Voters who live in Jefferson County Fire Protection District No. 3 will be asked in November if they want to merge Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue into East Jefferson Fire Rescue.

The board of fire commissioners for Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue voted during a special meeting Friday afternoon to approve the merger proposition for the 2022 General Election.

The vote to call for an election came quickly.

Fire commissioners unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the merger question to be placed on the Nov. 8 ballot, and the special meeting was over in five minutes. 

The vote followed last week's weeks approval of a merger petition by the East Jefferson Fire Rescue board. 

During their meeting July 20, East Jefferson fire commissioners accepted the merger petition from the Port Ludlow fire board and completed an environmental review of the proposed consolidation. 

If the merger is approved by voters in November, the merger will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. 

The expanded fire department will retain the name of East Jefferson Fire Rescue, and Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue will be dissolved and the boundaries of East Jefferson Fire Rescue will be expanded to include the territory of Fire Protect District No. 3.

The merger proposition needs a simple majority to pass.

If passed, the merged fire department will be governed by the current commissioners of both districts until the number of commissioners is reduced according to Washington law.

The ballot language approved by the Port Ludlow board reads: "This proposition will authorize the merger of Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue into East Jefferson Fire Rescue. Both fire districts currently provide fire protection and emergency medical services within their boundaries and have a history of working cooperatively. The Commissioners of both fire districts have determined that a merger of the two organizations into a single fire department is in the best interest of the District’s residents."

The Port Ludlow department is seeking citizens who want to help write the pro and con statements for the merger proposition for the General Election voters pamphlet.

Interested residents can contact Tanya Cray at 360-437-2236.