Voters residing in Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue’s service area have resoundingly approved
Measures 34-280 and 34-281 allowing TVF&R to permanently annex the city of Newberg and the surrounding territory currently in Newberg Rural Fire Protection District. All the required public hearings have been held, and most of the business process has been completed, so the change will take effect as planned on July 1, 2018.

“We are so pleased to conclude this final phase of the annexation process,” states Chief Mike Duyck of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. “Over 91 percent of our voters supported the decision already made by residents in Newberg and the surrounding rural area last November. We are honored to provide high quality fire and emergency medical services to our communities. I believe the people living in the Newberg area and the region are better served by the system we have all built together.”

The addition of Newberg and the rural territory will not increase taxes paid by existing TVF&R residents. Because property owners in Newberg and the surrounding rural area would pay the same rate upon annexation as existing TVF&R patrons, the tax rate paid on bonded debt could actually decrease across TVF&R’s entire service area.
Since July 1, 2016, TVF&R has provided fire protection, emergency medical, and ambulance transport services to the city of Newberg and surrounding rural area under a two-year contract. Newberg asked TVF&R to serve the city and honor its arrangement with Newberg Rural Fire Protection District due to budget constraints that limited the city’s ability to provide adequate staffing, maintain equipment, and comply with national standards given increased service demands.

During the contract, elected leaders of TVF&R, the city of Newberg, and Newberg Rural evaluated the feasibility and cost-benefit of annexation. All agreed that it was a mutually beneficial decision and offered the most stable solution for long-term service to the city and rural communities.