HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2022-06-06 Item 6D - Discussion - Future of Fire/Emergency Medical ServicesCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS
A.41,----- Initials
ITEM No.
44,
Meeting Date
Prepared by
Mayor's review
Council review
Ql
0
6/6/22
LH
290$
ITEM INFORMATION
STAFF SPONSOR: LAUREL HUMPHREY
ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 6/6/22
AGENDA ITEM TITLE Future of Fire/EMS Services
CATEGORY
11
Mtg
Discussion
Date 6/6/22
❑ Motion
Mtg Date
❑ Resolution
Mtg Date
❑ Ordinance
Mtg Date
❑ Bid Award
Mtg Date
❑ Public Hearing
Mtg Date
❑ Other
Mtg Date
SPONSOR ❑ Council ❑ Mayor ❑ Admin Svcs ❑ DCD ❑ Finance ❑ Fire ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ PW
SPONSOR'S Discussion on next steps for the City Council decision-making process on the Future of
SUMMARY Fire/EMS Community Advisory Committee's recommendation.
REVIEWED BY ❑ Trans&Infrastructure Svcs ❑ Community Svcs/Safety ❑ Finance & Governance ❑ Planning & Community Dev.
❑ LTAC ❑ Arts Comm. ❑ Parks Comm. ❑ Planning Comm.
DATE: COMMITTEE CHAIR:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
SPONSOR/ADMIN.
COMMITTEE
COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE
EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED
$
Fund Source:
Comments:
MTG. DATE
RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION
6/6/22
MTG. DATE
ATTACHMENTS
6/6/22
Informational Memo dated 5/31/22
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City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Laurel Humphrey, Legislative Analyst
DATE: May 31, 2022
SUBJECT: Future of Fire/EMS Services City Council Decision Process
ISSUE
Next steps for the City Council's decision-making process on the recommendation of the
Future of Fire/EMS Services Community Advisory Committee.
BACKGROUND
On May 23, 2022, the Chair and Vice -Chair of the Future of Fire/EMS Services Community
Advisory Committee delivered its final recommendation to the City Council. The Committee
convened a rigorous six-month process in which they explored nine different options for
Fire/EMS service delivery.
Options 1-9
• The Staff Team identified these
as potentially workable options
Blue cells are "Tukwila Only" options
Green Cells are options in which Tukwila
partners with other agencies
Option 1: Status Quo
Option 2: Status Quo "Plus" — Funding for enhanced
services
Option 3: Create a Tukwila Fire District, funded solely by
property taxes (no Fire Benefit Charge)
Option 4: Create a Tukwila Fire District, funded by both
property taxes and a Fire Benefit Charge
Option 5: Partner with another fire service provider to
create a Tukwila Regional Fire Authority—with a Fire Benefit
Charge
Option 6: Contract for Service with Renton Regional Fire
Authority (RRFA)
Option 7: Contract for Service with Puget Sound Regional
Fire Authority (PSRFA)
Option 8: Annexation into Renton RFA, after contract
Option 9: Annex into PSRFA, after contract
The Committee evaluated all options in terms of how well each addressed its criteria,
particularly Cost, Service Quality and Funding Sustainability.
At the conclusion of this review, the Committee's recommendation (supported by 11 of 12
members) is for the City to begin work as soon as possible to negotiate a service contract
with Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority (PSRFA) as a bridge to near-term annexation.
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INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
Pros and Cons of this approach were shared by the Committee as follows:
PROS
CONS
Immediate service enhancements at a lower
cost than the City could provide due to
economies of scale (CARES unit, enhanced
fire marshal services, public education)
City determines service levels but loses cost
control
Necessary step toward ultimate Committee
preference of annexation
Cost is slightly more than status quo, but
includes enhanced services
IAFF Local 2088 preference
City will only have a nonvoting seat on the
PSRFA Board
Response times unchanged
City will not have benefit of Fire Benefit
Charge
Secures benefits of regionalization
Difficult to reinstate municipal fire service if
needed
Annexation is the Committee's ultimate preference. Reasons stated included the City having
a voting presence on the Board, the cost of fire service shifting off the City's budget, voters
having a more direct voice in how fire service is funded, and further efficiencies associated
with regionalization of fire/EMS. The Committee recognized that annexation is not a
guaranteed outcome of a short-term service contract.
The full text of the report as well as all background material associated with the Committee
can be found here: https://www.tukwilawa.gov/departments/mayors-office/key-city-plans-
and-projects/future-of-fire-ems-services/
PSRFA is interested in engaging with the City on this but has requested a very specific and
short timeline, seeking City Council direction by July 15 and a contract negotiated by
September 1 and effective January 1, 2023. If a decision is not reached, PSRFA has indicated
they are not open to a contract starting mid -year and will set aside further discussions with
the City of Tukwila for an indeterminate time.
DISCUSSION
This discussion has been scheduled to recap the Committee's recommendation with the
benefit of all Councilmembers being present and identify a tentative schedule for next steps.
Staff is seeking City Council input on information and resource needs to assist in decision-
making. A tentative schedule is as follows:
5/23/22
Committee Report Delivered
6/6/22
Recap of report, discussion on next steps
June TBD
Work Session
June TBD
Work Session (if needed)
6/27/22
COW Discussion
7/11/22
COW Discussion/Consensus
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INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 3
As is the practice with other significant and ongoing policy discussions of the Council, staff
will maintain a question -and -answer log to track and ensure follow-up as well as enhance
transparency of the discussions for the public. This document will be updated following each
discussion on the topic. Councilmembers are also invited to email questions to be added to
the document at any time.
ATTACHMENTS
Council Question & Answer Log
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Future of Fire/EMS Services
Council Question Follow -Up & Parking Lot
Date Councilmember Comment/Question/Item
Response
1.
5/23/22 Sharp
The was a Safety Bond that was in process for 79 million, there was talk
if there was an overage. What was the final cost of relating to the bond?
2. 5/23/22 Sharp
Are there details on what the bond spent it money on, can a breakdown
be had for citizens to review?
3. 5/23/22 Sharp
What is the timeframe as far making the final decision on the process?
What is in this process as to why the timeline is short?
4. 5/23/22 Sharp How many positions would need if the contract for service is adopted?
Where are the positions allocated?
5. 5/23/22 Sharp
When will the Chief of Fire need to resign from their position if this
transition takes place in July?
6. 5/23/22 Sharp
What happens to the Deputy Chief, will they also be asked to resign or
be offered a position within Tukwila Fire?
7. 5/23/22 Sharp
Will there be any support positions that the City of Tukwila will lose, like
mechanics?
8. 5/23/22 Sharp Who will own the Tukwila Fire's assets, like the stations, fire -fighting
equipment, and vehicles?
9. 5/23/22 Sharp Specifically, the equipment that has yet to be fully paid, who pays those
items off?
10. 5/23/22 Sharp Who is responsible to replace those items, trucks, and equipment?
11. 5/23/22 Sharp Pensions and retirement for firefighter personnel, is that paid by the
new authority completely?
Updated 5/24/22
12. 5/23/22 Sharp
13. 5/23/22 Sharp
Who will be responsible to service the vehicles for repair?
Will the addition of fire stations be required and if so, is it replacement
of an existing station or will they be stand alone built stations? How
many?
14. 5/23/22 Sharp What will happen to the budget dollars that was allocated to fire, will
that line item go away?
15. 5/23/22 Sharp The cost for service, will this be separate line item, or will it just show up
blended into a citizen's taxes?
Updated 5/24/22