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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06231987 - FC.2 VC TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS` FROM: Finance Committee, Supervisors T. Powers r�+� and R. Schroeder . ��J,�.J,Itr�. ' DATE: June 15, 1987 /����lJy.7lCrti y SUBJECT: Contra Costa County/Riverview Fire Districts Capital Allocation Administrative Hold SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECO14NE24DATION REMOVE the administrative hold' on the capital allocations for Contra Costa County and Riverview Fire Protection Districts. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECO14MENDATION: On February 24, 1987 the Board approved the report from the County Fire Chiefs' Association Capital Improvement Committee recommending an allocation from the Special District Augmentation Fund for capital expenditures for several county and independent districts. Because of concerns expressed by Board members about the allocation •.process, the issue of the 1987/1988 allocation process was referred to .the Finance Committee for review. The recommendations of the Capital Improvement Committee were based on a review of the requests for equipment submitted by fire districts. The Committee met on several occasions to review the capital requests which were submitted by fire districts in priority order. Members of the Committee also made on-site inspections of facilities and equipment in order to better evaluate the need for the requested items. The requests were reviewed by the Committee and ranked according to importance or urgency. On March 24, 1987 the-Board approved an appropriation adjustment to complete the Special District Augmentation Fund allocation. process by appropriating the funds in the individual districts ' budgets. On April 21, 1987 the Board discussed the reconsideration of the appropriation adjustment approved on March 24, 1987 . Action to reconsider or overturn the appropriation adjustment would have required the approval of three members of the Board. Since only two members of the Board voted to reconsider the issue, the appropriation adjustment remained in effect. Apparently, a majority of the . Board felt that although there were some concerns about the allocation process, the recommendations for 1986/1987 should be maintained and the districts be allowed to purchase the recommended items. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _ YES SIGNATURE: T. Powers / C oed RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER S I GNATURE I S 1: ACTION OF BOARD ON June 23, 1987 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER X REMOVED administrative hold on capital allocations for Riverview Fire Protection District; REMOVED administrative hold on $1 million capital allocation for Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and DIRECTED that the remaining $300,000 be placed in reserve for further determination as to use of the funds. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT I ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES; NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.. CC: Auditor-controller ' . ATTESTED LQp_ County Administrator P IL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Contra Costa Fire Protection Dist. SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Riverview Fire Protection District Fire Fighters' Union / M382/7-83 BYxt. ��icQ.✓ DEPUTY Cont2ia Cbsta County/Riverview Fire Districts Capital Allocation Administrative Hold . Page Two In early May, at the request of Supervisor Torlakson, the County Administrator placed an administrative hold on the capital allocation for Contra Costa County and Riverview Fire Protection Districts. Supervisor Torlakson made the request on the basis that if the benefit assessment for the Riverview Fire District was not established the capital money could be used to fund firefighters for Riverview until an election could be held to determine whether or not the voters of the district were willing to pay the benefit assessment. On May 26, 1987 the Board of Supervisors approved the benefit assessment for the Riverview Fire District for the 1987/1988 fiscal year. Since the approval of the benefit assessment for Riverview apparently eliminated the need to continue the administrative hold on the capital funds, the issue was presented to the Board for consideration on June 2, 1987 . The Fire Fighters ' , Union stated that the equipment recommended for Contra Costa County Fire District is not needed and that the funds should be used for additional personnel. The Board referred the matter to the Finance Committee to consider whether the money should be used for the capital items recommended by the Chiefs ' Committee or for a combination of new personnel and equipment. It is recommended that the $1. 6 million currently being held be used to fund the recommended items. It is further recommended that the funds not be used for additional firefighter positions because money committed for personnel becomes an annual expense which continues to place demands on the augmentation fund. If the items recommended for purchase this year are deferred another year, the cost of. those items will increase and the list of items needed to be replaced next year will be that much longer. If the funds are devoted to an ongoing personnel cost, they will never be available in the future for needed capital items. It is recognized that there were some problems with the allocation process this fiscal year, however, other districts were allowed to purchase their recommended items. In view of the fact that the allocation review process has been referred to the Finance Committee for review and modification for 1987/1988, we do not believe the funds approved as a result of this year' s review process should be ,subjected to further scrutiny this late in the fiscal year.