by Edythe Jensen - Nov. 22, 2008 07:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Residents in Chandler's 45 county islands are a step closer to getting city fire service for a fee.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved formation of their fire district this week. The action comes more than a year after the city negotiated an interim agreement to answer emergency calls outside its borders after subscription provider Rural/Metro left the area.
When the district becomes official Dec. 18, members can start negotiations with Chandler for fire protection, said Assistant Fire Chief Tom Carlson. He expects the talks to go smoothly and said the city is willing to provide the service.
Costs, which will be added to county residents' property taxes, haven't yet been determined. However, Carlson said they will likely be lower than Gilbert's because Chandler won't have to build new stations or hydrants to serve the additional properties.
Ed Hurley, a county island resident and one of the interim district board members appointed this week, said volunteers collected 693 signatures to meet the 638-signature minimum. It was a difficult task at a time when some of the 1,276 affected county properties were rentals, abandoned or in foreclosure, he said.
Hurley said his group is grateful for the cooperation from Chandler and the prospects of getting a formal agreement in a few months.
"This isn't anything like what happened in Gilbert; we have a very positive relationship with the city," he said. Gilbert county island residents and the town battled for three years before setting a fire district tax rate in July.
Under the interim Chandler agreement, the city responded to county island fires and billed property owners. Charges varied depending on the time, personnel and equipment required. If the owners don't pay, Maricopa County reimburses the city and may file liens on properties for collection, Carlson said. The city has sent $70,000 in unpaid fire service bills to the county so far, he said.
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