Ephrata fire district annexation unlikely

City plans further study on options

EPHRATA - After nearly two months of study, officials determined that a proposal to annex Ephrata into surrounding Grant County Fire District No. 13 would not make financial sense.

The two fire stations are three blocks apart and work under a mutual aid agreement.

But there will have to be a distinct raise in property taxes for residents to keep the same level of fire service or a slight raise in property taxes and a slight reduction in service, Ephrata City Administrator Wes Crago said.

The combined expenses of both departments are higher than the amount of property taxes coming in for both areas, he said.

On Friday, he added that raising taxes is a "killer" that nobody is in favor of.

"So with that, we'll be pursuing things less than annexation," Crago said during a recent city council meeting.

Other options include exploring different types of mergers and other ways to consolidate equipment and account for city apparatus that can still result in some savings, he said.

Ephrata Fire Chief Jeremy Burns and Crago studied the financial aspects of the proposal, Crago said.

A study session with the city council and fire district is planned for a later unknown date, he said.

Researching the merger and annexation is part of the city's 10-year plan, which is still going forward, Crago said.

The fire district recently conducted a separate study with Burns and arrived at the same conclusion as the city, said fire district Chief Shane Heston.

Heston said the fire district's commissioners are expected to conclude the data doesn't support annexation.

"Both of the fire departments are very strong, very well-equipped and very well staffed with volunteers," he said. "The whole point of this discussion is to see if we can make a good thing better."