Stronger fire department benefits police, others as well

COEUR d'ALENE - Coeur d'Alene voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve a $6 million general obligation public safety bond.

If the bond passes with the required two-thirds of votes cast in favor of the measure, city officials say the equipment needs of its fire and police departments can be met. The 10-year bond would also replace an expiring $7 million public safety bond that passed in 2005.

Vehicle acquisitions make up the majority of the more than $5 million in bond funds the fire department would use if it passes. A new ladder truck to replace one purchased 15 years ago is the most expensive vehicle purchase on the list with a price tag of $1.4 million.

The police department would use its allotted portion of the bond funds to purchase a camera system which would allow staff to monitor publicly owned areas 24/7 in an effort to reduce burglaries and vandalism.

Both departments would share a building that would be built if the bond passes. The police department would house its IT department in the facility and the fire department would use its portion of the building to store valuable equipment that previously had to be left outside in the weather.

The cost of the bond to the owner of a home with a taxable assessed value of $200,000 - minus the homeowner's exemption - is expected to be $46 per year.

The same homeowner is currently paying $56 per month for the expiring 2005 bond, so successful passage of the bond is not expected to result in higher tax bills due to this measure.

Last week The Press met with Fire Chief Kenny Gabriel, Police Chief Lee White, and City Finance Director Troy Tymesen for a discussion on the public safety bond.

Press: Chief Gabriel, I would imagine one of the biggest questions you're getting from people in the community is how this bond plays into the larger plan for the fire department. Can you tell me a little about what that plan is?

Gabriel: It's a four-part plan, one part of course is the bond. The bond is a way for us to get our capital needs taken care of without negatively impacting that general fund.

All you have to do is drive around the northwest side of town, where we are growing, to see the second part of the plan. We're not mobile, we respond out of stations and have certain districts. So we knew quite a while ago that we were going to have to build a fire station out there and purchased an acre of land for that purpose.

Knowing we were going to build out there eventually is where the third part comes in. We looked at our impact fees city wide about the same time we got the land and saw the impact schedule was not going to keep up with our needs were. We've put those impact fees in place to cover the building expenses.

Last, but not least by any stretch, is our need for folks.

The thing Troy and I worked the hardest on is a need that both Chief White and I have - people. You can't hire more people from bonds, we can only get them from the general fund.

At the will of the council, we want to use savings we've seen from the Firefighters' Retirement Fund to hire nine more firefighters.

Press: The police department is getting a lesser amount of equipment if the bond passes. But I would imagine that a win for the fire department is a win for your department as well. Chief White how does your department benefit from a stronger fire department?

White: Just about everything we do, we do it with the fire department. There are very few calls that are solely police officer calls, so their ability to respond is of paramount importance to us too.

Like Chief Gabriel said, the passage of this bond allows us to impact the general fund to a lesser degree. He has some true needs for equipment that frankly we have to get one way or another.

It doesn't just help the fire department or the police department, it helps all city departments.

Press: Troy, you can probably start with this one, Chief White and Chief Gabriel feel free to respond as well. If voters choose not to go with this bond, how does the budgeting process look for public safety over the next few years?

Tymesen: The plan you heard about from Chief Gabriel pretty much stops. Without the voter support to buy the equipment, we will need to go back into the general fund to purchase that equipment over time.

Gabriel: We have never had the ability for the stars to line up the way they have right now. Knowing we have the land, knowing this bond is expiring and we want to replace that bond, with the monies we have from impact fees and FRF savings.

Everything just kind of lined up and it may never line up that way again.

White: From my perspective, the failure of this bond is a very scary proposition because it would impact the ability of the fire department to respond appropriately and in a timely manner during emergencies.

As Troy said it would impact the general fund, which would ultimately mean less cops and firefighters on the streets. That's a problem for all of us that live in the city.

Press: What do you want to tell the public before they head into the polls on Tuesday?

Gabriel: This is a plan that truly will enhance the safety of the community. It's also a plan that has been thought out to have the least impact on taxes.

White: I couldn't have said it any better than that.

Tymesen: We really want them to go out and exercise their right to vote. This is a right that not enough people take advantage of.

It's a great community that we all want to keep safe - this is the way to do that.