East Hope approves fire district annexation
EAST HOPE — The aim of ending years of divisive vitriol came to a possible end this week when council members voted to request annexation into Sam Owen Fire District. However, 38 residents of this community of less than 200 have already filed a petition to put the annexation to vote by the total population, not just the City Council.
Council president Eileen Klatt, serving in the absence of the mayor, said the city’s attorney advised them to proceed toward making their best decision “without regard to what might, or might not, happen if a referendum or initiative process would be started regarding that decision.”
Klatt told council that she had done her homework and hoped they had also. She said that she took into account the city’s fiduciary, legislative and public safety responsibilities. Klatt compared the city’s fire department expenditure from 2002 through August 2013 at $433,558 to its total street repair expenditure in the same period of $49,421.
The Hope/East Hope Fire Department shares responsibility for expenses, but since East Hope owns the fire station, it’s not an equal partnership, Klatt said, adding that Hope’s contribution over the past 11 years totaled $43,992 or roughly nine percent of the total cost.
Hope officials had previously indicated they are not interested in annexation into Sam Owen Fire District. It would be East Hope’s responsibility to terminate the joint fire department agreement and compensate Hope for one year. Fire district officials have said they will offer Hope free coverage for that period.
Reading from a prepared statement, Klatt compared the apparatus, number of volunteers and where they live, documented training and water resources needed of Hope/East Hope Fire Department to Sam Owen Fire District. Sam Owen has more equipment, more fire fighters living within the district with better documented training, she noted.
She also gave council an overview of fire ratings, stating that there is a possibility of the rating decreasing if the city annexes into Sam Owen and going up if it doesn’t when the city is evaluated in 2015.
“In order to make the best decision possible, I have spent time adding up expenditures since 2002; I have educated myself on fire ratings and how they’re established and, in my opinion, this is not a tax burden for most people. It’s a bargain to get excellent fire protection.”
Council member Tom Grimm agreed with Klatt. “I’ve done some investigating myself and everything you said is true.”
He said that he had reached out to council members and the mayor of Hope to no avail.
“We’ve hashed this out for four years,” council member Jerry Clemons added, “Some are for it, some are against it. I’ve always been for annexation and I still am. I suggest we take our lawyers advice and make a decision. If people don’t like it, they can take action.”
East Hope residents opposed to the annexation will have the opportunity to voice their opinions during the process required to ratify the change. The next step is that Sam Owen Fire District has to accept East Hope’s request, then new boundaries need to be drawn and presented to the county commissioners. They will hold a public hearing on the resolution and those opposed will be able to speak. Also able to speak will be property owners currently serviced by SOFD if they have objections. Finally, it has to be accepted by the state.
The council will discuss the petition to put the resolution to a vote at their November meeting. It could not be discussed this week because it was not on the agenda.
The next East Hope City Council meeting is Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at city hall.