Member Updates

Several members of our community recently attended a meeting hosted by Bear Lake County Fire Chief Mark Parker regarding a proposed fire district levy that will appear on the May local ballot.

 

The proposal would increase the existing fire district levy to support equipment replacement, training, and ongoing operations for the county’s fire protection services. According to information presented at the meeting, the proposal would add approximately $40 per $100,000 of assessed property value to the current levy. As an example, a home valued at $300,000 could see an estimated increase of about $180 per year in property taxes.

 

The Bear Lake County Fire District currently operates with an annual budget of roughly $380,000, which has remained relatively flat for more than two decades. Much of the district’s firefighting equipment is more than 25 years old, and replacement costs for fire apparatus and equipment have increased significantly over time.

 

The levy proposal must be approved by a supermajority of Bear Lake County voters in order to pass.

 

Fire Chief Parker plans to host additional informational meetings in other communities around the county in the coming weeks, including Bloomington and Paris. Members who are interested in learning more about the proposal are encouraged to attend one of these meetings or review the information provided by the fire district.

Additional details about the proposal and upcoming meetings can be found at:  www.bearlakefire.org

 

The POA is sharing this information so members are aware of the upcoming ballot measure and can review the information provided by the fire district. Voting eligibility for local elections is determined by Idaho residency and voter registration requirements.