Consolidation discussed briefly in Electric City

Although the idea of consolidating local towns wasn’t popular during a brief discussion in Electric City, the idea of consolidating local fire and EMS services does have support. 

During their Sept. 13 council meeting, the council briefly discussed the idea of the consolidation of towns. 

Councilmember Brian Buche said the vast majority of people he has spoken to on the topic are against the idea. Councilmember Bob Rupe agreed. 

Fire Chief Mark Payne said that he wasn’t in favor of consolidating the towns, but was in favor of consolidating local fire and Emergency Medical Services somehow. 

Nic Alexander, who serves as assistant fire chief to Chief Ryan Fish for the Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department and the Grand Coulee Ambulance spoke on Aug. 23 to Grand Coulee’s council. He was unable to attend Electric City’s meeting to make a similar presentation.

Alexander had presented the idea to Grand Coulee of forming an EMS district that could collect taxes from the EMS service area, which ranges from from Leahy Junction to about halfway to Wilbur on SR-174, and from the Million Dollar Mile to the Belvedere area on SR-155.

Grand Coulee council members suggested including local fire departments in a district, as well.

Payne said at Electric City’s meeting that he supported the departments being combined somehow, and that Fish was looking into that idea. But, he said, multiple counties being in the area could complicate the process. 

He said that it’s currently difficult to get grants for new equipment, and that taxes collected from such a district could help with such purchases. He said neighboring districts do just that.

City Clerk Peggy Nevsimal said she thinks Alexander will attend Electric City’s Oct. 11 council meeting scheduled for 6 p.m.