Voters this November will be asked if they approve of funding a $7.2 million maintenance and operations levy and a $6.7 million bond to upgrade apparatus and fire equipment for Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue.

CKFR states it needs the M&O levy in order to maintain existing levels of service and to cope with an increasing population.

If approved, the levy would authorize a property tax to raise $7.2 million over a four-year time period. For each of the four years, $1.8 million would be raised with a about 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, not to exceed $7.2 million total.

For a property worth $250,000, the levy amounts to about $62 per year.

“It’s basically a request to the public for a four-year maintenance operating levy of $1.8 million per year to maintain our current staffing and to increase our response time in some areas, specifically Chico,” CKFR Fire Chief Scott Weninger said, referring to Station 64 in Chico that the district has struggled to keep staffed with paid firefighters due to previous reductions in staff.

“It’s needed by the district if we’re going to continue doing what we do,” he said of the levy.

The CKFR board of commissioners unanimously approved of two resolutions – resolution 15-21 for the M&O and resolution 15-23 for the bond – at its July 13 meeting.

Board Chair Dave Fergus agreed the levy was needed, and said an internal economic summit had been held to talk about the levy.

“We ran through all of the possibilities for increasing our funding … I’m certainly supportive of it,” Fergus said.

CKFR operates with a $16.4 million budget that is 84-percent drawn from property taxes, but the fire district does not obtain sufficient revenue from its regular property tax levy to sustain its current level of fire and emergency medical services. The purpose of the M&O levy would be to maintain the current level of service and to avoid a reduction in the number of firefighter employees for the years 2016-2019.

Earlier, at Central Kitsap Community Council meeting, Weninger said there was a shortfall between what money CKFR was taking in and what it was spending. At present, the gap has been filled by spending reserve funds, but that cannot continue indefinitely.

The levy would allow CKFR to make up for some of the funding lost during the Great Recession which had caused property values to decline and remain at lower levels for about six years.

The largest share of CKFR’s 2015 $16.4 million budget – $13.5 million – goes toward personnel costs. CKFR employs 98 people, around 77 of which are firefighters. According to CKFR’s budget, the average salary for the 77 firefighters, apparatus operators, paramedics, lieutenants, captains and battalion chiefs is $93,258.

The proposition will appear to voters as follows:

“Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue Proposition No. 2, maintenance and operations levy: The Board of Fire Commissioners of Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue adopted Resolution No. 15-21 concerning a proposition to finance maintenance and operation expenses. This proposition, if approved, will authorize the District to levy, without regard to the dollar rate and percentage limitations imposed by chapter 84.52 RCW, a property tax upon all taxable property within the District of:

to be used for maintenance and operations and to maintain the current level of fire services and emergency medical services as provided in Resolution No. 15-21. Should this proposition be approved? (Yes or No)”

• Bond for apparatus and fire equipment

CKFR will also seek voter approval for a $6.725 million five-year bond to upgrade apparatus and fire and life safety equipment.

Weninger said CKFR was not alone in asking for additional funds, and said South Kitsap Fire and Bremerton Fire Departments were also putting measures before voters.

“It is a common theme with fire departments that they’re no longer sustainable with the revenues that we have,” Weninger said.

The bond would be for five years, at a rate of 21 cents per $1,000 assessed value.

For a property worth $250,000, the bond amounts to about $52 per year in new taxes.

The proposition will appear to voters as follows:

“Proposition No. 1, Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue, upgrade of apparatus and fire and life safety equipment bonds – $6,725,000. The Board of Fire Commissioners of Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue adopted Resolution No. 15-23 concerning this proposition for bonds. This proposition would authorize the District to upgrade apparatus and fire and life safety equipment, to issue $6,725,000 of general obligation bonds maturing within a  maximum of five years, and to collect excess property taxes annually to repay the bonds, as provided in Resolution No. 15-23. Should this proposition be: approved or rejected?”

The two propositions would be put before voters for the Nov. 3 election.

In April, voters approved continuing CKFR’s emergency medical services levy with strong support of more than 77 percent.

• In other news:

• A phase two fire ban is in effect. Weninger pointed to dry grass along the highway as an example. “You’ve seen burn patches here and there and whatever hasn’t burned will burn in the future and we’re hoping that the public is careful with fire out there,” Weninger said.

• Deputy Chief Jay Lovato said July 4 was a busy day for firefighters. Staffing was bumped up – to 24 firefighters – from 12 p.m. July 4 to 1 a.m. July 5 for the holiday.

“The day was actually fairly light as far as call volume, until about 7 (or) 7:30 (p.m.) at which point we had multiple brush fires, structure fires back-to-back-to-back,” Lovato said. Firefighters also put out a half-acre fire on a hill near Tracyton Beach Road. “We did have four confirmed fireworks-related fires,” Lovato said. He also said CKFR didn’t have to deal with any citizen fireworks-related injuries this year. “Overall it was a nice day … very, very busy,” he said.

• Lovato will retire soon.

• CKFR purchased property at 5328 NW Anderson Hill Road for $240,000 as a future fire station location.

• Station 44 in the Tracyton area was sold for $280,000.