The Edmonds City Council Tuesday night will consider options for ensuring that the city in the future is not caught off guard by a larger-than-expected bill from Fire District 1.

Mayor Dave Earling and City Councilmembers were taken aback last August when Fire District 1 presented the city with an invoice for $1.67 million, covering retroactive wage increases resulting from Fire District 1’s settlement of a union contract with Local 1828. Since that time, Earling and Finance Director Scott James have been meeting with Fire District 1 officials to take a closer look at the numbers and determine next steps.

On Tuesday night, James is scheduled to present to the council amendments to the original city-Fire District 1 agreement aimed at adding the following safeguards:

– Requiring supporting documentation from Fire District 1 for the financial formula that guides contract negotiations for proposed firefighter salary increases.
– Requiring that the Fire District submit to the city by Aug. 31 of each year  “a reasonably probable range” for both how much labor costs will increase and the city’s contract payment for the next year. Those ranges — to be developed by “an independent consultant who specializes in representing management in labor negotiations” — are aimed at allowing the city to budget for “a reasonable worst cases resolution of any ongoing labor negotiations.”
– Adding two city-appointed representatives to attend bargaining sessions between FD1 and the IAFF Local 1828. These representatives wouldn’t be able to vote on the contract but would be able to observe proceedings and ask questions.
– Requiring that the District Fire Chief, during his annual report to the City Council, “present various options for providing services to the City more efficiently and/or more effectively under the agreement.”

According to the agenda, Fire District 1 will not sign the proposed city amendments until the city has agreed to a Fire District 1 contract amendment, which provides a two-year payment plan billed over eight quarterly installments for the retroactive bill.

In addition, Fire District one has issued a one-time adjustment lowering the retroactive invoice by $63,631.19, bringing the total retroactive invoice to $1,604,060.81 to account for services that were not rendered.

“The city has no issue with the quality of services that our citizens receive from Fire District 1,” James noted in an email Monday. “I also want to state that these are only proposals at this point, as council has not approved these amendments. However, we believe that we have to visit the terms in our contract to add clarity to how FD1 provides future billing information to the city.”

The council has the option Tuesday night of authorizing Earling to sign Fire District 1’s proposed amendment and/or the City’s proposed amendments. Councilmembers could also authorize the Mayor to sign the Fire District 1’s amendment “upon receiving a verbal commitment from Fire District 1’s Commissioner(s) to address the City’s proposed amendments within an established time period, such as within the next two months,” the agenda notes.

Also on the agenda for Tuesday’s night’s meeting, which is mostly a study session (meaning that no action is taken), is one other action item: authorizing approval of a lease agreement between the city and the Edmonds Senior Center that would allow the center to move forward with a fundraising campaign for a new multi-generational activity center. The plan is to replace the existing city-owned waterfront facility at 220 Railroad Ave., which has serious structural problems including a sinking first floor, inefficient design and seismic concerns.

In addition, the council is scheduled to:

– convene in executive session starting at 6:15 p.m. to discuss potential litigation.

– hear presentations on the Edmonds Downtown Alliance Grants Program, a supplemental agreement for the final feasibility study of the Willow Creek Daylight project, and Master Use and Site Use Agreements for installation, operation and maintenance of Sprint wireless equipment in the city right of way.

– discuss draft ordinances aimed at consolidating and clarifying the city’s animal regulations.

– continue discussion of the Draft Land Use Element for the city’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update.

The meeting will be in the Council Chambers, Public Safety Complex, 250 5th Ave. N. You can see the complete agenda here.