The Ripon Consolidated Fire District announced Wednesday that property owners can expect to receive their replacement ballot for the Proposition 218 parcel tax election at some point this week.

A ‘yes’ vote will help support the staffing of Station 3 (1705 N. River Rd.), which was built almost a decade ago but remains unmanned.

RCFD’s budget has deteriorated to the point that staffing is limited to no more than for three firefighters on duty – an engine requires a minimum of two firefighters, and that one happens to be the district’s downtown headquarters on Stockton Avenue.

Fire Chief Eric DeHart said earlier this week that Prop. 218, if approved – about $1.8 million – would allow RCFD to up its staffing to an estimated six personnel or “two each per station A, B, and C,” he noted.

The earlier ballots had a typo that needed correction, DeHart said.

“RCFD monitored every step of the way to ensure the complete accuracy of the Measure,” said DeHart in a recent letter to property owners.

The replacement ballot, the letter said, is an opportunity to indicate whether individuals support or oppose the proposed fire suppression and prevention services assessment that benefit parcels within the “district” – in reference to RCFD – service area.

This new assessment would provide an additional revenue source to supplement existing property tax revenues and other fund sources for the district that were set back in 1985 – the City of Ripon’s population back then was 5,131, and has grown to over 16,000 in recent years.

“The 1985 rates were non-indexed and as such the tax rate has remained the same for the past 39 years,” said DeHart. Dial 9-1-1 if your house is on fire in Ripon and the chances are you may not get the best possible outcome.

The rate hike, if approved by the majority of property owners, would set the assessment at an estimated:

*$250 a year ($21 a month) for single family homes up to 3,600 square feet.

*$264 a year ($22 a month) for single family homes between 3,601 and 4,526 square feet.

*$278 a year ($23) a month) for single families homes more than 4,526 square feet.

*$1,526 a year for multiple-unit housing with 5 to 10 units.

*$3,220 a year for multiple- unit housing with 21 to 40 units.

*$16,124 a year for multiple-unit housing with more than 100 units.

*$143 for all row crop and orchard agricultural parcels.

Property owners can personally deliver or mail their ballots to the Clerk of the RCFD board (Station 1, 142 S. Stockton Ave.) by Aug. 8.

The RCFD board will meet that day at 2 p.m. with a public hearing scheduled on the measure. The ballots will be tallied up via third party at the conclusion of the session.

In addition, RCFD is seeking public’s assistance to help with ballot counting (RCFD board members and employees are ineligible to participate in the ballot-counting process).

Contact Clerk of the Board Kathy Sikma at 209.599.4209, ext. 101, for more information.