SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — The Spokane Valley Board of Fire Commissioners released a letter addressing the ongoing discussions between the City of Spokane and Spokane Regional Emergency Communications (SREC).
In the letter, SVFD argues that the SREC functions extremely well and "claims that suggest otherwise are not supported by the operational results and feedback from the involved experts."
This comes after an announcement in August by Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown saying the Spokane Police Department will not join the SREC unless changes are made to its current model.
SREC is an emergency services organization created in 2018 that works to regionalize 911 dispatch to agencies across Spokane County. SREC provides dispatch services for the Spokane Fire Department, but the Spokane Police Department dispatch services are handled by city employees.
The SVFD Board of Fire Commissioners went on to say in the letter that they are concerned about the city gaining control of the emergency communications system. They explained they believe additional government oversight, especially by people less familiar with public safety operations, could harm the level of service provided by public safety.
The letter goes on to list some clarifications on SREC funding:
- "User Fees and Reserves: User fees are not allocated to reserves but are specifically designated for operational costs.
- Funding Allocation: The 1/10 of 1% tax is dedicated to critical areas such as CAD systems, radios, and new facilities, ensuring that our technology and infrastructure are up to date.
- Contributions: The City's financial contribution to the system is actually decreasing (down 3.1% since 2019), while the county's contribution is increasing (up 1.4% since 2019), per WA Department of Revenue. This reflects a shift in funding responsibilities and should be understood in the broader context of regional financial dynamics."
SVFD added they are opposed to the bonds proposed by the City to fund the SREC.
At the end of the letter, SVFD states they welcome the creation of an independent system created by the city. But clarify that they believe the SREC, if functioning effectively, and as such are not interested in it being changed just so the city to join it.
The full letter can be read below.
