The focus shifted from revenue to expenses as the Klahanie Task Force heard the second part of the study being organized by Nesbitt Planning and Management, Inc., on the proposed annexation of Klahanie.

Nesbitt is the consultant the city has hired to analyze the potential annexation. The task force includes Al Erickson, Rowan Hinds, Bernadette Anne and Mary Lou Pauly of Issaquah, and Barb Justice, Rob Young, Dick L’Heureux and Brent Marshall of Klahanie. Also included is Don Smith, a retired fire chief from the Eastside Fire District.

The task force is reviewing and commenting on the Nesbitt study, and advising the city and its consultants on how to present the study to the public once it is completed. The committee does not make recommendations to the city or the public.

Nesbitt worked with the existing 2013 city budget to calculate expenditures with Klahanie as part of the city. With 900 line items, it was nothing short of a daunting task. Human resources was where Tom Nesbitt focused, using police as an example.

“If there’s twice as much work to do, you need twice as many officers,” Nesbitt said.

With a population of 31,150 in Issaquah and 10,843 in Klahanie, he made the assumption that calls for officers could go up by one-third. While no additional administrative staff would be needed at IPD, patrol and dispatch would need more hands on deck. The big three costs are police, fire and roads.

For fire protection, it’s possible that upon annexation, residents of Klahanie would actually pay less for fire service. That’s because it is serviced by EFR district 10; with annexation Klahanie would be serviced by Issaquah district 38, which costs less. The fire equation is yet to be totally fleshed out, and Nesbitt should have a better grasp on it before the next task force meeting April 2.

In 2004, when annexation was proposed before, roads were in much better condition than they are now. The costs to maintain and restore elements of the roads in Klahanie will also require more study. Nesbitt said some city departments haven’t reported costs yet. By the April 2 meeting, they plan to have tighter numbers.

The Klahanie potential annexation area is currently served by the Sammamish Plateau water and sewer district, and that service would not change.

The task force plans to hold two public meetings in May; one in Klahanie and one in Issaquah. By that time the study will be complete and citizens of both areas will have the opportunity to ask questions. The hope is to present the question of annexation on this November’s ballot.

To learn more visit the city’s website at http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/ Click on “your government,” then “major projects” and finally Klahanie PAA study.