Town Council weighs new phased plan for acquiring fire boat

La Conner fire chief Aaron Reinstra and a Sedro-Woolley builder have presented Town officials with a new option for purchase of a fire boat to safeguard the historic La Conner waterfront.

“This is food for thought, another option for the fire boat,” Reinstra said as he provided copies of a proposal from TJ Lowry of Full-Time Custom Fabrication & Machine Shop to Town Council members during their 70-minute July 10 meeting at Maple Hall.

Lowry is proposing to build a hull, house, and trailer for $150,000, about one-fourth the cost of a completed emergency response vessel.

“If at any time before or during the build more funding is secured,” Lowry said in the written proposal, “then Full-Time Fabrication can put together a bid to install motors, fire monitors, electronics, etc., and finish the boat off, or it can be finished by someone of the fire department’s or Town’s choosing whenever they are ready.”

In essence, the Full-Time Fabrication proposal is to build a 26-to-28-foot landing craft that won’t have any rigging done or accessories installed until La Conner Hook & Ladder can secure funding to finish the project.

“As someone who has spent a fair amount of time living and working in La Conner,” Lowry wrote, “it would be a really cool job to be a part of and I know a boat like this could benefit a town like yours greatly.”

Council member Ivan Carlson, who is a La Conner firefighter and has sought funding support for a Town fire boat from various state and local agencies, sounded favorable to the Lowry proposal.

“The original quote we received for a fire boat was $387,000,” Carlson said. “Now it’s up to $600,000. This could be the project that gets things rolling since the project has been sitting at a standstill.”

Reinstra and assistant fire chief Adam Avery noted that potential private sector funding sources such as the March Point refineries might pledge monies toward a La Conner fire boat if the Town leads the way in committing dollars to the effort.

“I know that (Town Administrator) Scott (Thomas) has put a lot of work in on this,” Reinstra noted, “but I don’t like the community having to put up all the money. I think we can get the funding. The first step is the hard step, but it’s the one we need to take.”

Reinstra called the Lowry proposal “an option to help minimize our costs.”

Mayor Marna Hanneman termed that option as a methodical, “do it in stages” approach.

For now, the plan is in the discussion stage.

“As I said,” Reinstra stressed, “at this point, it’s just food for thought.”

Council members likewise received food for thought from Mark Bistranin of Seaside Gallery, who suggested that the Sunday summer live music events rotate locations rather than be held exclusively at Gilkey Square.

Bistranin, who maintains the gallery through the entire year---including slower non-tourist months---said he no longer works on Sundays because the music outside his gallery is so loud that he “can’t talk with people.”

Bistranin said there was one weekend recently when live music was played both Saturday and Sunday at the square. He appealed for no live music at Gilkey Square on Saturdays given the complete Sunday summer schedule.

Hanneman said she appreciated Bistranin’s comments and referred him to the Town Parks Commission for further dialogue.

Resident Linda Talman expressed empathy for Bistranin’s position.

“It’s pretty loud,” she said, “and our house is five blocks away.”

Talman also told Hanneman and councilors that noxious odors from a house fire last month continue to linger in her neighborhood. Hanneman said application has already been made for a permit to demolish the burned-out house, which was destroyed by what Reinstra called an accidental fire.

“We are expediting the demolition,” Town Public Works Director Brian Lease said. “This project is going on as quickly as it can.”

“I’m glad they want to take the building down,” Talman said. “We just want it (the process) to hurry.”

Thomas reported on the Town’s June 24 retreat, the afternoon session of which was devoted to progress made on and updates to La Conner’s current long-range strategic plan, which runs through 2028.

Thomas noted several additions made to the plan, among them the intent to create an economic development strategy, explore opportunities to develop an artist/farmer’s market, plan for the replacement of the Town’s first-out fire engine, consider means of reducing Town building maintenance costs, and forge partnerships with other organizations to sponsor a new community event that would be attractive to residents and visitors alike.

“There was a really good dialogue at the retreat,” Hanneman said. “It was a good opportunity for discussion. It’s important that we all work together.”

The council and La Conner Swinomish Library worked well together at the July 9 meeting. Councilors agreed to an interlocal agreement with the library that provides $4,000 allowing 10 children to take part in a tutoring program that provides homework assistance to youth.

Toward the end of the agenda, council member Rick Dole said the Town’s Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) is nearing completion.

“It’s in the final edits now,” said Dole, who serves as the council’s liaison to the Town Emergency Management Commission. “It should be completed by the next meeting.”