 |
|
|
|
|
Firefighters Not Yet Willing To Support A Bond For New Station
SFD commissioners eye a March ballot measure
County contract an issue
By Kara Chalmers
When Saratoga Fire District commissioners and firefighters met on Oct. 25, they were hoping to find common ground in their battle over the advisability of building a new fire station. Last August, firefighters threw commissioners a curve when they announced their opposition to the bond measure. By meeting's end, however, there had been little actual movement toward the elusive common ground.
Commissioners had wanted to put a $6 million bond measure on the November ballot to raise money for a new station. The current 7,000-square-foot building is seismically unstable, according to an engineer's report, which suggested either retrofitting or replacing the building. Commissioners also wanted to purchase adjacent property to expand the facility.
When union firefighters announced their opposition, they said that even though they recognized the need to replace the station, they believed a facility as big as commissioners were proposing would not be required if--as firefighters were proposing--the district contracted with the Santa Clara County Fire Department.
Now, commissioners are trying to meet a December filing date to put the bond measure on the March ballot. They will borrow money to buy the property behind the station within the next few weeks, and possibly rent any extra space on the property to a public entity.
Firefighters, however, say planning a new station and asking the citizens for a bond measure before deciding who will provide fire services may be jumping the gun. Services could be duplicated if the district decides to contract with the county, and taxpayers may end up paying unnecessarily, said district Capt. Bill Morrison, union president.
For example, the county handles dispatch and administration out of its main office, and would house the firefighters in portable units during any renovations, thus eliminating the need for an extra building.
The rush for the commissioners is the timing of the March ballot. A special election for this bond would be an extra expense of $60,000-$70,000. They also say the economy is good now but may not be if they have to wait.
In the past, the union's message to the people of Saratoga has been that they would support a bond issue only if the city contracts with county fire. But the Oct. 25 meeting may change the way things progress over the next few weeks.
Although the public would be voting on $6 million in bonds, the full amount might not be required, and the public may receive some of that money back.
It is estimated that a new station would cost $3.5 million in bonds, plus an additional $1.3 million for the new property in back. The commission would authorize $6 million to be spent at a maximum, but would only issue bonds as needed. That would mean an increase of 6 cents per $1,000 in taxes, and would provide "wiggle room" in case unforeseen expenses come up.
"Since commissioners introduced some new ideas at the meeting Monday, the firefighters will look at those ideas and see if we can support the new building," said paramedic Beau Rahn.
The firefighters will meet on Nov. 6 to discuss the latest developments.
A yet-unnamed consultant, whom the board will choose, adds another element to the debate. The consultant will make a recommendation about contracting with the county. However, the consultant's report most likely will not be completed by December, in time for the March ballot deadline.
Morrison believes the consultant will advise contracting with the county anyway.
"If [the request for proposal] says the Saratoga Fire District is doing a great job, we'd be satisfied with staying the way we are," said Morrison later in a telephone interview. "But if it says to contract with the county, we should do that, too."
Commissioners, too, said they would not be opposed to contracting if the consultant shows that option would be best for Saratoga.
"If we all agree that the most cost-effective and best idea is to contract, then that's what we'll do," said commissioner Robert Egan at the meeting. "Our responsibility, as we all know, always will be to provide the best fire and life services to the people of Saratoga. If it's not the best, we'll look at contracting. But no matter who's here providing the fire service in this community, this building has to be replaced. That's something we will do and we have to do."
According to some district and county firefighters, there are many reasons to contract with the county. For one, chances for professional advancement are better since the department is so much bigger.
But according to Morrison, professional advancement has nothing to do with the firefighters wanting the contract. The safety of the firefighters and of the people of Saratoga has everything to do with it. And that is why they are pressing for a contract with the county.
Commissioners, however, believe the 75-year-old fire district is already doing a great service for the community so no changes need to be made.
But at the meeting, union firefighters said they have a problem with the commissioners saying the district's fire services are so excellent. They pointed out that Saratoga's citizens receive different service depending on where they live, since the district covers one half of the city and the county covers the other.
For example, the district can send two fire engines and from five to seven fire fighters to a structure fire, while the county can send two fire engines, one fire truck with a ladder, either a hazardous materials or rescue truck, a battalion chief and 13 firefighters to each structure fire.
In addition, the Saratoga Fire District has been short of paramedics since Oct. 1, when two left around the same time and Beau Rahn became the sole paramedic. And he only works 10 days a month.
The district is moving as quickly as possible to hire five more paramedics, said Chief Kraule. And in the meantime, there are more than enough emergency services in the city, such as American Medical Response, which is on call 24 hours a day and rents space in the district's station.
The district has never been short of people, Kraule said, noting that while county can send more personnel and equipment to a fire, they could be from as far away as Los Altos or Cupertino. And when time is of the essence, quantity might not matter as much as response time. He also adds that when there is a large house fire in the district's portion of Saratoga, firefighters total up to 14, including volunteers and off-duty firefighters.
Commissioners also said they do not want to contract with county fire because it is important to them to maintain the district.
"One of our main concerns is, we don't want to lose local control in Saratoga," Egan said.
Morrison said that the board would still serve, and the district would continue all its community relations actitivies, such as the pancake breakfast and open house for fire prevention week.
Finally, commissioners said that contracting with the county would prove to be too expensive.
"I feel [the county] can't provide the same level of service we're providing for the dollars we have available, because they have a larger overhead," Egan said.
Representatives of county fire disagree, saying the contract would not cost more than the district's $2.1 million yearly budget.
Since no negotiations have been entered with county fire, there is no way to say for sure how much a contract would cost.
Although firefighters said the Oct 25 meeting provided some new information about costs that they would consider at their Nov. 6 meeting, the two sides still remain far apart.
|
|
|
|
Saratoga, California Since 1955
