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.
On November 17, 2015, the Board of Supervisors considered the Task Force report and adopted recommendations 1-3. In addition, the Board conditioned their approval of funding on the ECCFPD Board of Directors taking the following actions:
(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.
Today's action formally approves the memorandum of understanding between all of the parties.
The County will not be a party to the MOU between the members of the Fire and Medical Services Task Force.
Speakers: Eli D., resident of Martinez; Gus Vina, Brentwood City Manager.