SOUTH BAY FIRE DISTRICT 8

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A Message from the Fire Chief:

 

On behalf of the Board and all members of South Bay Fire District 8, I would like to say thank you to the voters in our community for approving Proposition 1.  The revenue provided by this measure will allow us to begin building adequate staffing to provide consistent round-the-clock response from both our South Bay and North Olympia firestations.  All of this is a key part of the District’s ongoing five-year service plan to improve our average response time and increase average on-scene staffing.

 

The current five-year plan envisions increasing staffing from 18 career responders to 28 by 2027 while maintaining a target level of 25 volunteer responders.  In addition, we will continue to work on a program for resident responders to staff our Johnson Point sub-station as much as possible to reduce response times in that area.  The long-term plan is to relocate the South Bay firestation further north to a property we own on 63rd Ave NE to provide better coverage on the eastside of the District.  While that move is some years in the future, consistently staffing both of our primary firestations will allow us to move forward with planning and improve service in the meantime. 

 

Thank you again!

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Click here to see if your property is in our taxing District (Thurston County Fire Protection District

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MANY THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING PROPOSITION 1, 2023!

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In 2022, Fire District 8 approved a five-year master plan to enhance community response, including two ballot measures: 1) a 2023 property tax levy restoration to $1.50 per thousand of assessed valuation, and 2) a 2024 excess levy for an additional $0.50 per thousand over four years (2025-2028). Voters approved the 2023 levy restoration.

Thurston County Fire Protection District 8 (South Bay Fire Department), operates from two stations: South Bay Station 8-1 and North Olympia Station 8-3; however, staffing at North Olympia is inconsistent. Expenses exceed tax revenues, and the current $1.50 levy rate is insufficient for staffing two stations 24/7. As planned, the excess levy, “Proposition One,” was on the August 6, 2024, primary election ballot in Thurston County, requiring a super-majority to pass. This means at least 40% of the previous general election’s voters must participate, and 60% of those must vote “yes.” In the 2024 primary, 5,041 voters participated, with 58.3% voting “yes” and 41.7% voting “no,” so the measure did not pass.

Following the 2022 plan, the District resubmitted Proposition One, (proposing a $2.01 per thousand assessed valuation levy, effective 2025), for the November 5, 2024, general election, as part of our 2023 two-stage funding plan.

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Here are some videos to learn more about our District:

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• Proposition 1 - Public Information Workshop, October 8, 2024 (1 hour, 6 minutes)

• Proposition 1 - Public Presentation, July 9, 2024 (18 minutes)

• 2024 Excess Levy Information Video (11 minutes)

• 2024 Excess Levy Information Abridged Video

• Challenges: Our Evolving Community

• Staffing Challenges

• Taxation: How Your District is Funded

 

2023 Status

• Response staffing: 27 volunteers, 18 career

• Station 8-3 was staffed by either an engine and/or aid unit 89% of the time, and by an engine (that can respond as both fire & EMS)             57% of the time, which means of that 32% there was no engine (to respond to fires) staffed.

• Average response time: 7 minutes 14 seconds

• Capital asset replacement program: fully funded

• Property tax levy rated (2024): $1.50 per thousand $ assessed valuation (“mil”)

 

Plan 2 Station Five Year Plan:

• Estimated response staffing: 25 volunteers and 28 career (by 2027)

• Estimated staffing for two engine companies: 99% (by 2027)

• Estimated average response time: 6 minutes to 5 minutes 30 seconds (by 2027)

• Estimated funding for capital asset replacement program: fully funded

• Estimated property tax levy rate:

  • 2025: $ 2.01 mil

  • 2026: $ 2.00 mil

  • 2027: $ 1.98 mil

  • 2028: $ 1.97 mil

 

Plan 1.5 Station Five Year Plan (2024-2028):

• Estimated response staffing: 25 volunteers and 18 career (or less)

• Estimated staffing for two engine companies: less than 50% through 2028

• Estimated average response time: 7 minutes 30 seconds or more

• Estimated funding for capital asset replacement program: partial or no funding by 2028

• Estimated property tax levy rate:

  • 2025: $ 1.49 mil

  • 2026: $ 1.48 mil

  • 2027: $ 1.47 mil

  • 2028: $ 1.46 mil

 

Click here to learn more about us with this fact sheet.

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2024 PROPOSITION 1 Proposed Ballot Measure FAQs (Downloadable PDF)

 

2024 PROPOSITION 1 Proposed Ballot Measure FAQs

As communicated to you last year, the property tax levy rate restoration approved by voters at the 2023 Primary Election was the first step of a two-step process needed to fully fund our operations. 2024 PROPOSITION 1 Proposed Ballot Measure FAQs answers questions you may have about the second proposed ballot measure now being proposed.

 

About Us

• Thurston County Fire Protection District 8 (“District”) provides round-the-clock firefighting, emergency medical and community risk prevention services to more than 13,000 residents over a thirty-one square mile area north of the cities of Olympia and Lacey. Fire District 8 (South Bay) and Fire District 7 (North Olympia) were separately incorporated in 1953 and merged together in 2015. The District has received a Public Protection Class 3 rating by the Washington Survey & Rating Bureau. It responds to over 1,300 calls per year from two primary firestations at South Bay and North Olympia. Unfortunately, staffing at the North Olympia Fire Station remains inconsistent.

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Funding

• For many years, the District has been funded through a property tax levy rate up to $1.50 per thousand of assessed real property value. Voters approved the 2023 Primary Election ballot measure to restore the levy rate to $1.50 from the (then) current diminished rate of $1.20. Even so, for the last several years expenses have grown beyond available tax revenues so the District deferred tax increases by supplementing its income through use of available unreserved funds (more information below). While the current $1.50 levy rate helps to address increasing costs for labor, materials and services, it is not sufficient to allow the District to achieve fully consistent staffing and operational support for both fire stations.

• In order to address the issue of inconsistent staffing and support, the District is proposing a Primary Election ballot measure (“Proposition 1”) on November 5, 2024 that would authorize an excess property tax levy with a combined estimated rate of $2.01 per thousand of assessed valuation for collection beginning in 2025. The 2024 Proposition 1 was included in the public presentations made by District officials in 2023 as part of a two-stage effort for funding of its five year plan.

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Making the Most with Our Resources

•  Our District does not receive direct property tax revenue from Thurston County Medic One, except for EMS training costs and  some  supply reimbursements. Comparable fire districts in our area have historically maintained a tax rate exceeding $2.00. We have postponed property tax increases by leveraging a strong volunteer program and collaborating with neighboring agencies for mutual aid, training, and purchasing.

• Additionally, we reduced expenses by selling four properties deemed unnecessary for service delivery, using the proceeds to supplement funding without raising property taxes in 2022, 2023, and 2024. However, this supplemental funding will end after 2024.

• Tax-paying voters have a choice. Emergency medical and fire services impact community safety and homeowner’s insurance rates. Levy ballots allow voters to consider these benefits versus costs.

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Why does the District need more money?

• Increasing emergency medical service calls.

• More simultaneous calls requiring multiple response teams.

• Difficulty recruiting and retaining volunteer responders.

• Rising labor costs due to reliance on full-time staff .

• Growing number of full-time responders to maintain/enhance services.

• Escalating operations and administrative expenses (utilities, supplies, insurance).

• Soaring costs for major equipment and apparatus despite prudent management.

 

How will the extra tax money be used?

The District will use the additional funding to:

• Maintain the growing demand for full-time career responders in the District;

• Continue to provide high-quality training for District career and volunteer staff;

• Provide sufficient funding for planned future replacement of capital assets; and

• Help pay for increasing ongoing costs for District operations and administration.

 

How much will this cost a District taxpayer?

• The current (2024) basic property tax levy rate is $1.50 per thousand of assessed value;

• The homeowner of a $590,000 residence (average assessed value for real property in the District) will pay an estimated $886 in property tax this year to the District;

• If Proposition 1 is approved by voters in 2024, the property tax levy rate paid by homeowners would be an estimated $2.01 per thousand of their assessed valuation in 2025;

• If Proposition 1 is approved by voters in 2024, the homeowner of a $590,000 residence would pay an estimated $1,186 in property tax to the District in 2025; and

• After 2025, the property tax levy rate is estimated to decrease year over year due to inflation.

 

How will this improve service to you?

• In 2023, the District had 18 full-time career responders and an average of 27 volunteer responders;

• Staffing of a fire engine company at the North Olympia Firestation was only achieved 57% of the time;

• In the District’s current five-year plan, it is proposed to staff with 28 full-time career responders and an average of 25 volunteer responders by year 2028, allowing consistent staffing at both primary firestations;

• The District’s current (2023) average response time is 7 minutes and 17 seconds; and

• With voter approval of the Proposition 1 in 2024, the District could implement the recommended staffing plan, ultimately reducing the average response time by an estimated 1 to 1-1/2 minutes.

 

What will happen if this measure doesn’t pass?

• Without the proposed funding, staffing at North Olympia Fire Station would decrease.

• Service levels across the District would suffer, with only one crew available, unable to handle concurrent calls.

• Average response times would increase by 1-2 minutes over the next 3-4 years.

• The District’s ability to self-fund capital asset replacement would be jeopardized or eliminated.

Where can you get more information?

• Additional information is posted on our website at southbayfire.com

• Attend our Public Meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, beginning at 6:00 pm to have your questions answered.

• You can call Chief VanCamp at 360-491-5320 or email him at vancamp@southbayfire.com.

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