LEAVENWORTH — 85.75 of voters in the Leavenworth area voted to annex the city into Fire District 3.

The City Council approached the fire district about the annexation. It would go into effect in January 2014.

Since 1989, the city of Leavenworth has contracted for fire services with Chelan County Fire District 3. Officials say the contract has worked well and people in the district already see themselves as the Leavenworth Fire Department.

The annexation eliminates the need for contract negotiations every fire years, fire officials can do longer-range planning, and people living inside the city limits could become fire district commissioners and have a greater say in how fire operations are handled.

Officials from both the city and fire district have said it does not appear that annexation will increase property taxes to either city residents or current fire district residents. It required a simple majority vote from city residents and from district residents to pass.