By Lynnette Hoffman
Tuesday, August 17, 2021 1:05 pm

The Winlock School Board meeting this week is a very important meeting for all residents of Fire District 15. The agenda includes the Fire District Chief Dan Mahoney discussing the fire station at Winlock High School.

The fire station at the Winlock High School has been there for decades. Recently, the school district has asked the fire department to return the land to the high school. There was no contract between the Winlock School District and the Winlock Fire Department, therefore the school can ask that the fire department remove this station. Unfortunately, if they do so, residents in the fire district will see a change and not a small one.

What is the change? Without a fire department at the high school and with the building of the Benaroya Industrial Park, residents will see fire insurance rates increase by $1,200 per year on a $300,000 plus home. Many residents on a fixed income cannot afford both the levy and an increase of fire insurance.

This is an important meeting for the citizens of Fire District 15. Please join the Winlock School Board on the 18th of August, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the High School Library. Please encourage our school district to keep the fire station where it is and also create a contract that will give the fire station a forever home.

If you can not attend the meeting, please call either a school board member or the Winlock District office(360-785-3582) and speak with Dr. Garry Cameron. Please ask them to leave the fire station at the high school. Dr. Cameron does not live in our fire district so it will not impact him. Many residents can not afford an increase or no insurance. A levy was just passed that will raise their fire taxes by $.50 per $1,000, this is a large increase for many. It's time to stand up and say,

"Please do not remove the fire station."