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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 11.
For Meeting of: June 15, 2021
ITEM TITLE: Regional Fire Authority(RFA) presentation
SUBMITTED BY: Aaron Markham, Fire Chief
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
At the March 23, 2021 Study Session, City Council directed staff to "prepare a report providing
more information, particularly cost sharing, for a consolidated fire district."A PowerPoint
presentation is provided in your packet that summarizes the presentation being given on a
Regional Fire Authority(RFA).
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
Provide direction on moving forward with a feasibility study
ATTACHMENTS:
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REGIONAL FIRE
AUTHORITY
June 15, 2021 City Council Meeting
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WHAT IS A REGIONAL FIRE
AUTHORITY?
• It's a municipal corporation in Washington State and a separate taxing
district
• It can be made up of two or more cities and/or fire districts in reasonable
proximity to each other that want to participate
• The entity is created by a vote of the people
• The Regional Fire Authority (RFA) operates pursuant to a plan, which is
formulated by a planning committee and approved by the voters in the
service area
• RCW 52.02. 160 allows for the creation of a fire district within the same
boundaries of a city as an alternative
HOW ARE REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITIES
FUNDED ?
• Fire Levy - collection up to $ 1 .50/ $ 1 ,000 of assessed valuation, or
$ 1 .00/$ 1 ,000 in conjunction with a Fire Benefit charge including the authority
to run multi-year levy lid lifts
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Levy
• Excess Levy
• Fire Benefit Charge
• Bonds for Capital Purchases
All funding, with the exception of the AV Fire Levy (property Taxes), requires a
super majority to pass
WASHINGTON STATE REGIONAL FIRE
AUTHORITIES
• Valley Regional Fire Authority created 2007
o Cities of Algona, Auburn, and Pacific
• Puget Sound Fire Regional Fire Authority created 2010
o City of Kent & King Co. FPD #37
• West Benton Regional Fire Authority created 2015
o City of Prosser & Benton Co. Fire Dist. # 3
• Renton Regional Fire Authority created 2016
o City of Renton & King Co. Fire Dist. #25
• South Beach Regional Fire Authority created 2017
o City of Westport, Pacific Co. Fire Dist. #5, Grays Harbor Fire Dist. #3, # 11 , # 14
There are nine (9) RFAs listed on MRSC's website (examples are above)
2021 FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET
• General fund total expenditures = $ 15, 658,328
• EMS Fund total expenditures = $ 1 ,531 ,876
• LEOFF 1 ( fund 612) = $ 1 , 176,390
• Combined total expenditures = $ 18,366,594
Capital fund not included
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2021 FIRE DEPARTMENT REVENUES
• Yakima County EMS Levy = $ 1 ,540,874
• Yakima Co. Fire District # 11 = $35,000
• Yakima Co. Fire District # 10 = $28,000
• City of Union Gap = $ 1 ,596,439
• Misc. Fire inspection fees = $212,855
• Sub total revenues : $3,413, 168
• Revenue needed: S14,953,426
The balance needed to cover expenditures comes from the general fund
from property tax, sales tax and other revenue sources.
FUNDING OPTIONS
• Option A : Fire Levy $1 .50/1 ,000 AV - typically used by departments that
are primarily volunteer
• Option B : Fire Levy $ 1 .00/1 ,000 AV and a Fire Benefit Charge no greater the
60% of the operating budget
• Emergency Services Levy: Currently a county-wide levy
CITY OF YAKIMA PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
Current City of Yakima AV = $7,941 ,594,873
• Fire Levy @ $ 1 .50/1000 = $1 1 ,912,393.00 insufficient revenue
• Other revenues = $3,413,168 $3,041 ,000 short
• Total = $15,325,561
• Fire Levy @ $ 1 .00/1000 = $7,941 ,595
• Other revenues = $3,413,168
• Total = $11 ,354,763
Balance of the required revenue would need to be made up from a fire benefit
charge
WHAT IS A FIRE BENEFIT CHARGE ?
• A fire benefit charge is designed to apply a fee to properties that benefit the
most from the fire department
• A formula can be used that shares the cost of the department fairly within
the RFA
• Although a formula may be somewhat complex, it spreads the cost in a
reasonable fashion
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FIRE BENEFIT CHARGE FORMULA
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2018 Puget Sound Fire nutialailty-Benefit Charge Formula:
Square root of total square footage X 1.11 X Category Factor X Response Factor X Risk Factor X Fire Flow Factor X Applicable Die:Count=Benefit Charge
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Square Footage Categories r„...‘i i.", M 014 .4 gi ' .$ .r,,4
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Category Factors: . .. .......... ,
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Residential : 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0,75: 0.75 0.75 0.75. 0.75
Mobile Homes : 0.225_ 0.225; 0,225. 0.229 2.225: 0.225,
. .Camp Ground Spaces 550.00 :', • :
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Apartments 1.60 1.60 1.60: 1.61 1.61 1.60, 1.60 ' 1.60 3.25 3.25 5,25 6.70' 6.70 8.60 11.10' 14,25 14.25 , 14.25 ' 1,4.25 ' 14.25 14.25
Commercial 1.10 1,10 1.10 1.1C/ i.ao 1_30 1.30 1.40 1.40_ 1.40 : 1.50 1.50 2.05_ 2.05 3.05 3.36 3,50' 3.75 .4.00_ 4.15 5.15
Fire Flow Factor: 0.19734349
Response Factor:**
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'Residental 1,05 Variable to:firefighters needed to deliver needed water '. .
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/Manufactured Homes 1.00 1.00 1,00 1.00 1.00 1,00 1.00
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Apartments 1..60 1 1.60 1.60 1,60 1.60 . 1.60 1.60 1.60 , 1,60 1.60 : 1.60 . 1.60 1.60 1.60 1,60 . 1,60 1.60 1,60 1,60 1.60 1.60
Commercial 1,18 1.1a , 1,1.8 • 1.18 1.18 : 1.18 _ 1.75 1.75 1.75 :,..., 2.65 4.20 4.20 . 4.20 4.20 4.30 4,30 4.40 . 4.50 4,50 4.50 4.50
Risk Factortight Hazard/Regional 1.00 1..00 1.00: 1.00. 1.007 1.00 1.00 1,00: a.60 1.00. 1.00 1.00 1.00, 1.00 1.00. 1.00 1.00. 1 00 1,00" 1.00 1,01
Ordinary Hazard/Regional-1 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15, 1.15 1.15 1,15, 1.15 1.15 1.15. 1..15 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15: 1_15, 1.15 1.15 1.15, 015 021
Ordinary Hazard/Regional-2 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 1,20' 1.20 1.20 1.20: 1.20 1.20, 2.20 1.20 1.20 1.20' 1.20 1.20' 1.20 1.20: 1.20 1.20 1.II
extra Hazard/Regional-1 1.30: 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30. 1,30 1,30 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 1,30 1.30 1.30 1,30 1.30 1.31
Extra Hazard/Regional-2 1.40 1.40_ 1,40 1.40 1.40 '1,40, 1.40, 1_40 1.40 1,40 1.40., 1.40. 1,40 1.40 1.40 1.40 1.40' 1,40 1.40 1.40_ 1,41
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Automatic Fire Sprinklers 0.900 0,900 0.900 0.900 0,500 ] 0.900 0.900 0,900 6.660 0.900 0.900 ] 0.900 ' 0.900 0.900 cLeTiio ] 0.900 0.900 0.900 . 0.900 ' 0.900 0.900
Manual Local Alarm 0.980 , 0.980 0.980 0,980 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.980 0,980 0,980 : 0.980 ' 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.9130 ' 0.980 0.980
Automatic Local Alarm 0.970 0,970 0.970 ‘. 0.970 0.970 0.970 0.970 0,970 ] 0.970 0.970 : 0,970 ; 0.970 0.970 0_970 0.970 : 0,970 0,970 0,970 0.970 ' 0,970 . 0.970
Automatic Central Alarm 0,925 1 0.925 : 0.925 0,925 0,925 0.925 0.925 0.925 ' 0.925 0.925 0.925 ' 0.925 0.925 0.925 0.925 0.925 0.925 0.925 • 0.925 ; 0.925 . 0.925
Agricultural 0.250 , 0.250 . 0.250 0.250 0.250 0.250 0.250 0.250 • 0.250_ 0.250 . 0.250 0,250 0,250 0.250 0.250 : 0,250 0.250 0,250 0.250 0.250 ] 0.250
...Response factor:Based on number of firefighters needqirtidaeliver required fire:ftOw,Base residential response force is 16 firefighters on scene.When a residential property needs more then 16 firefighters to deliver the Calculated
fire flow,that number is auto ca/Cutated using the adopted formula and 50 gpm fire flow delivery per firefighter on scene up to 3,599 sq,ft,and 48 gpm for homes greater than 3,599 sq.ft
tt.Risk factors apply to commercial property and are defined by the National Fire Protection Association and deal with fire hazards and hazardous materials.
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CITY TAX CHANGE CONSIDERATION
• It is important to note that, in accordance with State mandate, when a
Regional Fire Authority is created, the amount of property tax previously
collected by the City must be reduced and will be collected by the RFA.
(RFA Feasibility Report, 2013, pg. 38)
• Example:
Current Assessed Valuation (AV) = $7,941 ,594,873
Current rate per $1000 = $2.57
Current Property tax collected = $20,409,898
City Property tax less $ 1 .00 to RFA = $12,468,304 ($ 1 .57 per $ 1000)
CONTINUED
• The difference in property taxes collected by the City will be a decrease of
$7,941 ,594
• However, if approved, the general expense of the fire department is much
greater than then amount of tax revenue relinquished to the new RFA
• The estimated net savings to the City is around 7 million
NEXT STEPS ?
• Contract with a Consulting Firm to re-evaluate fiscal analysis
o Cost estimate from ESCI $30,000 - $40,000
o Estimated time to complete 90 days
• Determine if other jurisdictions support the concept studying the possibility of
forming an RFA
• Governing bodies appoint three members each, to form a planning
committee
• The planning committee develops the entire make-up of the Regional Fire
Authority; this can take up to a couple years to complete
ANY QU ESTIONS ?
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