Rachel Rosen reports in the Whidbey News-Times from the Oak Harbor City Council meeting of Tue., Feb. 7, 2023.
After years of study and passage of a successful bond measure, the city of Oak Harbor is finally buying land for a second fire station.
The purchase of the Swantown Avenue property will be financed with a bond that voters approved last November with 62% of the vote. The bond covers the costs of the land, construction of the station and the purchase of a quint truck, which is a combination of a fire engine and ladder truck. Voters also approved a levy lid lift to cover the operating expenses of the second station, new employees to staff it, replacement of a 24-year-old fire engine and protective equipment and tools.
The second fire station will be built at 1250 Southwest Swantown Avenue. The property is 1.69 acres in size.
They Said It
Councilmember Bryan Stucky brought up concerns about the hefty price tag.
“Eight hundred thousand dollars is obviously a lot more than we originally thought we might get property for,” he said.
Stucky asked if the station could still be built within the budget of $8 million. Fire Chief Ray Merrill responded that he was reasonably certain that it could be, though he pointed out that the price was a little over $200,000 in 2016.
“By waiting from 2016 to now, the price of the property went up $600,000,” Merrill said.
Stucky asked if all the property options had been considered, including Fort Nugent Park which the city already owns. Merrill responded that building the station on the park was still a possibility, but it would be difficult to do so without taking acreage and parking space from the park. High-tension power lines would also have to be removed.
Councilmember Shane Hoffmire, however, said the Swantown location is in the perfect spot to reduce response times in area of the city to four minutes.
“If that station were at Fort Nugent Park, you’re back to five and half minutes again, roughly,” he said.
| CITY OF OAK HARBOR |
| City Council: Four of five council positions are on the ballot. Position 1: Tara Hizon Councilwoman Hizon filed with the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) to run for re-election. Position 2: Beth Munns Christopher Wiegenstein, a commissioner with the North Whidbey Pool, Park and Recreation District, filed with the Public Disclosure Commission in April to run for a City Council seat, but did not specify which position. During Filing Week, he filed to run for this seat. Former mayoral candidate Patrick Harman and Andy Plumlee, who was not selected for the Position 4 vacancy, have also filed for this seat. Position 3: Eric Marshall. Councilman Marshall was appointed after the resignation of Jeff Mack. This election will be for the remainder of Mack’s full term, which ends Dec. 31, 2023, and the succeeding four-year full term, which ends Dec. 31, 2027. Position 4: Christopher Wiegenstein Councilman Wiegenstein was appointed after the resignation of Dan Evans. This election will be for the remainder of Evans’ full term, which ends Dec. 31, 2025. announced his intention to apply for vacancy and run for the council on Apr. 28, 2023. Three of the shortlisted applicants, Barbara Armes, John Chaszar, and Wismine D’Avilar, have filed to run for the seat. |
| Mayor: Bob Severns Mayor Severns announced that he will not run for another term. Craig Nurvic, Councilman Shane Hoffmire, Oak Harbor businessmen Ronnie Wright and Nick Green filed to run during Filing Week. |
