Proposed annexation by Lakeside Fire Protection District

There will be a town hall meeting on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lion’s Hall located at 890 Bowron Road, Lakeside.  This town hall meeting will be to discuss the proposed annexation of properties around Ten-Mile Lake into the Lakeside Rural Fire Protection District.

Annexation into the Lakeside Rural Fire Protection District could save Ten-Mile Lake residents money and ensure continuous incident response. Annexation will provide a constant revenue insuring special equipment for lake responses is available, may lower homeowner’s insurance and keep unexpected bills from complicating the property owner’s already  difficult situation.

The Fire District provides services including: fire fighting, medical response, welfare checks to shut-ins, and public assistance.  Ninety-four percent of calls are non-fire related.

The Fire District provides the same services to residents on Ten-Mile Lake, even though no assessments are currently charged.  The costs for each incident response are billed directly to the property owner.  Sometimes, after investigating the incident, homeowner’s insurance might cover services rendered.  Oftentimes, the property owner is left to pay the bill themselves.  If homeowner’s insurance does not pay and property owner’s don’t pay, the Fire District must go to court to recoup costs, further escalating costs to the property owner and the Fire District.

Currently, property owners within the Lakeside Rural Fire District pay 99 cents per $1,000 assessed value of their property, which is $99 per $100,000 property value.  The assessment formula is set by law and cannot be increased, even though costs continue to rise.

Incorporating lakeside properties benefits property owners and supports Fire District resources.

Mattie Lane

Secretary/Treasurer, Lakeside Rural Fire Protection Disrict