Support Evergreen fire district's levy

I have had the privilege of sitting on the Evergreen Fire and Rescue Department advisory board since January and learning about the challenges facing our firefighters, paramedics and EMTs. The facts are hard and complicated to fix, but not impossible if our community supports the department in a timely manner. The equipment is getting very old and well beyond recommended replacement standards. I learned engines age not only due to “driving miles” (odometer miles) but also “engine running miles” (example: stationary but still running at full throttle to pump water). Out of 14 listed apparatuses, 11 of them are over the national recommended age of use by many years. Incredible that such vital equipment is functioning at all, and only because of the diligence of the department to doing good maintenance.

Beside worn-out equipment, there is a serious need to keep highly trained volunteer men and women at their efforts to protect our citizens. During just the time I went to the meetings, Evergreen Fire and Rescue lost two dedicated firefighters because they got paid firefighting jobs out of this area. They didn’t want to leave, but had to face the reality of working full time at local jobs to support their families, and then volunteering after hours and weekends to assist rescue efforts or leaving to make a living at what they love to do. That is a lot of hard work and stress on anyone. There is a big misconception that these folks are well-paid for being at the fire district facility. Several people have told me a version of, “What is the problem? ... they’ve got at least 12 (or 25 or 40) full-time paid firefighters...” THIS IS SO WRONG! For the few who are paid, the wages are low ... .the support personnel make less than a fast-food employee’s starting wage and it’s not much more for the administrative professionals who are responsible for the department’s function and must also do rescue response. And these folks are trained, dedicated people who save lives in all types of situations — incredible! Someone who makes my burgers and fries in a drive-through makes a bigger paycheck than the person who might save my home or business, pull me out of a fire, do CPR to restart my heart, administer IV drugs and safely wrap my wounds, then properly transport me to the hospital! Incredible! The volunteers usually work full-time elsewhere to support themselves but still go out on emergency calls, often multiple times as they can. And remember, their lives and health are also at risk during their care for others.

Would you do it?

Lastly, it is important to share two important facts I learned after our advisory board, formed from several people (not a “couple of community members”) representing different economies, ages and backgrounds. After weeks of studying facts and ideas to help resolving the funding issues, we agreed UNANIMOUSLY to support this mill levy to the formal Evergreen Fire and Rescue Board.

No. 1: This mill levy will not double my property taxes as I initially thought but will increase those taxes by about $13 per month. My home is not fancy, but comfortable with a small acreage, as much of the Evergreen community enjoys, so this is a wonderful, do-able amount for this valuable service. By keeping the services intact, I will continue to realize a better insurance rate than if the service declines. And this new levy will cause the current five-year levy to expire, not be in addition to it.

No. 2: I witnessed the official vote of the Fire and Rescue Board on this mill levy ballot proposal. I think it is very important to note the statement of the only negative voter was that he does not believe the amount requested “is big enough and it needs to be higher.” This is in the meeting notes and was heard by approximately 70 citizens in attendance at the meeting. Recent information from another source states this is the same board member who initiated the 3 percent annual increase written into the mill levy, which I have confirmed. He now publicly states he does not support this plan. I am confused! Why did he switch? Is this the way we sadly see some officials produce the results they really want, by pushing a legal agenda to a certain level and then abandoning it because they wanted to scuttle it all the time? I am greatly concerned for the conflicting position he now evidences. This mill levy is apparently not as big as he would like it to be, but his publicized opinion sounds the opposite. We do not need confusion overriding the fact that we need to take action now and this is a good, workable plan for protecting our community against the pending potential disasters of not taking care of ourselves.

In light of the recent approvals of new Evergreen subdivisions and the influx of hundreds of new residents and street travelers, we need to improve NOW. These new incoming homes will bring a better tax base in the future, but we must take care of our community now to be ahead of the future when the growth happens. Status quo is no longer a survivable option. Please support this mill levy by voting “Yes” on April 10 and support our firefighters who are protecting us.

Lynch is an Evergreen resident and business owner,