AgdaPkt 2010-08-09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6.1B D~,.,o "I -OJ . REPORT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the City Manager August 9,2010 Subject Shared Fire Marshal Services Recommendation By Motion, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department for shared Fire Marshal Services. Background The Redwood City Fire Department has operated without a dedicated Fire Marshal since the incumbenfs retirement in January, 2009, and subsequent budget reductions in the Fire Department budget, which zeroed out funding for the position. Throughout the past 18 months, the Fire Chief has served in the dual capacity of Chief and Fire Marshal, and during this time, the Fire Prevention Bureau has had a staffing level reduction of one Fire Prevention Officer and one Clerk. While this Interim arrangement has served the Department well during this period of transition, it is not sustainable. The absence of a dedicated Fire Marshal position, combined with the reduction in staffing, has contributed to significant salary savings at a time of city...wide budgetary difficulty. However, it has resulted in a decline in workload capacity and an increase in turnaround time for completion of permit and inspection requests. Given this set of circumstances, the City Council, with the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2010-11 budget, has directed Staff to seek a shared service agreement in order to receive Fire Marshal services. The Department has an extensive history of utilizing the shared service model. The Redwood City Fire Department's (RCFD) Training Battalion Chief is shared with both the Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD) and the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department (BSCFD). WPFD shares its Emergency Medical Services Battalion Chief with BSCFD and RCFD. The proposed Agreement would expand this arrangement that has been in place for more than a decade. On April 13 , 2010, the San Carlos City Council issued notice to the Belmont Fire Protection District of their intention to dissolve the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) to provide fire service. As a result of this notice, the dissolution of the Department must occur no later than October 12, 2011. The two communities are each currently deliberating how best to continue to provide fire protection, fire prevention and other emergency services within their communities. Going forward, Redwood City could potentially (ose access to the Fire Marshal service with the JPA. The Fire Chief is actively exploring other long-term options for Fire Marshal, as well as other shared services possibilities with other agencies: Council will be kept apprised.