Title
Supervisors Veerkamp and Parlin, as the Fire and Emergency Medical Services ad hoc Committee, recommending the Board of Supervisors authorize the Chair to sign a letter to the Garden Valley Fire Protection District Board of Directors in response to their request for funding dated February 24, 2020.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Garden Valley Fire Protection District has submitted two letters requesting funding. The requests include $25,351 for supplies and materials related to the continued provision of Advanced Life Support (ALS) by the District, and an unspecified amount to fund a contract with CAL FIRE for year-round staffing of Station 50 on Marshall Road in Garden Valley. CAO staff followed up the Chief, who indicated that the CAL FIRE contract would likely not exceed $280,000 annually.
The ad hoc committee and CAO have facilitated several meetings of the local fire districts to discuss long-term solutions. The consistent theme throughout these discussions has been to encourage organizational efficiencies and consider the fire service as a countywide system. The Board has offered its support to assist districts with reorganizations or infrastructure improvements that would further the goals of increased collaboration and efficiency.
The Garden Valley Fire Protection District Board of Directors, at its February 5, 2020 meeting, was presented with several options that would have enhanced interagency coordination and system efficiencies, including a full-service contract with CAL FIRE, a shared services agreement with El Dorado County Fire, and dissolution of the district, with services to be provided through County Service Area 7 by contract. Ultimately, the Board chose not to pursue any of those opportunities, and took action at its February 24, 2020 meeting to request funding from the County.
The committee does not recommend providing any aid to any fire agency unless such aid supports a proposal that will further the goals of increased collaboration and efficiency, but remains open to further discussions with the District, should they pursue other alternatives in the future.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to fund all or part of the District's request; however, given the current fiscal outlook, such general fund support would need to be offset by a reduction in another County program.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Chief Administrative Office
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact to the County associated with the recommendation. If the Board chooses to provide any funding to the District, it would need to provide direction to staff regarding which County program should be reduced to provide the funding.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Obtain the Chair's signature on the attached letter and forward to the Chief Administrative Office for distribution.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Don Ashton, CAO