Opinion: Lake Valley fire definitely interested in working with SLTFD

To the community,

During the March 2012 meeting of the Lake Valley Fire Protection District board of directors, I made a presentation regarding an annexation proposal for the properties within the city of South Lake Tahoe. The board directed me to make the proposal to the South Lake Tahoe City Council.

Since that time a committee has been formed with representatives from the city and Lake Valley FPD to discuss the possibilities of annexation and the various benefits and challenges of such a move.

Gareth Harris

Annexation of the properties within the city limits would mean that the current fire department tax base would go to Lake Valley FPD, which would become the fire suppression and prevention agency for residents in the city. The proposal includes the hiring of all current South Lake Tahoe Fire Department employees by Lake Valley FPD.

The result would be no increase in cost to property owners in either the city or the county, but the services of a larger, more efficient fire agency. Lake Valley’s board of directors sees this as a potential win-win situation for all involved.

Recent comments made by South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates during a community forum have indicated that the administration of Lake Valley FPD does not favor the consolidation. The purpose of this letter is to assure the residents being served by both agencies that the district has not changed its stance, and looks forward to investigating a situation which would be mutually beneficial to all citizens and agency personnel.

Gareth Harris, Lake Valley fire chief