Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
The only seat open is Fire Chief Ernie Kraule's, as Kraule (left, standing) talks to the standing-room-only audience crowded into Saratoga's Adult Care Center. About 40 people sit out of view to Kraule's left.
Turning up the Heat
On a hot spring night, the opposing sides of Saratoga's contentious debate over local fire service jockeyed for position before the city council
By Oakley Brooks
Photographs by Kathy De La Torre
The current imbroglio involving the Saratoga Fire District began as a request by rank-and-file firefighters to increase the sophistication of the district. Nearly two years ago, they went to the administration with a list of improvements they deemed necessary. When the firefighters didn't get a satisfactory response, they turned to Saratoga citizens for help.
From there the fire dispute in the city runs deep, dark and murky, like the water that presses against the dam wall at Lexington Reservoir. It's now a chasm--impressive enough to attract the city council, overwhelming enough to cause the resignation of a fire commissioner, and troubling enough to put a look of doubt on the face of the city's long-time fire chief.
Meanwhile, a self-appointed task force of citizens who have taken up the issue, appears to grow confident as it continues to force the commissioners into deeper political waters.
Saratoga's firefighters float mostly in the shadows, a nod here, cautious applause there, and much work behind the scene in support of the task force.
Ordinary citizens, removed from the daily battles surrounding the dispute, peer, slightly puzzled, into its cloudy depths.
Everyone involved wonders how the struggle will diffuse: a slow steady stream through the sluice gates or a violent eruption through the dam wall.
The end scenario is still not entirely clear after a heavily anticipated 3 1/2 hour discussion at the public safety committee's annual joint meeting with city council on April 24.
All five city council members, despite having no legal control over fire service in the city, called for some sort of reorganization of the Saratoga Fire District.
But they favor taking very deliberate steps in trying to guide the reorganization.
The council agreed on April 24 to discuss the possibility of commissioning its own study of fire service in the city, and potentially halting construction on the proposed new fire station. These items will be on the agenda of a future council meeting.
Council members also are considering hearing a more extensive presentation from Santa Clara County Fire Chief Doug Sporleder on the merits of joining the Saratoga Fire District with his larger, surrounding district.
Firefighter and Citizen Task Force members would favor the conflict peaking more quickly as they pressure the Saratoga Fire District to accept Sporleder's proposal for joining the county district, which will be decided on May 9.
Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Santa Clara County Fire Chief Doug Sporleder speaks to city council. Sporleder was asked to explain how the city of Saratoga would benefit from a merger between Saratoga Fire District and his county district.
At the public safety hearing, issues approached flood stage late in the evening when task force Chairman Dave Dolloff challenged if the Saratoga Fire District was being fair in its request for services sent to the county fire district. A moment later, Charles Hackett--whose building was claimed through eminent domain by the fire district for a temporary station during construction of the new firehouse--asked for his building back.
But Mayor John Mehaffey quickly closed the disintegrating meeting and avoided a complete airing of the two core issues of the dispute: the new fire station and the Saratoga Fire District's willingness to relinquish its control of the city's fire service.
Discussions of the future of the fire district are taking a toll on its administration: On April 25, the district announced the resignation of its most senior commissioner, Henry Clarke (see sidebar).
"Things are in incredible flux," said Dolloff after the meeting.
The April 24 meeting was a dynamic one, if not conclusive. A standing-room-only crowd packed the city's Adult Care Center
Throughout the Saratoga Fire District's formal presentation to council, Dolloff alternately snickered and uttered corrections from the corner of his mouth.
He and the rest of the task force were particularly aroused by Saratoga Fire Commissioner Jay Geddis' suggestion that more equipment and personnel sent to fires by the county district was excessive and the only purpose Geddis could see for extra people was "to cook weenies."
On a different tact, Saratoga Fire Chief Ernie Kraule argued that the district would improve its own service this summer when it will strengthen the cooperative aid system already in place between the county and Saratoga fire districts.
But city council members were unconvinced and put Kraule on the defensive.
"What's the rationale for keeping this district as is?" asked Councilman Evan Baker.
Kraule replied: "We're a local agency, protecting local folks and we have a heck of a good track record doing so."
Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Firefighters and Citizens Task Force Chairman Dave Dolloff takes an exasperated look at the ceiling during Chief Ernie Kraule's presentation.
A visibly exhausted Kraule then sat with the rest the crowd, sweltering on a hot spring night, to watch the task force pitch the potential county fire merger to the city council. Task force Secretary Bill Sousa aimed his talk at Saratoga's heart and pocketbook, saying that joining the county would bring safer service at or below current funding levels. There were also impassioned pleas from task force member Karen Walter--"What are we going to say if we have 70 homes down and 20 people dead?" she said, referring to potential dangers on Saratoga's hillsides. And there was cost-benefit reinforcement from Santa Clara County Firefighter's Association President Art Marshall: "If you have a $100, 000 life insurance policy and have a chance to get a $300,000 policy for no more money, would you take it?" asked Marshall, symbolically.
But city council still didn't buy the merger wholesale.
"I feel like I'm being courted," said Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith. "We need more facts."
Fellow Councilman and Saratoga native Stan Bogosian was even more wary of a merger, saying he favored locally oriented fire service, particularly in the case of disaster.
Several citizens took Bogosian's focus on localization one step further, saying the Saratoga Fire District didn't need to be changed at all.
"A lot of people here feel very comfortable with the (present) service," said resident Phil Boyce. "I suggest you be very careful before you make any changes."
City council's increasing role in the fire dispute casts doubt on the likelihood the Saratoga district will remain untouched. Even Bogosian supported a new study of the district's effectiveness, and he suggested that the city might pay for it.
Throughout the entire meeting, firefighters stood at the edges of the room and sat in the back rows-- silent, but present. Twelve of Saratoga's firefighters are on probation and hesitant to speak; others are cautious about having a strong union presence in the debate.
For now they let the other players in the task force do most of the talking. Biding their time. Waiting intently to see how the water subsides.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
