Edmonds residents urge city to reconsider fire annexation

EDMONDS — Edmonds residents urged the City Council on Tuesday to reconsider annexing into South County Fire, citing a rushed timeline and rising property taxes.

The council held a special meeting Tuesday to review a pre-annexation agreement and engage in a Q&A with South County Fire representatives. At the council’s regular meeting immediately after, about 10 residents participated in a public hearing, but the council did not allot time to respond to their concerns.

“This is going to be a huge, expensive change, a forever change that will be hard to get out of,” Edmonds resident Julie Johnson told the council. “The council seems to be in great hurry to annex with (the regional fire authority) without a second option.”

Last year, South County Fire notified Edmonds officials it would terminate its contract at the end of 2025 due to the growing financial demand of servicing the city. A report from city-hired consulting group Fitch & Associates determined annexation as the city’s cheapest option to secure fire services in 2026. Brier, Lynnwood, Mill Creek and Mountlake Terrace have already annexed into South County Fire.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/edmonds-residents-urge-city-to-reconsider-fire-annexation/