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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12081992 - 2.A 2.A THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on _December 8, 1992 , by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Schroder, Torlakson, McPeak NOES: None ABSENT: Supervisor Fanden ABSTAIN: None ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUBJECT: County Fire District Organizational Issues The Board received the report dated December 8, 1992 from the County Administrator on County fire district organizational issues and the recommendations of the County Administrator contained therein. The Board also received a letter dated December 1, 1992 from W. F. Luihn, President, Contra Costa County Fire Chiefs Associa- tion, on organizational alternatives for County Fire Protection Districts. The following persons spoke: Charles Blue, Board of Commissioners, Orinda Fire Protection District, 29 Tappan Lane, Orinda; Sue Noe, Board of Commissioners, Moraga Fire Protection District, 23 La Salle Drive, Moraga; Mike Price, United Professional Fire Fighters, Local 1230, 112 Blue Ridge Drive, Martinez ; Henry Saar, 101 Camino Don Miguel, Orinda; Ray Davis, (no address given) ; and Jerry Meyer, 105 Devin Drive, Moraga. Walt Luihn, Assistant Fire Chief, Orinda Fire Protection District, commented on issues pertinent to his District. Following discussion on the recommendations of the County Administrator, the Board took the following actions: A. APPROVED Recommendations Nos. 2 , 5, 6, and 7. as presented by the County Administrator; B. REFERRED to the Internal Operations Committee the concept of a fire services coordinating committee (Recommendation No. 1) ; C. APPOINTED Acting Chief Cooper of the Moraga Fire Protection District as Acting Chief of the Orinda Fire Protection District (Recommendation No. 3 ) ; and D. APPROVED Recommendation No. 4 as amended to instruct the County Administrator to report to the Board on December 15 , 1992. cc: County Administrator County & Indep. Fire Dist. I hereby certify that this Is a true and correct copy of Local 1230 an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Internal Operations Cte. Board of Supervisors on the date shown. Auditor-Controller ATTESTED: ��- - 1,9,'"_2_- PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board County Counsel Personnel Director of Supervisors and County Administrator By ��r_ _ ;,+_.Deputy Contra TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS os Costa CountyFROM: PHIL BATCHELOR �''• �,. County Administrator DATE: December 8, 1992 SUBJECT: REPORT ON COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES Specific Request(s) or Recommendation( s) & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Adopt a Fire Services Coordinating Committee for each of the three geographical regions of the County (east, west and central) comprised of the following members: ( 1) Two Board of Supervisors members depending on region/supervisorial district interface ( 2) A representative of each city in the region ( 3 ) The Chairperson of each fire commission in the region ( 4) A fire chief representing the County Fire Chiefs' Association ( 5) A representative of the Taxpayers' Association ( 6) A representative of business or industry located in the region ( 7) A representative of the United Professional Firefighters ' Association 2. Assign Supervisor Torlakson in East County and Supervisor Powers in West County to pursue discussions regarding the regional approach to fire service delivery. Continued on Attachment:—X— YES Signature: Recommendation of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee Approve Other Signature(s) : tion of Board on: Approved as Recommended------other Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CER THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRE COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN Unanimous (Absent ) AND RED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes: Noes: BO OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Contact: Terry McGraw (646-4855) At sted: cc: County Administrator Phil Batchelor, Clerk of Auditor-Controller the Board of Supervisors County Counsel d County Administrator County and Indep ire Dist. United Profes 'onal By: , DEPUTY Firefig rs Local 1230 /I 3 . Acknowledge the requests of the Orinda Fire Commission for the provisional appointment of an acting fire chief and the initiation of a process for the permanent replacement of the fire chief and refer the requests to the County Administrator for review and recommendation in connection with recommendation number 4 below. 4. Direct County Administrator to discuss with the Moraga and Orinda Fire Commissioners and other affected parties, the potential of an integrated administrative structure for the two districts to save money and improve the operations of the districts. 5. Acknowledge letter from the Moraga Fire Commission requesting an amendment to Board of Supervisors Resolution 80/184 and refer request to County Administrator for review and recommendation in connection with recommendation number 4 above. 6. Acknowledge the recommendations of the Moraga Fire Commission regarding its opposition to the countywide service bureau concept and approval of the regional approach to functional integration. 7. Direct County Administrator to review the existing process for appointing fire commissioners. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND: On November 17, 1992, the Board of Supervisors approved the report of the County Administrator on organizational alternatives for County Fire Protection Districts declaring its preference for regional consolidation/integration with continued consideration of other options. The Board also established a Coordinating Committee with a suggested membership and directed the County Administrator to review this concept and the suggested Committee composition to develop recommendations for the creation of the Committee. In a related matter regarding the proposed elimination of Orinda Fire personnel, the Board directed the County Administrator to explore all options for funding and staffing the District in the future including contracting for management services or streamlining and combining administration with other districts. Discussion of Recommendations 1. Fire District Coordinating Committee( s) The Board directed the establishment of a coordinating committee comprised of a broad spectrum of entities to explore fire district funding and organizational issues. As an alternative to creating one Countywide coordinating committee, it is recommended that three regional committees be established with a membership as outlined in recommendation number 1. Establishing committees on a regional basis will result in smaller, more workable groups. Members of the committees will tend to be more focused and willing to participate since each committee will only be dealing with issues of concern to their particular regions. We believe that regional committees offer the best opportunity to develop community support .for funding alternatives that will be required to offset what appears to be imminent revenue losses due to State cutbacks of local property taxes. 2. Assignment of Supervisor Torlakson and Supervisor Powers The suggested regional approach builds on the current regional efforts underway in east and west County headed by Supervisor Torlakson and Supervisor Powers. 2 3 . Orinda Fire Commission request for personnel actions The Orinda Fire Commission has requested the interim appointment of an acting fire chief and the implementation of a process for the filling of the vacant fire chief position. We believe these requests should be deferred and reviewed by the County Administrator in connection with recommendation number 4 below. 4. Moraga and Orinda administrative structure The fire chief positions in both Moraga and Orinda are currently vacant. These vacancies provide an opportunity to explore alternative organizational options involving a shared or combined management structure that would include all chief officer positions. We believe a full review and exploration of this option may result in reduced costs and operational improvements while at the same time maintain the local identity and separate funding base of the two districts. In order to effectively pursue this objective, meetings with the two Commissions and other local interested parties are essential to explore a management integration plan. 5. Moraga Fire Commission request for an amendment to Resolution No. 80/184 Resolution No. 80/184 deals with assurances by the Board that fire and police districts will be treated fairly and uniformly in the distribution of SDAF regardless or whether or not special taxes have been approved by the voters of a given district. This policy was reinforced and expanded to include any new revenue sources that may be developed by districts in Board Resolution No. 86/612. The intent of the two resolutions is to assure that new revenues will not displace or offset SDAF allocations to which the districts would otherwise be entitled. Moraga Fire in August 1992 requested that the guarantees of Resolution No. 80/184 be amended to state that new revenues generated by the districts be "retained and managed by the districts to insure the delivery of essential services in communities and area where such funds are derived" . It is recommended that this issue be referred to the County Administrator for review with the Moraga and Orinda Fire Commissions in connection with other organizational and fiscal issues to determine the need for amendments to the subject policy. 6. Position of Moraga Fire Commission on organizational alternatives On November 23, 1992, representatives of the County Administrator' s Office met with the Moraga Fire Commission to discuss organizational alternatives. The Commission was strongly opposed to the countywide service bureau concept. The Commission did, however, indicate a willingness to explore functional integration on a regional basis, most particularly with respect to the Orinda Fire District. 7 . Appointment of Fire Commissioners The Board of Supervisors currently has on referral to its Internal Operations Committee the issue of appointment procedures to be used in filling vacancies on the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Commission. In view of the fact that there may be other vacancies occurring at year end, it is recommended that the process developed by the Internal Operations Committee, in addition to any other potential procedural changes, be referred to the County Administrator for development of a Countywide policy on the recruitment and appointment of fire commissioners. 3