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Fire commission fills vacancy as district mulls service proposals
Saratoga public safety commissioner appointed
Proposal to be studied
By Oakley Brooks
The Saratoga Fire District appointed Hugh Hexamer to its governing commission. Hexamer will serve until November as a replacement for Henry Clarke, who recently resigned.
As a member of the Saratoga Public Safety Commission, Hexamer, 70, recently headed the evaluation of the city's fire protection services that concluded the Saratoga Fire District provided "adequate" protection to its residents.
Hexamer is also a public safety commission representative to the citizen oversight group that is participating in the construction of the fire district's new station.
Fire commission Chairman Bob Egan says the district reviewed three candidates, including Firefighter and Citizen Task Force member Joe Long, and found that Hexamer " would best serve the district." Hexamer was appointed on May 24.
But task force Chairman Dave Dolloff questioned the ethics of the fire district's decision, given Hexamer's role in overseeing the fire station construction.
"There's definitely a conflict of interests there," said Dolloff. "But we're going to lay off the conflict for now and give [Hexamer] a chance to be a real commissioner."
Hexamer joins the fire commission in the midst of a crucial decision-making period.
The district was scheduled to hold a study session on May 29. on the recent state and county proposals to contract out Saratoga district's services.
The district would not comment on whether or not it favored any of the five different options presented by the Santa Clara County Fire District and California Department of Forestry.
Firefighters union President Bill Morrison said firefighters favored contracting with the county to put a minimum of seven emergency personnel on staff at Saratoga fire station, at all times. Though it's the most expensive of any option presented to the district, Morrison said it takes advantage of the Saratoga firehouse's central location and gives the best protection to citizens and firefighters.
Morrison added that he liked another proposal to leave the county and Saratoga administrations as is, but completely link the two district's responses through a "boundary drop.
"It would fulfill our needs for safety," said Morrison. "You still have the duplication in administrative costs."
Following discussion of the state and county proposals, the fire district will appear before the planning commission on June 13, to ask for design approval of the new $4.5 million fire station. Although the planning board doesn't have jurisdiction over the station--to be built on the site of the present firehouse--Egan says the district asked for the planning review to encourage further community feedback.
Task force members see the hearing as another opportunity to voice their view that the station should not be built, until the fire district decides if and how it will contract for fire service with the county or state.
"It's putting the cart before the horse," said Morrison.
But the district remains confident that the new station design is state-of-the-art and can be reconfigured after construction, should there be administrative changes in fire service. The district recently released a newsletter asking citizens to appear before the planning commission, in support of the fire station construction.
"Regardless of whom the commission decides to contract with the building is designed to accommodate it," said Fire Chief Ernie Kraule.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
