APRIL 22, 2008 MCP&PSG COFFEE & DISCUSSION 6:45AM, MANCHESTER FAMILY INN

Joining us today were Ron and Joyce Rada, Kerri Desjardin, Bud and Wanda Larsen and Peggy Warren.   Bob and M.C. Edwards were excused.    The April 19th Friends of the Library Plant and Book sale was reported as very successful.     The effort and participation put in to this annual event is to be commended, a lot of hard work, many plant and book donations, and lots of volunteers participating.

We learned that the 40th Annual Father's Day Salmon Bake put on by the Friends of the Manchester Library is a definite go.    There had been some concern about affordable salmon being available.    Amy's On The Bay in Port Orchard will provide the salmon for the event at a fixed reasonable price.     Our group will have an table for safety information at this event.    In that everyone is helping with the Salmon Bake, the table will not be manned.  We hope everyone will stop by and look at information available.

Our guest today was South Kitsap Fire Commissioner, Jerry Preuss.    Jerry is also a Manchester resident and a familiar community member.  The main topic of our conversation was the aspect of IF the fire districts in Bremerton, Central Kitsap, and South Kitsap will merge into a combined Fire District.     Many issues are now being studied on how all areas would be affected by a merger.    A priority is a fulltime station in the Manchester area to handle the extensive growth that is taking place.  The Yukon Harbor volunteer manned station is not of an adequate size to handle a professional manned station and adjoining property is not available at the present time.  Land is being searched out, it would need to be at least one and a half acres, on a sewer line and readily accessible.   Another consideration is to continue with the Yukon Harbor for volunteer training, etc. in addition to a new facility.   With the current growth the need for a fulltime station becomes more evident as time goes by.    Emergency response time is the most important issue right now, following the closure of the station at the fuel farm.

Regular  meetings are being held twice a month on the first and third Tuesdays at the Readiness Center in Bremerton, at 4:00 to 6:00PM.  The public is welcome to come and voice their opinions on planning for a regional fire group.   Their website is www.wsfr.org (West Sound Fire & Rescue).     Commissioner Preuss can be reached at gdpreus@msn.com  or fax (360) 871-2436.     A combined fire district would involve a 15 person steering and planning committee, with 5 people elected from within the 3 districts mentioned previously.  Their positions would involve task setting and assignments with governance over what it will look like and do.   Attrition of the 15 delegates would take 6 years to come down to a 5 person board.    They would address personnel, union contracts, etc.    It is anticipated that individual property rates would stay pretty much the same during the beginning years.

It was brought up that a more ideal format would be havng the State of Washington become involved in funding for fire districts, schools, and law enforcement.   The of course would mean realistically addressing the need for levy's to meet the needs of the agency's operating on funding that does not meet all needs for maintenance, growth of facilities and staff, etc.

Jerry was asked to find out if there was planning for a direct involvement between the districts and Kitsap Emergency Preparedness.    It was felt this would benefit all groups involved, by working together on like projects.

Vacation time, our next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 20th 6:45AM at the Manchester Family Inn.    Everyone is welcome to stop by the Inn during the interim for coffee and discussion.

Submitted by:     Wanda Larsen