Sammamish, EFR officials to meet and talk out differences
November 10, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
By J.B. Wogan
Eastside Fire & Rescue officials will meet with members of the City Council to try and hash out some of their recent disagreements Nov. 16
“It’s time for us to get to the issues,” Sammamish City Councilman Jack Barry said. “It’s now the time to put the emotion aside and talk about what’s important to us.”
At back-to-back meetings Oct. 13, public officials exchanged heated words, accusing one another of using deceitful tactics to hide the truth. EFR Chairman Ron Pedee followed up those meetings with a letter to the Sammamish City Council Oct. 20 where he referenced “the political silly season” and said untrue allegations needed to be confronted and understood.
Deputy Chief Jeff Griffin said he’s been working with city staff to hammer out exactly what fire protection costs the city, allowing everyone to be on the same page. One common complaint since conflict arose between EFR and Sammamish is that cost estimates either don’t match or keep changing.
The plan for the Nov. 16 meeting is slightly different in scope from how it was envisioned by the EFR Board of Directors in early October.
At that time, Chairman Ron Pedee suggested that EFR host a forum for all EFR partners and their elected bodies. EFR covers Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, Carnation and parts of unincorporated King County.
EFR’s legislative body has representatives from the city councils of Sammamish, Issaquah and North Bend, plus the fire commissions of King County fire districts 10 and 38.
That larger meeting has been postponed.
Sammamish Mayor Don Gerend said he thought it would be best to delay such a meeting until after the Sammamish City Council elections, when the city would know who planned to sit on EFR’s Board of Directors in 2010.
One of Sammamish’s representatives, Lee Fellinge, is not seeking re-election and will be replaced.
The city’s other representative, Jack Barry, has likely lost his seat on the City Council. As a result, Sammamish will place two new faces on the EFR board.
Sammamish’s gripes with EFR staff could impact the other EFR partners.
Sammamish is in the middle of a financial evaluation of its current fire protection under EFR.
Sammamish could choose to form its own fire department or try to contract fire protection service with EFR.
If Sammamish broke from EFR, the cost of fire service for the remaining four partners would go up. It would also be a change from recent discussions at EFR board meetings where staff presented ways to collaborate with, or outright incorporate other fire agencies in the partnership.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Eastside Fire & Rescue officials will meet with members of the City Council to try and hash out some of their recent disagreements Nov. 16
“It’s time for us to get to the issues,” Sammamish City Councilman Jack Barry said. “It’s now the time to put the emotion aside and talk about what’s important to us.”
At back-to-back meetings Oct. 13, public officials exchanged heated words, accusing one another of using deceitful tactics to hide the truth. EFR Chairman Ron Pedee followed up those meetings with a letter to the Sammamish City Council Oct. 20 where he referenced “the political silly season” and said untrue allegations needed to be confronted and understood.
Deputy Chief Jeff Griffin said he’s been working with city staff to hammer out exactly what fire protection costs the city, allowing everyone to be on the same page. One common complaint since conflict arose between EFR and Sammamish is that cost estimates either don’t match or keep changing.
The plan for the Nov. 16 meeting is slightly different in scope from how it was envisioned by the EFR Board of Directors in early October.
At that time, Chairman Ron Pedee suggested that EFR host a forum for all EFR partners and their elected bodies. EFR covers Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, Carnation and parts of unincorporated King County.
EFR’s legislative body has representatives from the city councils of Sammamish, Issaquah and North Bend, plus the fire commissions of King County fire districts 10 and 38.
That larger meeting has been postponed.
Sammamish Mayor Don Gerend said he thought it would be best to delay such a meeting until after the Sammamish City Council elections, when the city would know who planned to sit on EFR’s Board of Directors in 2010.
One of Sammamish’s representatives, Lee Fellinge, is not seeking re-election and will be replaced.
The city’s other representative, Jack Barry, has likely lost his seat on the City Council. As a result, Sammamish will place two new faces on the EFR board.
Sammamish’s gripes with EFR staff could impact the other EFR partners.
Sammamish is in the middle of a financial evaluation of its current fire protection under EFR.
Sammamish could choose to form its own fire department or try to contract fire protection service with EFR.
If Sammamish broke from EFR, the cost of fire service for the remaining four partners would go up. It would also be a change from recent discussions at EFR board meetings where staff presented ways to collaborate with, or outright incorporate other fire agencies in the partnership.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
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