Fire department sparks subject of levy increase

Residents living in Asotin County Fire District No. 1 may be voting on a levy increase next fall to help pay for a new fire station in the Clarkston Heights.

Fire Chief Noel Hardin said Tuesday the district likely will ask voters to return the fire levy to $1.06 per $1,000 of assessed value to finish the station and replace aging equipment. The levy is now at 72 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

If approved by voters, the 34-cent bump for the fire department would cost property owners an additional $5.66 per month or $68 per year on a home assessed at $200,000. District residents also pay 50 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation for emergency medical services.

The future home of the Asotin County station is a 22,000-square-foot building that sits on 8 acres of property the fire district purchased in 2014. The structure is located at 2377 Appleside Blvd.

Hardin said they're making progress on the new fire hall, but the district ran into a setback recently when a $60,000 repair was needed on the roof.

"Maintenance is always an issue, but we're still ahead," Hardin said in a news release. "The property is valued at significantly more than the fire district paid for the structure."

Last year, the district received a federal grant for $750,000 to help renovate the former church into a new fire station. The Community Development Block Grant, one of the longest-running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, funds local community infrastructure projects. The program is administered in Washington state by the Department of Commerce.

"We are doing everything possible to minimize the cost to taxpayers," Hardin said. "There's just a lot of red tape to access these funds."

The chief was referring to a National Environmental Policy Act study that is required as a part of the grant. The study is expected to be completed in May, at which point funds will be released for construction and renovation purposes.

"Everyone associated with the program sees the importance of the new fire station to the safety of our community," he said.

The Asotin County Fire District originally requested $1 million toward the project, which was the maximum allowed under the grant program. However, the total amount of money for community development projects was reduced to $750,000 in the middle of the application process.

"We have said all along that community funding might be necessary," Hardin said. "However, the grant reduces that amount significantly."

The public will get its first look at the station's large meeting room during a town hall meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 22. The future of emergency services in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley is the scheduled topic of discussion.

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Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2264. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.