ACFD 5 considering levy lid lift request

Key points:

“Levy lid lift” would increase property tax assessment for Adams County Fire District 5 property owners if approved by voters.  

Money raised would help replace the loss of the district’s contract with the city of Othello.  

The contract with the city expires in May 2026.  

OTHELLO -— Adams County Fire District 5 residents are being invited to the July 8 commission meeting to discuss a proposal to raise the district’s tax assessment, called a levy lid lift. Fire District 5 Chief Tom Salsbury said the increase will replace money the district will lose when its contract with the city of Othello expires in May 2026. 

“We cannot really afford to operate on what we’re collecting from (fire district) taxpayers at this time,” he said. “We’ve never done a lid lift, so we’re hoping the community is receptive, once they know how much our budget has been cut.”  

The commission meeting will be at 7 p.m. July 8 at the district meeting room, 220 S. Broadway Ave., Othello.  

Commissioners are asking voters to approve raising the assessment to 90 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That’s an increase of 27 cents. 

The owner of property worth $222,000 in assessed value would pay $199.80 if the proposal is approved. That same property owner pays $139.86 now.  

Salsbury said the additional revenue will help make up the loss.  

Salsbury said the 2025 budget is about $1.43 million. The city’s 2025 contract is $793,000, according to an ACFD 5 press release. About $610,000 comes from district property owners, the release said. 

Othello City Council members turned down a proposal from the fire district in August 2024, reached after mediation. The proposal included an increase in the contract price and annexation of the city into the fire district.  

Ending the contract comes at a time when ACFD 5 crews are getting busier, Salsbury said. 

“We had one of the busiest months we ever had (in June),” he said. “We had 53 calls this month. Our call volume keeps increasing, but we don’t keep increasing the volunteer pool. During the day is when it’s the worst, because all your volunteers are working. You rely on those full-time people that we have on the fire department to respond to all the calls.” 

In an August 2024 interview, ACFD 5 commissioner Jay Weise said the volunteer pool is limited and getting smaller. Salsbury, a 35-year veteran of the department, said he’s definitely seen a downward trend. 

“Volunteerism has gone way down,” Salsbury said. “Having a full-time job and a family, with all (requirements) and the classes and stuff you need to take, people just don’t have time anymore.”  

The decline in volunteers has been visible in the district recruit classes, he said, although the people who do volunteer are committed.  

“I just had a class of four people, and the last couple of years I’ve had classes of about four people. I’ve been able to keep them,” he said.  

“I’m fortunate. I think I have a great group of volunteers,” he added. 

If commissioners decide to put the proposal to voters, it will be on the November general election ballot.