EVERETT — One city has paid, one has started a payment plan and another still is negotiating.
After receiving retroactive bills last year from Fire District 1, three south Snohomish County cities have taken different approaches to settling up.
The size of the bills — totaling $2.5 million — came as a bit of a surprise to the cities this past summer. Fire District 1 said it needed help for retroactive employee pay raises covering two years, a change in the contract with the firefighters’ union. The district provides fire protection service to the cities under long-term contracts. Annual increases in the contract costs were expected, but not to that scope, officials said.
Brier and Mountlake Terrace already have negotiated reductions to their bills. Talks between Edmonds and Fire District 1 continue.
Edmonds got the biggest bill, for $1.67 million.
On Friday, Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling said the city has plans to meet with fire district officials next week.
“We continue to work with them and we’re optimistic in coming to an agreement,” Earling said.
Mountlake Terrace initially was charged $661,318.
After months of talks, $40,300 was taken off the bill, City Manager Arlene Fisher said. Mountlake Terrace also set up a two-year payment plan. Two payments have been made so far.
“We’re all prepared for the next increase that may come along,” Fisher said. “We’re just glad that everything came out really well.”
Brier initially was charged $256,240 and has paid $245,325, said Paula Swisher, the city clerk and treasurer.
The nearly $11,000 difference is pending approval by the fire district’s commissioners, she said.
“Should the board not agree to the amendment, my understanding is that we would pay the remainder,” she said.
The retroactive pay raises were for 192 district employees.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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