The potential consolidation of Aberdeen and Hoquiam fire and ambulance services took another step forward Monday when the Hoquiam City Council approved funding for a study to explore consolidation options.
A letter presented Monday signed by Hoquiam Mayor Jasmine Dickhoff, Aberdeen Mayor Erik Larson and Cosmopolis Mayor Frank Chestnut, addressed to members of all three city councils, began, “We write to seek your concurrence to initiate an effort to explore and plan for the consolidation of services between our three cities. We are convinced that such an undertaking is in the best interest of our citizens.”
In her council report, Dickhoff said she was “excited to enter the study with Aberdeen,” adding that there would be many opportunities throughout the consolidation process for council members from all three cities and the citizens of those cities to provide feedback on any consolidation decisions.
The letter from the three mayors concluded, “We urge your quick action in the form of a motion to proceed authorizing our three cities to develop a municipal service consolidation action plan for collective Council and citizen review and approval.”
The Hoquiam Council unanimously approved city administrator Brian Shay’s recommendation to enter an agreement with the City of Aberdeen to split the cost of a study by Emergency Services Consulting International, the firm that developed a similar study while the fire and emergency services departments in the South Beach area were developing their own plan for consolidation, which was approved by voters by a wide margin in 2017.
The cost of the study is $46,000 and would be split equally between Aberdeen and Hoquiam. Cosmopolis, despite the addition of the mayor’s name to the letter to the three cities’ city councils, did not factor into the cost-sharing agreement; Dickhoff said the fact that Cosmopolis is strictly a volunteer department complicated the city’s position in consolidation plans, but the study could potentially be used to consider Cosmopolis as part of the consolidation equation.
Once the agreement is approved by the Aberdeen City Council, Shay said in about four to six weeks “we’ll have a recommendation from the consultant on what we can do.” Options could include the formation of a regional fire authority like South Beach, the creation of a new fire district, or if it would be in the best interest of the cities to continue business as usual.
Dickhoff and Larson have at times been at odds over consolidation of services between the two cities; last night, Dickhoff said it was “healthy to have open arguments” and it was most recently Larson who reached out to her, saying, in her words, “It’s time. Let’s do this. The timing is right.”
Some council members, including Ward 1 Councilman Dave Wilson, noted studies have been done in the past and nothing has come of them. The difference now, said Dickhoff, is that the mayors are on board with the plan, and there is support from the Aberdeen and Hoquiam firefighter unions to explore the study for consolidation.
Interim contract with Aberdeen Fire
Hoquiam Fire Chief Paul Dean attended his final city council meeting Monday; his retirement is official Oct. 1. To fill the gap between potential consolidation and the retirement date, the Hoquiam City Council approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Aberdeen to contract fire chief duties with the Aberdeen Fire Department.
The agreement is official Oct. 1 and will have Hoquiam paying Aberdeen $2,200 monthly to cover the services Dean would normally handle.
Aberdeen fire chief Tom Hubbard and assistant fire chief Rich Malizia would likely split the duties. Dean will come in at times during his vacation in September to handle payroll and assist with the transition, and Hoquiam finance director Corri Schmid will also be called upon to help Hubbard and Malizia during the early going, said Dickhoff.
