Yakima’s city council meeting Tuesday night the Yakima financial director, Craig Warner, announced that the city’s 2025 revenue is projected to exceed the budget by approximately $2.1 million. Warner advised the city council to use these reserves for one-time expenditures. The council decided to allocate part of the surplus to keep Fire Station 92 open by increasing the overtime budget by about $150,000 a month. “There’s no way for us to hire and keep enough people there long term, because it takes a year to get folks,” City manager Vicki Baker said, emphasizing the need for an increased overtime budget.

The council also discussed three long-term solutions, including two separate levies and a permanent utility tax increase. An EMS levy, requiring 60% voter approval, would be dedicated solely to fire services. A public safety levy lid lift, needing 50% approval, offers flexible funding for general purposes. Additionally, a utility tax increase was considered, with each 1% hike generating about $600,000 annually.

Ultimately, the council adopted a stopgap measure to maintain current operations until August 2026, allowing more time to explore alternative funding and long-term solutions.

KIMA-TV CBS/CW+ 29 Yakima

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An Oklahoma woman was sentenced to five life terms for manslaughter in a crash involving a fatal Tulsa fire truck. She is also suing the city for damages related to the incident.

The post Five Life Sentences for Driver in Fatal OK Fire Truck Crash appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

A report of a potential rescue on French Creek in PA highlighted the effectiveness of the Crawford County Scuba Team's hovercraft, which was deployed due to high water levels and fast currents.

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A smartphone app aided a rescue team in locating two hikers in Westfield, MA, after GPS failed due to dense forest. The Westfield Fire Department recommends using the app for safety in outdoor activities.

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The discussion among the Raisin Squad highlights concerns about fire truck costs, political influence on purchases, and differing ethics in apparatus procurement across fire districts and villages.

The post Cantankerous Wisdom: Purchasing Politics, Ethics, and Practicality appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.