HomeMy WebLinkAboutCherie Kidd POR
. W A S 1-1 I N G T 0 N, U. S. A.
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March 30, 2015
Captain James Mason Lieutenant Mike Sanders
Captain Terry Reid Lieutenant Jake Patterson
Captain Duke Moroz Lieutenant Kelly Ziegler
Port Angeles Fire Department
102 East Fifth Street
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Gentlemen:
Thank you for your letter of March 9, 2015 informing me of your concerns regarding the status of our fire
department and the high volume of calls.
First of all,please let me personally thank you for the outstanding manner of service you provide to the
citizens of Port Angeles. During my own fall at the post office last year, and during ride-alongs with your
department, I have witnessed how well you perform emergency services for all of us.
In 1990,the Port Angeles City Council,recognizing the need for additional staffing, and having the budget
to fund them, added three positions to the Port Angeles Fire Department. I commend them for their wise
decision. I have always supported public safety and recognized from the time I was elected in 2007 that we
needed to focus more on our public safety needs.
I began my service on the council in 2008 and witnessed the"great recession"hit our Olympic Peninsula.
Budget tightening became the"new normal". We have not yet recovered economically. Also, salaries,
cost of living increases and benefits continue to take a larger share of our general fund budget every year.
This year, we are facing a budget deficit due to Nippon's cutbacks.
My focus has been on economic recovery, not continuing to fight over our diminishing tax base. A
prosperous local economy will stem much of the need of 911 calls in general.
I definitely agree that we need to add staffing to our fire department. I frequently speak on behalf of our
fire department and our police department. In our priority setting, I put public safety first. I will continue
to speak up for additional staffing while I look for sustainable funding sources. We all need to have fully
staffed fire and police departments. I am seeing positive changes happening and will continue to push for
economic recovery and seek priority status for our public safety needs.
Sincerely Yours,
Cherie Kidd, Councilmember
Cc: Dan McKeen,Ken Dubuc
Phone: 360.4.1 7-4.500 /Fax: 360-417.4509 / I...I"'y: 3601-4 17-464.5
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32"1 East Fiflli Street - P.O. Box "1150 / Port Arigeles, WAS 98362-02,17