PAGE A2, KEIZERTIMES, DECEMBER 4, 2020
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‘There’s a big domino effect’
Marion County Fire District
layoffs, station closures begin
Keizer’s
Christmas
tree aglow
The Keizer Chamber of Com-
merce hosted the annual lighting of
the Keizer Christmas Tree Tuesday,
Dec. 1.
While the event typically draws
a large crowd, spectators were en-
couraged to view the lighting on-
line this year.
For the fi rst time, the trunk of the
tree is now protected by a wrought
iron fence provided by Mike Gatch-
et of G & S Machine.
ABOVE: Santa lights the tree with
the assistance of Ricky Fallardeau
and Raegan Bethell.
By MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
After voters declined to
renew the Marion County
Fire District #1 (MCFD1)
levy proposal at the Nov. 3
general election, Fire Chief
Kyle McMann was forced
to lay off 12 fi refi ghters/
paramedics from his staff.
It’s the fi rst time McMann
has had to make staffi ng cuts
since becoming the fi re chief
nearly two years ago.
“It was very diffi cult to
do, mostly because I know all
the staff members personally,
but it also was hard because I
knew what the impact on the
public would be,” McMann
said.
The levy would have been
at a rate of $0.71 per $1,000
of assessed property value for
a fi ve-year period, which is
the same rate as it was from
2016 to 2020 — the levy
accounted for 30% of the
district’s operating budget.
It was the second time this
year that the district’s levy
renewal failed. At the May
primary election, MCFD1
asked voters to increase the
levy by $0.28. The ballot
measure, however, was not
approved, which meant the
entire levy failed for the July
1, 2020-June 30, 2021 fi scal
year.
After the fi rst levy failed
in May, MCFD1 reduced
staffi ng, station hours and things that we just aren’t able
apparatus to try and balance to do.”
MCFD1’s seven other
the district budget. Employees
and emergency personnel facilities in the district will be
also accepted cuts to wages greatly affected as well.
Fire stations in Macleay and
and health care benefi ts.
But when the levy proposal Labish Center will be formally
failed for the second time closed, and apparatus will be
in November, staffi ng cuts transferred to other facilities.
The Four Corners, and
became unavoidable.
Grove
“We’ve hung on as long Chemeketa/Middle
as we could,” McMann said. Stations will have staffi ng
“There are no more reserve reduced from fi ve personnel
funds to fall back on and to two. The battalion chief
staffing,
service
level
which
is
reductions are
responsible for
inevitable.”
command of
The layoffs
fi res and daily
will
bring
operations and
minimum
supervision,
staffi ng levels
will be cut
from
14
from 24 to 12
down to eight
hours a day.
emergency
— Chief Kyle McMann
“There’s a
personnel
MCFD1 big
domino
per day at
e f f e c t ,”
M C F D 1 ’s
McMann said.
main facility.
McMann said that the
Since
national
standards
require 14 fi refi ghters to safely district will likely ask voters
fi ght a structure fi re, MCFD1 to consider a different levy in
will require mutual aid for any 2022.
“There were two levies
fi re that they respond to.
As a result of staff reduction, that failed for the fi rst time
response times will increase in the history of the district.
to up to 15 minutes to some We need to do a better job
of understanding what the
parts of the district.
“We will still respond to voters want and why they said
every call that we can, but the no,” McMann said. “But at the
cuts decrease the amount of end of the day, we’re going to
calls we can handle,” McMann do the best we can with the
said. “There will be some resources that we have.”
“There are no
more reserve
funds to fall
back on.”
We Didn’t Set The Bar
WE ARE
THE BAR!
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and caring! The atmosphere is engaging and respectful and it is
so good to know that Mom is in such good hands. I would highly
recommend this community to anyone! ”
— HEIDI
r ached t h e age of si i x t y -two.
t ose who ha v e re
v i n g f o r th
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