| | Published February 26th, 2014
| Lafayette Task Force Inches Forward
| | By Nick Marnell | | |
The Lafayette Emergency Services Task Force, charged with seeking alternatives for the delivery of fire and emergency medical services to Lafayette residents, presented an update at the Feb. 10 City Council meeting. It also received a lecture from the president of the firefighters' union.
"Some of the things you've been saying are insulting to us," said Vince Wells, president of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County. "I have never heard a discussion at your meetings about putting fires out. All of the discussion has been on the finances." The task force meetings have focused mostly on the city's possible detachment from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the financial condition of the local fire districts and a proposed fire station 46 at the Lafayette-Orinda border, to be jointly owned and operated by ConFire and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District.
"There has been no intention to insult you or the firefighters," said Councilmember Mike Anderson. "That's not the issue. We're not getting what we're paying for, and the Board of Supervisors is not giving us what we want."
Task force co-chair Traci Reilly was just as direct. "Our residents demand that we fix a problem," she said. "We are trying to do what's best for Lafayette."
Wells, a ConFire captain, tried to downplay the city's frustration.
"I hear this same complaint in every district," he said. "Orinda thinks it's subsidizing Moraga. Brentwood thinks it's subsidizing East County. I'm almost ready to tell Brentwood to go ahead and leave. They'll find out how good they had it." He concluded with an admonition to the task force on its priorities. "Fire should not be minimized," he said.
The task force's report to the City Council outlined the bleak financial situation of both fire districts, but it noted that MOFD has taken steps to address its problems. It specified that a detachment from ConFire would be very difficult to accomplish without a negotiated agreement on the allocation of assets. Reilly explained that Lafayette is too small to stand on its own, so contracting for fire service is an option - with ConFire, MOFD and Cal Fire as potential candidates.
Slower response times in western Lafayette since the closure of ConFire station 16 were confirmed by task force co-chair Brandt Andersson, who complimented fire chief Jeff Carman on his willingness to at least consider new ideas for service delivery. Because of the deterioration of service, Andersson urged the City Council to not close the door on the idea of station 46, in spite of the current financial challenges.
Mayor Dan Tatzin summarized the direction from the City Council. "What level of fire and emergency medical service do our residents want, and what will it take to get us there?" he said. The task force was given the go-ahead to continue its investigation.
A glimmer of cautious optimism arose at the Feb. 20 task force meeting.
Andersson, who has been pushing Carman and MOFD chief Stephen Healy to move on station 46, requested an update. Healy said the district is awaiting results of environmental tests on the property, and after that, it will have architectural renderings of a new station to show the committee. Carman said he is putting together a presentation for the Board of Supervisors on the financing of the shared fire station. Commenting on the initial feedback to his proposal, Carman uttered a phrase not often heard the past two years in discussions of fire district finances.
"I'm encouraged by it," he said.
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA