Forks City Council approves 9-1-1 tax
July 22, 2003
by
Kyle Hjelmeseth
Forks Forum
Forks, WA - The business of puppies and kittens has come back to Forks.
Actually, if you’re missing a puppy, kitten, llama, or any other stray
animal there’s a good chance that Dandelion Dog Rescue has found it
and it’s waiting at the shortly to be reopened animal shelter south
of town.
City Planner Rod Fleck and Chief Mike Powell, I would say, were ecstatic
if nothing else that the animal shelter contract was approved this
past Monday at the city council meeting. Dandelion Dog Rescue is taking
over all previous activities at the old shelter and hopefully as the
fine print is worked out, will be open within the month. Dandelion
is also mulling over a possible name change to The Rainforest Humane
Society of Forks and is currently working with the city to develop
sound rescue policies.
Powell reported also that because of some contract issues with the
old gym in Forks, the gym and the City of Forks will be jointly selling
off used exercise equipment to interested buyers. Now would be a great
time to build your own home workout center.
The biggest issue of the night was a possible one-tenth of one-percent
sales tax increase that could be on the November ballot. The city
council voted and approved this issue to go to public hearing on August
11. The one-tenth of one-percent tax would go to support the emergency
communication centers that take care of 911 calls. The service provided
by the communication centers is an invaluable resource that I can
fairly confidently say that most people have used at least once in
their lives. Currently tax-payer’s money that goes towards 911 only
goes to pay the phone company for its role in relaying calls and providing
the lines themselves. This small tax would go to training personnel
and insuring adequate and responsible service is available to all
citizens. One hundred percent of the revenue will go towards fulfilling
local needs, which makes the tax, in my eyes, a small price to pay
for the life saving number we’ve been taught since we were old enough
to talk.
You can find out about, and take part in, all the important city issues
every second and fourth Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at city hall.