SENATE BILL REPORT

                            HB 2187

              AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 26, 1994

Brief Description:  Concerning the merger of fire protection districts.

SPONSORS: Representative Dunshee

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Haugen, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Loveland, Oke, Owen and Winsley.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Hearing Dates: February 17, 1994

BACKGROUND:

Fire protection districts are governed by a board of commissioners consisting of either three or five members.  Fire commissioners serve staggered six-year terms of office.

Whenever two or more fire protection districts merge, the board of commissioners of the resulting fire protection district consists of all of the commissioners of the merging fire protection districts.  The size of this expanded board of commissioners is reduced gradually over each of the next three district general elections.  The statute does not speak to the filling of vacancies on the expanded board occurring because of resignations.  There is some ambiguity as to the status of the commissioners' terms upon approval of the merger.

SUMMARY:

Anyone elected fire commissioner at the election which approves the merger is specifically included among the commissioners on the expanded board.  All the commissioners retain the same terms of office that they held at the time of the merger.

During the process of reducing the number of board members to either three or five, no vacancy may be filled should one occur due to resignation or for any other reason.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This bill simply allows commissioners to resign and get the size of the board down as quickly as possible.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Roger Ferris, WA Fire Commissioners Association (pro)