Lacey Council takes next step towards annexation to Fire District

(UPDATE) – At its Friday morning meeting the Lacey Fire District 3 commisisoners accepted the Interlocal Agreement and began the move towards annexation.)

Members of the Lacey City Council adopted an ordinance Thursday calling for an election to annex the city to Lacey Fire District 3.   In adopting the ordinance the Council also approved an Interlocal Agreement.

The Agreement spells out in detail what the city and the fire district can and will do.  In essence the city turns over all fire buildings and equipment to the fire district and allows the fire district to collect all property taxes currently levied within the city limits.

If the annexation is successful the agreement also calls for the Fire District to hold an election to increase the number of fire commissioners from 3 to 5.  Until the election, the city has the ability to appoint 2 non-voting advisory members to the fire commission.

Both the fire district and the city have agreed to cooperate in proposing legislation to the state legislature which will allow the district to collect money to retire its fire bonds only from district taxpayers and the city to collect money to retire its fire bonds only from city taxpayers.

In the event voters in either the city or the district turn the annexation down, the current contract will be extended  through July 31, 2011.