LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Lafayette ConFire commissioner Granados retires


Bill Granados, center, holding two plaques, honored by ConFire directors and officers. Photo Nick Marnell

After 15 years of service to the citizens Lafayette, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District commissioner Bill Granados will step down June 30. ConFire management and the board of directors honored Granados at the June 13 district meeting.

"He has fulfilled the mission of a fire commissioner more so than any fire commissioner I have worked with in my entire career," Fire Chief Jeff Carman said. "He's been supportive of the district, and he has tried to pull together all of the commissioners and directors of the county."

District 2 Director Candace Andersen praised Granados for his involvement and engagement. "You are what we want of all of our fire commissioners," she said.

Granados correctly predicted that the fire board would vote against a joint venture between ConFire and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District to build a fire station in western Lafayette and he has urged the rebuild of Fire Station 16, which the district expects to complete in early 2018.

For his last official act Granados, on behalf of the advisory fire commission, recommended that ConFire dedicate rebuilt Fire Station 70 to the memory of Capt. Matt Burton and engineer Scott Desmond, who died in the line of duty July 21, 2007. The district board unanimously approved the recommendation.

"Being a commissioner is what you make of it yourself," Granados said in his final comments to the directors. "I enjoyed everything that I did."

Upon Andersen's recommendation, the Board of Supervisors appointed Matt Guichard to replace Granados as District 2 fire commissioner. Guichard, founder of Northern California law firm Guichard, Teng & Portello and a former alternate fire commissioner, steps in July 1. "I've known Matt for many years and he brings a thoughtful, balanced approach to issues. He's an excellent communicator and will be another strong leader for the fire commission," Andersen said.

Subsequently, District 2 alternate commissioner Erling Horn resigned. "As a Vietnam-era Navy veteran, I must follow military protocol and step down," Horn said.