ARLINGTON — Less than a week after Chief Travis Hots confirmed that Getchell Fire District 22 had pulled out of consideration for a proposed Regional Fire Authority, Arlington Heights Fire District 21 and Silvana Fire District 19 confirmed that they’ve scrapped their plans for an RFA, too.

“We’re all just stepping out of this for a while,” Arlington Heights Fire Commissioner Jim Strago said. “We might consider it again at a later date, after doing more research, but for now, the public outcry made it nearly unbearable.”

Norm Nunnally of the Concerned Citizens of Snohomish County Fire Protection District 21 filed recall letters with the Snohomish County auditor for all three Arlington Heights fire commissioners when he heard the news.

“I requested that the auditor look at the expenditures of the proposed RFA to date, and how they were spending money on meetings and logos for a new RFA without a resolution,” Nunnally said. “You need such a resolution because otherwise you’re operating outside the law.”

While Nunnally remains opposed to an RFA of Fire Districts 19, 21 and 22, he reiterated his concerns that the aforementioned districts were withdrawing from consideration incorrectly.

“They’re making these decisions without holding public meetings to decide them,” Nunnally said. “I never heard of another meeting of the commissioners where they decided this. Once you form these committees, you’re committed to them until you decide otherwise on the public record.”

Indeed, while Branden Bates, the interim fire chief for Arlington Heights, said that the district’s commissioners would not make a decision before their Aug. 10 public meeting, Strago said Aug. 5 that the decision had been made.

Both Strago and Hots were contacted for further comment, but neither responded as of press time.

Meanwhile, the Arlington City Council voted unanimously Aug. 1 to form an RFA planning committee, to explore the possibility of bringing together the cities of Arlington and Marysville, as well as Marysville Fire District 12.

When asked about the dissolution of the proposed RFA between Getchell, Silvana and Arlington Heights, Arlington Mayor Barbara Tolbert emphasized that this is only an initial step.

“The City Council and I think exploring every option, and engaging in discussion to understand the benefits and detriments, is prudent given the challenges of funding the growing demands on our emergency medical services with constrained revenues,” Tolbert said.