AgdaPkt 2011-04-11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6.1 D REPORT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council , From Ci Mana er April 11, 2011 SUBJECT Contract for Fire and Emergency Medical Services for City of San Carlos RECOMMENDATION By motion, express Council support of providing municipal fire services to the City of San Carlos and authorize the City Manager to prepare and submit a proposal to provide such services. BACKGROUND In January of this year the City of San Carlos began deliberating options regarding fire and emergency medical services in their community. Like many municipalities, San Carlos is facing serious budget shortfalls and the neighboring City is looking at alternative ways to provide services to their community. The San Carlos City Council has expressed a desire to contract out fire protection and emergency medical services provided to its community. In response, the City Manager of Redwood City has formed a staff team to examine the feasibility of providing these services to the City of San Carlos. To staff s knowledge, the only agencies that have submitted proposals for fire and emergency medical service prior to the City of San Carlos' April 1, 2011 submittal deadline are the City of Redwood City and Wackenhut Services, Inc. (WSI), a private provider of fire and emergency services. The team, comprised of the City Manager, the Fire Chief, the Finance Director, and Fire Command Staff, has performed a preliminary analysis of staffing structures and service models for the City San Carlas. The preliminary data shows the City of Redwood City could provide fire and emergency medical services at a reduced cost to San Carlos while also producing cost savings and/or additional revenue for Redwood City. In addition to the economic benefits, pursuing the model of combined or regionalized services is aligned with the City Council's strategic initiative of effective municipal operations and is also consistent with recommendations in the 2009 Grand Jury Report regarding the upward trajectory of personnel costs. That report recommended providing services on a regional basis. Although WSI's proposal may be priced less than the Redwood City proposal, staff feels that our municipal fire department is better suited to provide municipal fire and emergency medical services that are more aligned with the county automatic aide agreements and the values and expectations of the San Carlos community. Municipal fire and emergency medical services are core businesses of Redwood City and the Fire Department has had much success in developing community relationships and partnerships to make Redwood City a safe community. The Redwood City Fire Department is well-equipped to provide those senrices and apply the same service model to San Carlos while maintaining San Carlos' own identity and culture. Other agencies in the county, most recently San Mateo and Foster City, have already successfully put similar models into effect in their communities.