District 13 holding open house for EMS levy

EPHRATA - Grant County Fire District 13 is hosting an open house and public forum to discuss a levy added to the November ballot to pay for EMS services.

Back in May, the Board of Commissioners for District 13, based in Ephrata, adopted a resolution which will place an EMS levy on the ballot this year.

EMS service was added in 2002 to better serve the area but Fire Chief Shane Heston said the current costs to maintain the service is increasing and adding a strain on the funds used to maintain fire response.

Currently, funding for EMS came directly from the general budget, essentially taking money away from supporting fire suppression, Heston said.

"The EMS levy will provide funding for continued EMS response and enhance our ability to provide better patient care," Heston said. "Specifically, this EMS levy will allow Fire District 13 to maintain EMS response and replace the existing response vehicle, while ensuring funding for future capital needs."

If approved, the EMS levy would last for six years, beginning in 2014 and would collect $0.50 per $1,000 assessed value for an annual revenue of about $65,000, according to Heston. A taxpayer with a $100,000 home would pay $50 per year for the levy.

District 13 is an all-volunteer department, providing fire, rescue, and EMS with an average of about 140 calls each year. Heston said if the levy was not absolutely necessary, the district would not be asking for a hit.

"The Fire District has a long history of stretching budget dollars giving the taxpayer the best value for the money," he added.

The open house and public forum is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 17 at the main fire station located at 1227 Berschauer Industrial Park in Ephrata. Commissioners and staff will be available to answer questions.