Central Whidbey fire district to hold public meetings on bond proposal

Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue is hosting two public meetings to discuss its $7.4 million bond proposal.

The meetings are set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, and 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 at Station 53, 1164 Race Road, Coupeville. Community members will be able to ask questions about the measure and tour the station to learn about the proposed renovations and improvements, according to a press release.

The proposed bond will pay for the addition of sleeping quarters to the station, increased space for operations and vehicles and an upgrade to the mechanical system to vent harmful diesel exhaust away from personnel. The bond will also pay for new fire engines as three of the district’s current ones are approaching the end of their usable lives. The replacement of these engines will impact the community’s insurance rating, which affects how much home and business owners pay in insurance premiums.

According to the fire district, current market conditions would set the rate at 22 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That works out to about $66 a year for a $300,000 home. Payment of the bond would take 20 years.

The district’s boundaries stretch south through Greenbank to a few miles north of Freeland.

Questions can be directed to Fire Chief Ed Hartin at ehartin@cwfire.org or 360-678-3602. Private tours will be available by appointment starting Oct. 23. Visit http://www.cwfire.org/bond for additional bond details.