Editor:
On April 22, Edmonds voted to join the South County Fire RFA. Although I agree that annexation is the right long-term solution for Edmonds, I voted no because I believe the city has done a poor job of negotiating the terms of the annexation. My research into the issue identified four necessary changes to the way the RFA operates which should have been negotiated prior to an annexation vote. These changes are still relevant today and they should be of concern to residents of Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Brier and Mill Creek also.
For context on each of these recommendations, please see opinion pieces that I authored during the campaign on RFA funding mechanisms, service levels, staffing levels and metrics. My recommendations are:
1. a commitment to match Shoreline’s 35% benefit charge funding model to more equitably distribute costs and save homeowners hundreds of dollars.
2. establishment of an independent commission to study alternate delivery models and make recommendations to improve the efficiency of EMS service delivery.
3. a commitment to publish metrics for each member city in addition to the overall RFA metrics.
4. a commitment to publish specific, data driven improvement plans beyond just adding stations and personnel to ensure a culture of continuous improvement for all served communities while managing cost.
I call on residents in the other RFA communities to join us in lobbying the RFA commission and management to enact these meaningful changes to manage costs and continually improve the services offered by the RFA.
Niall McShane
Edmonds
Niall, when the State legislature created RFA’s and gave them taxing authority, they also gave them performance standards. They also mandated that when the fire agency’s actual performance was worse than the standard, the agency reported to their customers what their action plan is to meet the standards. The South County Fire state compliance reports are missing the action plan. This is a failure of the Fire Chief and the Fire Commissioners. Eastman is a fairly new Chief. I expect him to take the State’s mandates seriously. By contrast, the Fire Commissions have been running this large agency for a long time. I hope the voters hold them accountable when they run for reelection in 2025, and vote for change.
Niall/Theresa- While your points are valid/worth considering, the real problem with the RFA is the State’s failure to establish a proper business model and reporting guidelines for all RFAs. Property tax levy revenues and standard GAAP accounting do not incent the RFA to prioritize taxpayers ahead of career firefighters’ full employment nor manage a cost-effective, efficient organization. Rather, they foster weak management and complicity with the firefighters’ union, and an avoidance to pursue benchmarking performance metrics. The lobbying effort should be directed at the County and State political level, because unless there is reform in the State law, there will be no incentive for the RFA to implement efficiency and modernization changes, nor performance metrics’ accounting. Taxpayers should be able to track the annual fire/ems cost per resident; cost per service call; inefficiencies of not having single-role paramedics respond to 85% of 911 calls for medical emergencies; union pay that exceeds population growth and cost-of-living; union work rules that ignore productivity improvements; comparative benchmark performance metrics with other communities. Other issues: RFAs should not be allowed to unilaterally terminate contracts and strongarm communities into annexation. Annual reports should require proof of economies of scale/reduced operational costs. Firefighter unions should not be allowed to campaign in behalf of their own self-interests. RFA Boards are too inbred with too many professional fire fighters. State reform is needed!
Hi Bill and Niall. As a yes voter I have to agree with both of you that the RFA has some serious work to do to improve. Let’s hope we can get that message across and see changes happen going forward.
I hope all you folks who just drank the city provided cool aid and voted yes are still as happy about this when your mortgage payments suddenly go way up next year or that check you write to the county twice a year requires one or two more K’s in the total amount. RFA’s are basically little more than a state supported semi-monopoly on what used to be mostly private ambulance services in the various communities. Supposedly this has resulted in way better cardiac arrest outcomes and more efficient use of fire equipment and less management costs for fire and EMS services we all need at one time or another. The soaring costs of this system sort of beg the question of how much truth there is in all the claims; and thinking everyone will suddenly demand more and better accounting from the RFA and their Commissioners is just engaging in a fun little pipe dream. Mismanaged Edmonds City Government is becoming a property tax “Robbers Roost,” with the happy collusion of the RFA now.
Mr. Tariff preaching about additional charges.
Rich.
Paul, what do Tariffs have to do with any of this? Tariffs are hidden consumption taxes on foreign importers that get passed on to the final purchaser – the consumer, i.e. you and I if we buy something made in China or Mexico for example. Our Tariff loving national “Fearless Leader and Financial Stable Genius (self-described)” thinks those countries are paying the Tariff’s when it’s actually his own constituents paying them. That’s one reason his approval rating is at 39% even according to Fox News of all people. If your comment is about my suggesting the city should start charging for casual use of our Parks and maybe some parking even, you are talking about user fees, not “Tariffs.” I just think you might want to flesh out your comment a bit so we know what you are talking about. Since; if all goes well and I’m soon a non-Edmonds Citizen I will happily pay these fees if they are ever put into place. Edmonds needs revenue!
Agreed. I’d also like to see the 6 year fire commissioner term changed to a 2 year term, limits on campaign contribution amounts. Shocked to see how much the fire union spent on the Edmonds Election.
https://www.pdc.wa.gov/political-disclosure-reporting-data/browse-search-data/committees/co-2025-18238#expenditures
Over 5,100 Edmonds residents voted, No! Opposition turn out rate was much higher than Brier & MLT.
It would be great to hear from residents & businesses on how this large cost increase impacts them.