Fire EMS 2022-03-22 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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• If the City proceeds with a contract, returning to the City seems unlikely. • Q: Are you going to provide an analysis of how the FBC shifts costs to different types of taxpayers and how that compares to how we currently fund city services? A: We will evaluate the impact on Tukwila taxpayer segments under the current fire benefit charges ---but note that FBC formulas and collections can be changed from year to year by the RFA boards. • Q: Will Tukwila residents lose service levels? A: IAFF does not think that would happen, as all fire service working toward meeting the same national standards. • Q: Does the City want to retain ownership of the stations? A: If the City annexed to an RFA we want to maintain control of the property, because if the agency wanted to move a station the property could be repurposed by the City. 7. Cross -Agency Data Presentation Fire Department leadership presented a data comparison of Tukwila Fire Department, Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority, and Renton Regional Fire Authority. • Q: Does PSRFA have more capacity to address a diverse population, such as more language access? A: We do not have demographic data on the workforces at the RFAs. Regionally there has been a concentrated effort to attract more diversity in hiring, and results are starting to show. • Q: Does the City's equipment transfer to the agency with contracting or annexation? A: Yes • Q: IF we choose to contract and it goes well, then annexation is desired, does that require a vote? A: Yes. • Q: What if voters don't approve? A: This is a challenging aspect to the contracting option if your ultimate goat is annexation. • The Fire Department now is not financially sustainable, in that the City's budget can't continue to fund it without asking for a property tax increase. A contract does not solve that problem. • With annexation, part of the property tax goes with the new agency. • Q: Weren't we told that PSRFA is positive about annexation as soon as possible? A: Yes. PSRFA is willing to start negotiations in year 1 of a contract. This is a distinction between the two RFAs. It typically takes 12-18 months to negotiate annexation terms. 8. Committee Discussion on Community Engagement Due to a tack of time, Ms. Reed indicated she would send some questions out via email for Committee members to complete on their own. 9. Union Comment Captain Booth shared that he appreciates the discussion. RFAs are only about 14 years old and are popular because of increasing budget pressures in local governments. The IAFF supports contracting because one way or another we are paying for a Fire Department next year, and Tukwila is hurting for resources when compared with our neighbors. A contract is a bridge and the annexation planning could begin immediately. In 13 years, the department has over 30% more calls with less staffing. 10. Adjourn The meeting was adjourned at 6:01 P.M. by unanimous consent. Minutes by LH 2