A fourth try for Northern Lakes Fire levy

HAYDEN — Northern Lakes Fire District officials hope their newest reduced levy proposal will be attractive enough to voters to finally add staffing to a third station in the growing district that's handling record calls.

The district, which covers Hayden, Rathdrum, Garwood and Hayden Lake, will float a permanent override levy of $850,000 per year on the May 21 ballot.

If approved with a super-majority (two-thirds) vote, the funding will add six firefighter/EMTs so that a third facility in the district, at the corner of Garwood and Hudlow roads, can be staffed.

The district estimates that, based on today's property values, the property tax increase would be $41.40 per year ($3.45 per month) for the owner of a $200,000 home.

"We have done everything the public has asked us to do," Chief Pat Riley said, referring to the reduction from previous proposals. "That's why I am confident and comfortable about presenting a proposal to the public again.

"This is solely to put people in jobs, not for buildings and equipment."

The district proposed an override levy of $1.6 million twice in 2012 and both requests failed. The district went back to voters last November with a $1.2 million request to hire nine personnel, and that failed as well.

"Several voters told us that we were asking for too much and that we needed to go back to the drawing board," Riley said. "From our first request (in 2012) to the current proposal, we have reduced what we are asking for by more than 50 percent while our run volume increased by 50 percent in that same timeframe."

Northern Lakes' call volume has steadily increased in each of the past seven years from 3,362 in 2012 to a record 5,053 in 2018.

"So far in 2019 we are already well ahead in calls during the first quarter of any other year in our history," Riley said.

In the past seven years, the district only added one position — in 2017 — that was funded out of the existing budget.

If the override levy is approved, the newest employees would work in Hayden or Rathdrum along with existing staff while more experienced personnel would work in Garwood.

"The area where we are proposing staffing the third station is right in the middle of our growth corridor and would allow for faster response times," Riley said. "Due to a high call volume for only two stations, staffing a third station allows for relief options. That means personnel who are spending a lot of time on the road and assigned to calls could be rotated to reduce crew exhaustion."

The facility on Garwood is in the middle of the district's stations in Hayden and Rathdrum.

If the proposal is approved, living quarter improvements would be made to the Garwood site with funds that have been saved. The facility has been used for storage and maintenance.

"I couldn't see spending capital to build a brand new station when we can remodel the building for not even a quarter of the cost," Riley said. "The beauty of the location is that it borders a major highway (U.S. 95) and we're blessed to have that building so we don't have to ask the public for more help."

Northern Lakes covers 106 square miles and serves more than 42,000 residents.

While the demand for service has climbed, the need for more staffing hasn't gone away in recent years, Riley said.

"What I am trying to do is work with the voting public, give them the best service we can and not ask for any more than what is needed," Riley said.