2024 BOND MEASURE INFORMATION

2024 BOND MEASURE INFORMATION

The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District will be seeking voter support for a General Obligation Bond. The citizens protected by the District will have an opportunity to vote on the measure on the upcoming May 2024 ballot.

The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District’s Bond request has two major components. The first is Firefighter Safety. The radios that we are currently operating with are over 20 years old, and equipped with technology that lacks the capacity to reach a large majority of the geographical area that we protect, and the ability to utilize existing infrastructure that would allow us to communicate with partnering agencies. Many of our radios are second-hand or have been re-mounted as apparatus have been replaced. Sweet Home Firefighters responded to over 3300 calls for service last year. Adequate communications are an essential part of every emergency response. Radio communications are used to ensure that the appropriate resources are deployed, hazards and critical information are reported to incoming responders, and the most effective tactics and strategies are used.

The District provides fire protection to a 159 square mile Fire District, and ambulance services to a 971 square mile Ambulance Service Area. This large geographical area often puts rescuers a long distance from the intended receivers of critical communications, including the dispatch center, additional responders, and area hospitals who will be receiving our patients. Due to the nature of our rural area, we are facing increasing calls for technical rescues and wildfires. These types of calls are considered high risk for emergency response personnel and require communications with partnering agencies to ensure the best possible outcomes for the community, our citizens, and our natural resources.

This leads to the second major component of the bond request. The district is seeking funds to improve its wildfire response and fuels mitigation objectives. Currently the fire district has a Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Specialist, funded by a grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Office. The district works with citizens to assess their properties to identify wildfire risks that could negatively impact their homes, but currently lacks the means to help these landowners reduce vegetation identified as a risk. Plans are in place to create a fuels reduction program that will utilize a hand crew and wildland firefighting equipment to help Sweet Home become more resistant to wildfires.

The district is seeking Bond funding to purchase this equipment, including a wood chipper and two wildland fire engines. The woodchipper would provide the district with the ability to remove vegetation that could be problematic during summer months and fire season. Vegetation management and removal will reduce the risk of wildfires growing larger and spreading quickly which could threaten our community and its residents. The new wildland fire engines are more maneuverable on smaller roads and driveways. They will have 4×4 capability allowing firefighters to access fires before they spread rather than waiting for the fire to reach improved roads for engine access.

With the current and upcoming service needs in our growing community, this bond request would allow for the district to offer a higher level of service to its residents. Other items on the bond include replacement of two aging ambulances, the purchase of necessary firefighting and medical equipment, and acquisition or improvement on real property.

Cost to the community. In 2017 taxpayers supported a 7-year Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District bond at .37cents/1000 of assessed property value. The district will be seeking to renew this bond at a new rate of .47cents/1000 of assessed property value. This is a $0.10 increase.

To show this in numbers:

A home assessed at $275,000 would have an increase in property tax of $27.50 annually. $387,500 would have an increase in property tax of $38.75 annually. $500,000 would have an increase in property tax of $50 annually.

The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District understands that in today’s trying financial times every penny matters. The district’s executive leadership looked at many possible scenarios to address the issues, but ultimately could not find viable alternative funding.

Last year the district was able to save and pay for a new type 3 fire engine out of budget for the first time in many years. The District must address the issues of inadequate radio equipment, apparatus replacement needs, specialized equipment needs, and the increased risk of wildfires impacting the community of Sweet Home. After thorough consideration the district determined that a bond was the necessary path towards increasing firefighter and community safety and improving wildfire response.

The district will be holding open houses soon to address the community’s concerns and answer questions regarding this bond proposal.