhead in the calculation of the fee. The agreement allows for written notice of termination.
I'm not the expert here, but if we terminate and cost the Station and move the personnel to the Main Station, the savings would include not the cost of Station 10 and reduce the skyrocketing overtime cost of the Fire Department.
I didn't appreciate Fire Chief Tomberg lying to me about the starting date of these contract negotiations. Nor, do I appreciate his lame and ludicrous arguments. I hope you are smart enough not to accept the misinformation being prepared by him and the Mayor and fed to you like delicious pablum.