Voters in Creswell and Cottage Grove are considering a bond measure in next month's special election. Measure 20-237 would fund new equipment for South Lane County Fire and Rescue.
South Lane County Fire and Rescue hasn’t bought new fire engines since it formed a district in 2003. The bond would add 30 cents per 1000 dollar assessed value for property owners in the district. Joe Raady is Division Chief.
Raady: "Right now, South Lane County Fire and Rescue has a permanent taxing rate of $1.03 per $1000. That is one of the lowest in Oregon. Yet we have 24 hour a day staffing, 365, and an ambulance."
Raady says the district's engines are on average 24 years old. The National Fire Protection Association recommends vehicles age out after 25 years. Raady says they hope the bond will raise 2.6 million dollars for fleet replacement over 5 ½ years. The deadline for voting in the special election is Tuesday November 3rd.
