Fire District #6 raises alarm bells on funding deficit

DRYDEN – Chelan County Fire District #6 has not updated its levy rate, which funds 99 percent of its operations, since 1955. Now, it’s facing a $10.7 million funding gap that threatens its emergency response capabilities and puts homeowners at risk of losing wildfire coverage.

The district’s levy rate is the lowest among fire districts in Chelan and Douglas Counties, collecting 31.5 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value. Under this rate, the district currently relies on an annual budget of $425,000 to oversee a coverage area that spans from Blewett Pass to Monitor, and includes areas of Cashmere that sit outside of city limits. It consists of one paid fire chief and 60 volunteers that operate out of four stations: Peshastin, Monitor, Dryden, and Valley Hi, located up Blewett Pass.

At a March 6 community meeting, the fire district warned its constituents that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) would be cut in January 2026 if the budget remained static. Medical emergencies, especially those on Blewett Pass, would put more responsibility on ambulance companies and surrounding districts.

“[Response will] take extra time, and if it requires an extrication, those ambulance companies

don't extricate. You’re trapped in your vehicle,” said Michelle Mazzola of Resource Solutions, who assisted the district with its strategic plan.

The district would also consider suspending all of its motor vehicle accident responses, which account for 17 percent of the district’s calls, as well as closing its Valley Hi and Peshastin stations. However, it would barely scratch the surface of the $10.7 million funding gap in unmet, mission critical needs.

About 85 percent of firefighting response calls originate from the Dryden Station, which has seen significant repairs in recent years. Last fall, the water main broke for the second time in five years, losing about 40,000 gallons of water before it was discovered, and shutting the station down for three months, according to Fire District #6 Chief Andy Lee. In 2023, a structural beam snapped under snow load. The crew had to call Fire District #3 at 2 a.m. for help relocating its trucks and bracing the beam.

“Luckily…We just got back from a call. If we hadn't been here, we would have lost the whole building and the trucks,” said Lee.

The other three stations were said to be in similar conditions, with A-frame beams no longer attached to the concrete pads at Valley Hi, sunlight coming through a hole in the Monitor station, and walls separating at Peshastin.

The district’s equipment is no better; most of it has over-extended its lifetime by 20 to 30 years. While Lee’s trucks require maintenance after nearly every trip, some of his tools don’t even make it through the response.

“We do a lot of car wrecks up on Blewett Pass. And for a long time, this is what we were using: an old, hand-pump extrication tool. I don't know that I've ever seen this tool get anybody out of a car,” said Lee.

The district has relied on hand-me-downs from other stations. Lee obtained a secondhand two-cycle pump from another district, which has also been unreliable on scene. When other stations replace their fire hose at 10 years, Lee takes it to replace his 30-year-old hose with pinholes. 

The volunteers, who receive a $10 stipend for each call, are also working in aged out gear. Lee said by law, he needs to replace it every 10 years, or when he brings a new member on. However, unable to afford $2,000 to $7,000 a set, firefighters are outfitted in 20-year-old jackets and pants.

“This helmet looks fairly new, but it's from 2013. By law, I have to replace it. This helmet costs 500 bucks,” said Lee. “So it's a toss up…Can I put this guy in this old gear? Yeah, but the second he gets hurt, LNI is going to hang me.”

During the March 6 meeting, the district proposed two new options to replace its 1955 levy rate for the August ballot: 80 cents per $1,000 assessed value, and $1.40 per $1,000 assessed value. 

“Very conservative commissioners, looking out for the public money, that’s how we got here. So everybody meant well…Now, we're in a position that we have to say, okay, yeah, we want to be conservative…but we also have to look out for public safety,” said Fire Commissioner Ray Schmitten.

For a home valued at $400,000, a homeowner would pay about $10 per month at the current rate. At the 80 cent rate, they would pay an estimated $27 monthly. At the $1.40 rate, they would pay about $47.

Each would provide the district with a $750,000 annual operating budget. At 80 cents, it would have an estimated $370,000 available annually to address critical needs. After 6 years, the district would still have $8.56 million in unmet needs.

“Even 80 cents, there's no guarantee EMS would come back,” said Mazzola.

At the $1.40 rate, it would have $1.21 million annually to address these needs, shrinking the deficit to an estimated $3.52 million in six years. Comparatively, the annual funding would almost meet the $2 million annual budget of Grant County Fire District #8, which is similar in size when considering call volume, assessed value of property, and population served.

The district is currently seeking public feedback. In April, commissioners will decide on a proposed rate for the August ballot.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media