Fire commissioner supports city’s search for alternatives

Lacey Fire District 3 Commissioner Frank Kirkbride, supports the City of Lacey’s hiring of a consultant to help them look for alternatives to contracting with the fire district.

“Lacey needs to look at all of its options so they can get a good idea of what the possible alternatives are,” Kirkbride said.  He also said the Fire District was looking at hiring a consultant to give them information on their possible alternatives.

Kirkbride made the comments during a meeting of  Lacey Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee on Friday. 

He said the district’s contract for a consultant will be decided late next week.   Kirkbride said the process would take 90 to 120 days.  He thinks the city is about 30 days ahead of the district in their look at alternatives.

“Before we can talk about the split, we both need to have as much information as possible,” Kirkbride said.   Any split would take about a year to get everything done.   “We want to assure the public that whatever we decide will be seamless and will not be noticed,” he said.

One alternative under consideration  is annexing the city into the fire district.  While some residents of the city see this as the solution, Lacey City Manager Greg Cuoio has ruled out such a move and warned the Lacey City Council that to do so would cost city residents more and negatively impact the city’s levy capacity.

Supporters of the idea see annexation to the fire district as the best, long term solution to the city’s problem.

At the meeting, Kirkbride also announced that he will be a candidate for re-election to his fire commissioner seat.