Food tax helps Cannon Beach boost firefighting staff

Nicole Bales, The Daily Astorian, Ore.
·2 min read

Dec. 23—CANNON BEACH — With the help of revenue from the food tax, the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District expects to have around-the-clock staffing by early next year.

Voters narrowly approved the 5% tax on prepared food at restaurants and other businesses in November 2021 and collection began in July.

The revenue, which is split evenly between the city and the fire district, will help the city cover the annual debt service for a new City Hall and police station.

The fire district, which relies on property tax dollars and grants, plans to use its share to help fund operations, starting with staffing.

Fire Chief Marc Reckmann said that in the first quarter the fire district received $297,000 from the tax, which allowed the district to hire three paid firefighters. The new recruits, which will help offset a decline in volunteer firefighters, are expected to begin in January.

By February, Reckmann expects to have at least one staffer on duty 24/7, which he said would be a first for the district.

Fire districts and departments throughout the North Coast that have historically relied on volunteers have struggled to address the rising number of calls for service and a dwindling pool of volunteers.

"We don't have the base of volunteers that we used to," the fire chief said. "The calls are going up. Tourism is going up. And our community has turned to a primarily retirement and vacation destination community. It's not the working-class community anymore. And so we have to change with it."

He said the goal is to eventually hire three more firefighters to have two staffers on duty 24/7.

Reckmann said the addition would require extra support from grants. He said the fire district may also ask voters to approve an increase to a five-year levy when it comes up for renewal in 2025.

"It's going to be a combination of all to get to it, but that is the goal," he said.

Aside from Reckmann, the fire district's division chief and a grant-funded staffer are the only paid positions.