Council debates mutual aid, CityGate study and whether to regionalize fire services

Council members spent substantial time weighing the budgetary and operational tradeoffs of remaining an independent department versus pursuing a regional fire authority (RFA) or levy lid lift.

One member urged caution about ignoring mutual aid: “Mukilteo has benefited to a greater degree from mutual aid so that it’s a net positive flowing into the city,” a council member said, arguing that reducing mutual aid could actually increase the city’s budget. Another council member cautioned that the 2015 CityGate study’s assumptions may now be dated and recommended a relook at the numbers before making a decision.

Several members pushed for clearer comparisons that show the cost to residents for the different options (staying independent at higher local staffing levels, matching a neighboring department, or forming an RFA), along with the differences in services and expected response‑time improvements. Opinions differed on pace: some wanted a faster path without an advisory group; others recommended broad community outreach and an advisory group to help translate technical tradeoffs into something voters can weigh.

The council did not take formal action; members asked staff to return with refined cost comparisons and suggested outreach materials so residents could be consulted before any ballot measure or structural change.