Fire district to test levy mood

Commissioners from the North Whidbey Fire and Rescue District are mulling over the possibility of putting a levy lift lid proposal to voters once again, but this time a different approach will be employed in an effort to convince the electorate that the measure needs to be passed.

The initial request for a levy lift lid by the district was overwhelmingly rejected by voters in February when 70 percent of the ballots cast opposed the measure.

As a result, the district is planning two meetings this month in an effort to make voters aware of the need for the levy.

“We have selected 130 households within the voting block of the North Whidbey Fire and Rescue District that we are sending letters to and inviting people to attend one of two meetings where we will discuss the proposal,” Chief Marv Koorn said at Tuesday’s commissioners meeting.

Originally, just one meeting set for May 21 was scheduled, but Commissioner Larry Morse suggested that a second meeting be scheduled as well.

“I think if we do this people will have a choice of which meeting they want to come to and we should have better attendance,” Morse said.

Commissioner Bruce Carman agreed. “If people don’t attend the first meeting, we can either call them or send them another letter encouraging them to attend the second meeting,” he said.

The first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, and the second for Tuesday, May 27. Both meetings will be held at 7 p.m. at the Heller Road fire station.

“We can see what the voter mood is like at these meetings and then proceed from there,” Koorn said.

All district residents are welcome to attend the meetings.

If the district decides to proceed with the levy lift proposal, it will appear on the ballot in the November general election.

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