May Put Fire Service Contract on Ballot

North Central Deadlock Continues

KERMAN, June 7 - The North Central Fire Dist. governing board again found itself deadlocked on the issue of contracting for fire services with Fresno City Fire Dept.
Meeting Wednesday evening, May 31, the board again split two for and two on the propsal. This was the fourth unsuccessful attempt the board has made to pass the contract.
Two members, Rusty Nonini and Dennis Yates, support the contract, while Ken Abrahamian and Cheryl Belluomini are opposed.
Supporters of the 30 year contract argue it would provide additional firefighters and some cost cutting benefits to the district.
The dissentors on the board cite worries about financial aspects of the deal.

Sharp Criticism as NCFD

Board Deadlocks Again

KERMAN, May 17 - There was stinging criticism leveled at North Central Fire District boardmembers last week, when the group deadlocked for a second time on the issue of contracting with Fresno Fire Dept. for services.
Meeting for two hours Wednesday afternoon, May 10, the board was evenly split on the issue, unable to either pass or soundly defeat the proposal.
Boardmembers Ken Abrahamian and Cheryl Belluomini opposed the contract, while Rusty Nonini and Dennis Yates stood in favor. The tie breaking vote would be from Boardmember Rusty Souza, who is sitting out the debate. He is an employee of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention, an early bidder on the NCFD contract.
About 40 people were present at the special board meeting last Wednesday. The board first reviewed changes in the proposed contract, pounded out in the last few days between representatives of North Central and Fresno Fire.
The changes flow from comments made at a meeting on April 26, when the board first deadlocked on the contract vote.
The changes included a new job position - business manager, for the district; changes to fees calculations;  terms under which the agreement could be terminated; probationary periods; seniority details and response protocols.
The contract would shift firefighters from North Central to Fresno Fire, for which North Central would pay about $4.3 million annually. Two North Central stations in northwest Fresno would be closed, their duties taken over by new Fresno Fire stations. Remaining fire stations in Biola, Kearney Park and Kerman would see increased numbers of firefighters on the engines.
The proposed 30 year contract received virtually universal approval from those speaking from the audience. Kerman Mayor Ken Moore called it a “:historic opportunity” for the NCFD board, “the very best solution available to you.”
Fresno County Board of Supervisors member Phil Larson (the Westside) said the conract was in line with ideas the County has to provide consolidated fire services. “I see this as a win-win situation,” he said.
Also speaking in favor of the proposed contract were the manager of the UMC Burn Center, a representative of the Fresno County Historical Society (concerned about the safety of Kearney Mansion), a local businessman, a former firefighter, and a local sudbivision developer.
North Central Fire Chief Lonnie Downs said the conract was a “chance to change the face of fire service,” while  Fresno Fire Chief Randy Bruegman said “there is only one answer ... consolidate and pull together.”
But the board remained symied. Abrahamian explained his no vote by saying there were still “issues with closing two of our stations,” and was concerned with possible dispatching confusion.  Belluomini said she also had doubts, while casting her no vote. “My doubts are financial,” she said. “I don’t see how we’re going to come out of it.”
There was immediate and sharp criticism of the anti-contract boardmembers. NCFD firefighter Wayne Van Omam, sporting a recall sign, said, “You want to play the incompetent fool? ...  I wanted to be proud of this board, and you’ve made me ashamed.”
Boardmember Dennis Yates made a second effort to get a motion approving the contract passed, seconded by Rusty Nonini. Failing to approve the contract would be “the biggest mistake this district has ever made,” he said.
Yates asked the opposing boardmembers if they would abstain, but district legal council Dale Bacigalupi said that, as elected officials, boardmembers are required to take a position on issues. The votes remained the same.

North Central Board Deadlocks on Fire Services Contract

Kerman, April 27 - The North Central Fire District board deadlocked Wednesday evening when trying to approve a fire services contract with Fresno Fire Dept. 

Under consideration is a 30-year contract which would see Fresno Fire Dept. provide firefighting services to the district, in a move which supporters say would cut costs for North Central and provide more firefighters at the scene of an emergency. The contract has been under intense debate at North Central for several months.

In the last decade North Central has seen a steady erosion of its property tax funding as the City of Fresno annexes land to its northwest, land which was formerly part of North Central.  Over a period of years the loss of revenue has meant North Central has had to cut back on the number of personnel it has available.

Last Wednesday evening the board reviewed the latest contract proposal, looking over some financial data which indicated a possible savings of about $100,000 in the NCFD annual budget of about $5.2 million.  North Central would pay Fresno about $4.3 million a year for providing fire services, a figure which could go up with the cost of living.

The board discussed the fate of the district's personnel should the contract be signed. The firefighters would be transferred to Fresno Fire/Fresno City, but a few office workers and staff may be retained by the district. The board of directors would remain in force under a contract, and the North Central name would be retained.

Also under discussion were the district's fire scene protocols, and how a takeover by Fresno Fire might affect them.  NCFD Chief Lonnie Downs said the protocols give wide discretion to the fire scene commander, a feature which is common in all fire fighting outfits.

Fresno Fire Chief Randy Bruegman was also on hand to field questions from the board. He assured the board that "we're not going to leave the territory uncovered" when fire engines are committed to an incident, and also said that Fresno Fire will honor North Central's current 'Instant Aid' agreements with neighboring fire districts.

The proposal calls for two of North Central's fire stations, at Bullard and West and at Grantland and Shields, to be closed. Paramedic crews would be housed in the buildings, it was reported. Paramedic services would not be affected under the proposed NCFD/Fresno Fire deal, as they are handled under a county-wide contract with American Ambulance.

Fresno Fire is either building or planning three new fire stations in the northwest Fresno area, at Clinton and Polk, Marks and Belmont and Shaw and Grantland. It is expected they will all be open within a couple years, Bruegman said.  North Central stations in Kearney Park and Biola would be retained, with firefighter numbers going from two to three. In Kerman the number would increase to four, from the current three on duty.

Downs said the increase in staffing would provide "far better" coverage for North Central, enabling the district to reach a goal of putting 10 or 15 personnel on a major fire, as quickly as possible. He also said that the contract would provide a better, unified dispatching service.  The eventual goal is to provide "one seamless fire district from here to Fresno," he said.

Jeff Crask, representing the NCFD firefighter's union, said the group was in favor of the contract. He also presented a petition which he said had about 250 signatures from area businesses and individuals who also support the proposed contract.

But when the measure was called to a vote, the board split evenly on the issue. Boardmember Dennis Yates, a strong supporter of the deal, was backed by Boardmember Rusty Nonini. But Board Chair Cheryl Belluomini and Boardmember Ken Abrahamian voted no, citing a need for more time. "I don't want to be rushed," said Belluomini. The fifth Boardmember, Rusty Souza, was not present.

There was obvious disappointment from the audience when the board deadlocked. "Total incompetence is my opinion," said local resident Lyn Moore.  On the board Yates asked, "are we just going to wait for this to fail?"

The board scheduled a special meeting on May 2 to take up the issue again.

NORTH CENTRAL PONDERS CONTRACTING FOR FIRE SERVICES

KERMAN, JAN. 11 - Last Wednesday evening North Central Fire Protection district took a look at two proposals to provide fire protection for the sprawling district, which covers a 250 square mile chunk of north-central Fresno County, including Kerman, Biola and parts of northwest Fresno.

North Central, formed in 1945, claimed seven stations and more than 60 personnel at it’s greatest extent, about a quarter century ago. But has Fresno has expanded to the north west, annexing land formerly in North Central, property tax revenues have dropped. Today the district counts only five stations, and about 40-odd personnel.

And when North Central loses it’s last stations in the high-rent Fresno area, it will see revenues drop by over 40%, a situation which could mean the district would be unable to go on, say some board members.

"This is a very important issue, which needs to be addressed," said NCFD Chief Lonnie Downs.

In order to stave off such a result the district has been considering the idea of ‘contracting out’ for fire services protection. It is hoped that this will result in enough savings in resources and administration to stabilize North Central’s finances.

Some of the main concerns about the idea have been that service levels remain the same, that North Central firefighters retain their jobs, salary levels and seniority, and that the North Central board retains political and financial control over the district.

Paramedic service, provided by Fresno County through a contract with American Ambulance, would not be affected.

Taxes would not be affected by a contract, it was indicated.

Two area fire departments have submitted proposals for the North Central board to consider.

The first is from the Fresno County Fire Protection District (a part of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection). On hand to talk about the proposal was Chief Ted Mendoza. He stressed the amount of resources available to his department, as part of a state-wide fire-fighting outfit. The CDF can marshal hundreds of pieces of equipment and over 40,000 employees, he said. The CDF provides firefighting services under contract with 130 cities in California, he said.

"We can give you outstanding service, and pledge local control," Mendoza said.

Fresno County Fire offered several scenarios with it’s offer, ranging in cost from $4.7 million to $6.7 million, depending upon the level of service requested.

Outlining the case for Fresno Fire Dept.’s offer was Chief Randy Bruegman. He also had a proposal with different options, and a price tag ranging from about $4.2 million to $5.3 million.

Bruegman said his proposal highlighted response times, and "putting bodies on the fire." He said his goal was to be able to attack a residential fire with 15 or 16 firefighters.

In addition, "geography is on our side" in the north west Fresno area, Bruegman said. He noted that Fresno City Fire already has stations in the area, whereas Fresno County would have to respond backup units (for station coverage when North Central fire engines are called out) from as far away as Clovis.

Several local commentators spoke during the evening. Kerman Mayor Ken Moore said the City is concerned with enhanced service and with better equipment - in particular a ‘ladder’ fire engine, so buildings in Kerman can be built to more than two stories.

He went on to say that he hopes the area would not lose experienced firefighters, that he would not like to see North Central become little more than a "training ground" for firefighters.

Fresno County Supervisor Phil Larson (Dist. 1, the Westside) was also on hand. He said that contracting for service would agree with a recommendation made by a Fresno County public safety committee, which recommended consolidation of fire and police services. "It’s an economic necessity," he said.

A couple from the northwest Fresno area expressed surprise that they had to drive out to Kerman to discuss their ‘local,’ fire protection. "What leads you to believe (addressing Fresno County Fire Chief Mendoza) your trucks will get to my house faster than Fresno City’s?" asked Mark Babcock.

And in response to comments during the evening that North Central’s identity would be preserved in the contracts, the couple indicated that speed and strength of response during an emergency was their primary concern - they had little interest in whose name would be on the fire engine doors.

The North Central Firefighters association threw its support behind the Fresno Fire Dept. offer.

There was also detailed discussion about which stations might be closed, how many firefighters might be stationed in various locations, and response times.

Thrown into the mix is the problem that the "Instant Aid" agreement between Fresno City Fire and North Central Fire is coming up for renewal in July. Often one department, or both, will complain that under such an agreement they are spending too much of their resourses fighting fires in someone else’s territory.

Last weeks meeting was informational, and no action was taken. The North Central board will take the matter up again at its next meeting, Jan. 25.