McMinnville has been experiencing service gaps due to call volume including delays in response times to fires and medical emergencies, insufficient staff resources and equipment for emergency needs, and absent reserves for capital projects such seismic upgrades, substations for faster responses, and replacement of a fleet that is nearing 30 years old.

With all these issues, the McMinnville Fire Department and McMinnville Rural Fire Protection District undertook a 4+ year assessment with third-party experts to determine the best way to improve our Fire and EMS services. With a focus on sustainability and a goal to provide the best and most responsive Fire and Emergency Services, it was determined that creating a new Fire District was this path. Given growing budget constraints, the study found that consolidating fire service areas would be the best way to provide cost effective and efficient services to all residents for the long term. With recent City budget constraints causing staff furloughs, the need now is greater than ever. Capital and staffing needs have been put on hold due to budget shortfalls as well.

Currently, the McMinnville Rural Fire Protection District is a separate entity that collects taxes from the constituents of their area. The MRFPD has no employees, no equipment, and no buildings. They have assisted in purchasing apparatus for use by the McMinnville Fire Department for rural firefighting such as wildland fires. The MRFPD provides their fire services to the rural residents by contracting with the McMinnville Fire Department. After undertaking a 4+ year study to determine the best way to provide high quality and responsive fire and emergency services. Together, the two entities decided to move forward with proposing a new special district to voters. If this measure passes, it would create a new special district for fire services that includes both the City of McMinnville and the McMinnville Rural Fire Protections District.

Creating this new district provides sufficient fire and medical resources in efforts to meet the national standard and ensure there is trained local emergency medical staff for every emergency call. Over the next few years the new district will systematically and fiscally responsibly hire 15 new firefighters, replace an almost 30 year old aging fleet with at least three new fire engines, add a new fire inspector position, and construct two new strategically placed fire substations

Once approved, the measure will create a dedicated funding source for fire services.

For residents within the City of McMinnville it will cost $0.31/day for the first year. Only after the City Council engages the community in July of 2023 for the communty’s desire on IF to bring back any of the taxing authority they will retain. If the community wishes to bring back that authority the average taxpayer in McMinnville will only see an increase of $1.23/day. While fire protection rates will increase by an average of $0.50, the City wishes to retain the current $1.50 taxing authority.

For residents within the McMinnville Rural Fire Protection District, if passed the proposal would increase the local fire district property tax rate $0.35/day.

This will equalize the rates between the City residents and the Rural residents.

The tax rates of the newly created Fire District will be equal for residents in all parts of the district at $2.00 per thousand of assessed value.

Scroll down to use the calculators with your County TAX ASSESSED property value to see your increase monthly cost

Just because your home can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars does NOT mean that is what is being used to calculate your tax liability. In fact, it’s the opposite. As values increase exponentially property tax values only go up at 3% each year. So your house can be valued as $500,000 and your tax assessed value is HALF of that. Other things also play a role such as farm deferral, timber deferral, and other property tax deferments that can’t be used to calculate what you owe. See our links and calculator below to identify your true tax information. Be informed.

The Paid and Volunteer Firefighters of McMinnville are in support of the proposed new consolidation and would encourage you all to support our efforts to provide you the best service possible in the most cost-effective way. We are frustrated by the inability to support our customers in the way they deserve when you call for our help

The McMinnville Volunteer Firefighters Association and the McMinnville Professional Firefighters Proudly endorsed 3 candidates for Fire Board of the new McMinnville Fire District. Click here for more.