EDMONDS — The Edmonds City Council will meet Tuesday to review a plan to annex into South County Fire, a step forward in the city’s quest to secure fire and emergency medical services by the end of 2025.
In December 2023, South County Fire told city officials it will terminate its contract — originally set to expire in 2030 — because it can no longer keep up with the demand of Edmonds’ growing population.
Commission Chair Jim Kenny told the City Council that South County Fire essentially subsidizes Edmonds’ payments, which are lower than those of other cities.
While each of the council’s three options — annexation, contracting with the Shoreline Fire Department or re-establishing the Edmonds Fire Department that dissolved in 2009 — would increase property taxes, annexation would cost households the least at an average of $77 per month.
Residents currently pay taxes to the city, which then pays South County Fire. Under annexation, residents would pay the regional fire authority directly.
In May, the council unanimously approved a resolution to request annexation.
The new service structure would cost Edmonds about $18.7 million per year, up from its 2024 fire budget of $12.5 million.
If the plan moves forward, voters will see a measure on their special election ballots in April. If approved, the annexation of fire services and emergency medical services would begin June 1 and Aug. 1, respectively. If voters reject the measure, the current contract would stay in effect through the end of 2025, after which the city and fire authority would each have the option to enter a temporary agreement in 2026.
To comment on the proposed plan, residents can attend a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday after the 5:30 p.m. council meeting at 250 5th Avenue N. Zoom and written statement options are also available. The council will hold another meeting Dec. 10 to further contemplate fire service and EMS options.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the city had until the end of 2025 to have a solution for the future of its fire service. It has been updated to note the city could possibly contract with South County Fire temporarily after 2025.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
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