After months of discussion, Skagit County Fire District 1 and the city of Mount Vernon once again have a service contract — although the district is now seeking a new commissioner as a result of the debate that ended in the commission chairwoman’s resignation.
The accepted contract means the fire district will pay the city $33,000 annually for fire service.
The district, which abuts Mount Vernon, has no fire departments or firefighters and has long relied on the city for fire service. A contract between the two was last signed in 1981. At its June 7 meeting, the Mount Vernon City Council canceled the fire service contract, giving the district 90 days to either sign the city’s proposed new contract or find a new fire service provider.