Battle Ground residents will have two opportunities to voice their opinions on the potential for Clark County Fire District 3 (FD3) to annex the city into its jurisdiction.
Though the move would raise property tax totals, it would also avoid declines in city services outside of just fire protection, city and district officials say.
On Oct. 7 and Oct. 21, the Battle Ground City Council will host two public hearings during its regular bi-monthly meetings prior to a vote on whether or not to put the annexation question on the February 2020 ballot. Currently, the city contracts with FD3 for fire service, though both district and city officials say the setup isn’t sustainable in the long term.
Under the current contract, the city has said that paying for the services would exceed the property tax Battle Ground levies on citizens in 2021.