Bothell-Kenmore Reporter: Now both firefighters union and fire commissioners oppose the proposed district merger

Northshore fire station in Lake Forest Park
Photo by Jerry Pickard

By Diane Hettrick

After a year of discussion, shared fire chief, some shared operations and cheerful press releases about how much money it would save ratepayers to combine Northshore Fire and Woodinville Fire, the whole deal has flipped.

The unions and the fire commissioners now say that they will not support the merger, which will be on the April 27th ballot anyway.

I don't know the backstory but Cameron Sheppard in the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter did a nice job of reporting the forward-facing story.

"The union claims the proposed merger has been a contentious one, with IAFF local unions representing Northshore Firefighters Local 2459, as well as Woodinville, Bothell and Shoreline opposing the merger."

Shoreline was originally in the talks to merge the three fire departments, but dropped out months ago.

"According to the union, first responders who serve the community believe the merger offers no increase to emergency services, proposes a budget and structure that is unsustainable, merges two jurisdictions that do not have contiguous borders, and reduces the wages of our Northshore Firefighters."

Read the story HERE