The recommendation would require a one-time County General Fund contribution of $311,617 to fund the County's share, based on service calls, of the $2.2 million estimated cost to fund a fourth station for 18 months.

  
Prior to 2002, the primarily volunteer firefighting forces of far East County provided the protection needed to douse the occasional barn or house fire. However, as these rural communities transformed into bedroom communities, their fire-protection needs stretched beyond that of an all-volunteer force.  
  
In 2002, three small East County fire districts were consolidated into a new entity known as the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD or District), with the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors as its governing board. The new District eliminated duplicative administrative services, ensured better coordination and communication between the stations, and expanded the training requirements of the firefighters.  
  
In 2008, the ECCFPD had eight stations and 52 full-time sworn personnel with an additional 25 sworn personnel on call. As far East County grew, so did the calls for more local control. In 2009 the County relinquished oversight, giving the city of Brentwood four appointments to the local board, Oakley three representatives, and the Board of Supervisors two representatives, to reflect the needs of the unincorporated areas. At the time, the District had more than $6 million in reserves, 50% of its annual budget. As the County turned over governance to the local board, it reiterated to the yet-to-be-appointed fire district board that strong consideration be given to establishing an elected fire board in the future. An elected board would move the district another step closer to the original intention — to ensure that local citizens have a voice in the district's operations.  
  
Today, the ECCFPD covers approximately 238 square miles, serves Brentwood, Oakley, and the unincorporated communities of Bethel Island, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Byron and areas of Marsh Creek and Morgan Territory. The District now has only three stations where there once were eight, and the budget reserve of more than $6 million is now running at a deficit. A way must be found to increase funding for a district dependent on a 1978 property tax base that reflects agricultural land values, which is not sufficient to pay for today's suburban setting and service needs. There were two attempts at the ballot box but voters rejected additional funding, perhaps not understanding the true nature of the funding crisis and how it came about.   
  
Following the April 2015 election in which property owners rejected an additional fire assessment to maintain the five-station model, East County leaders, in June, formed a task force to discuss how fire and medical services can be enhanced from the current three stations in operation. The Task Force, composed of representatives from Brentwood and Oakley city management, ECCFPD and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District management, the County District III and District IV Supervisors' offices, and IAFF Local 1230 leadership, looked at both short-term relief and long-term solutions. The attached report transmits the Task Force's findings and recommendations.  
  
In particular, the Task Force is requesting in Recommendation No. 3 a financial contribution from each of the four stakeholder agencies (cities of Brentwood and Oakley, Contra Costa County and the ECCFPD) to re-open the fourth station for an 18-month period beginning January 1, 2016 to provide temporary improvement of fire and medical responses in the District, and time for officials to plan for a permanent solution to serve the residents of the the District. The contribution requested of each agency is based on the proportionate ratio of service calls in each jurisdiction. ECCFPD's contribution is expected to be funded by combination of District property tax growth and Oakley community facilities district funds.  
  
In addition to the Task Force study, attached hereto are also a Resolution and budgetary adjustment that can be adopted by the Board should the Board decide to implement Recommendation No. 3.

Speakers: Vince Wells, President Firefighters Local 1230; Jeff Carman,Fire Chief, Contra Costa Fire Protection District; Erick Stonebarger, Brentwood City Council; Stephen Smith, ECC Fire Protection District; BobMankin. ACCEPTED the Task Force report on fire and medical services in East Contra Costa County; ADOPTED Task Force Recommendations 1-3, Resolution No. 2015/424 and Appropriations and Revenue Adjustment No. 5018, to allocate $311,617 in County revenue to help finance, for 18 months and in partnership with East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) and the Cities of Oakley and Brentwood, the opening/re-opening and operation of a fourth fire station to serve ECCFPD residents; NOTED that the County funding allocation is short-term and one-time-only; APPROVED allocation of $311,617 to ECCFPD conditioned on the ECCFPD  Board of Directors taking action on the following matters:   (1) initiate action to change the existing Board of Directors from an appointed Board to an elected Board, including application to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), if legally required; ; (2) initiate action to form a citizen’s oversight committee for any revenue enhancement measure that is sought, including residents and taxpayers within the District; (3) initiate action to evaluate changing the District’s name to one that more accurately reflects the communities that it serves; and(4) approve the recommendation of District Fire Chief Henderson to use the temporary fund allocation to re-open and operate the fire station in Knightsen.