South Bay Fire District 8

Fire district serving areas north of Lacey and Olympia seeking individuals to serve on pro and con committees – by next Monday

Not to be confused with nearby city fire departments, South Bay Fire District 8 will hold its own Proposition 1 vote in August

[First 2.5 minutes are silent.] This video shows South Bay Fire District 8 meeting, levy presentation, March 30, 2023.
Source: Thurston County Fire Protection District #8
Posted

This August, voters north of Olympia and Lacey who live in South Bay Fire District 8 will decide about the district’s tax levy next year. But first, by Monday, May 8, the district seeks volunteers interested in participating in voter pamphlet statement pro and con committees.

South Bay Fire District 8, formally known as Thurston County Fire Protection District #8, serves the northernmost points of Thurston County, north of 26th Avenue, north of Olympia and Lacey.
South Bay Fire District 8, formally known as Thurston County Fire Protection District #8, serves the northernmost points of Thurston County, north of …

South Bay Fire District 8’s territory is located north of those served by Olympia Fire Department and Lacey Fire District 3. Its five commissioners recently approved a proposition to voters that would “establish its 2023 regular property tax levy at $1.50 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation for collection in 2024 and to set its annual growth rate at six percent for the following five years,” according to the district's website

Property owners in Fire District 8, formally known as Thurston County Fire Protection District 8, paid $1.20 per $1,000 of assessed valuation in 2023, down from $1.50 per $1,000 a few years ago. State law limits the amount of increased taxes collected on existing properties to 1% over the previous year; the combined values of properties in the district have increased, which forced down the levy tax rate.

“All fire agencies are facing significant cost increases due to declining volunteerism, COVID-19 impacts, and inflation,” according to Chief Brian VanCamp in a statement. In 2022, Fire District 8 was staffed by 16 paid responders and 32 volunteers, according to the district’s website.

The district held a public meeting on March 30 to present details of its plans and the ballot measure. A video recording of the meeting is available, above and on the district's website. (Note that the first two-and-a-half minutes have no sound recorded.)

Contact Heidi Stumpf at 360-491-5320 or heidis@southbayfire.com by close of business, Monday, May 8, 2023, to discuss participating on one of the committees. 

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here