Pinole Council Leans Toward Contract With Rodeo-Hercules Fire District

Whatever move the Pinole City Council makes about providing fire services, it appears that a proposed contract with the Contra Costa Fire Protection District has been rejected.

The council instead on Tuesday directed city staff to move forward in pursuit of a possible contract with the Rodeo-Hercules Fire District. The council did not close the door on continuing to operate its own standalone city fire station independently.

Off the table is the idea of annexing the city into either the Rodeo-Hercules or Contra Costa Fire district.

Council members asked city staff to bring to a future meeting a more detailed, line-item comparison of finances for both retaining a standalone department and the Rodeo-Hercules district option.

Councilman Roy Swearingen said staff should "bring back a proposal with complete documentation of the line items that are necessary so the public can see what's going to happen."

Councilwoman Debbie Long likened the decision facing the council a couple moving in together before consider a marriage engagement.

"Unfortunately I don't feel Con Fire is the best option for us, based on the cost, and that cost did not dispatching include dispatching," Long said. "It doesn't include a lot of what I see as the benefits from Rodeo-Hercules, assuming Rodeo-Hercules is financially viable. I think that's very important that whoever we move in together (with) we want them to be able to pay their half of the rent."

Long said a contract with Rodeo-Hercules would provide flexibility, including the possibilities of both adding one firefighter to each shift and re-opening the Pinole Valley firehouse that has been closed since July.

Charles Hanley, who serves as the fire chief for both Pinole and Rodeo-Hercules said that the latter fire agency's revenue stream "is currently stable," in part due to downsizing through firefighter retirements. That district also is on the verge of browning out one of its two firehouses because of budget strains.

Rodeo-Hercules proposed a 10-year contract at an initial yearly cost of $3.2 million. Contra Costa Fire offered a five-year contract at $3.46 million. The estimated annual cost for Pinole to continue operating alone is $3.28 million.

Councilman Phil Green disagreed that the city should limit itself to consideration of the Rodeo-Hercules contract.

I haven't heard enough information to actually negotiate with anybody at this point," Councilman Phil Green. "Possibly talking to Richmond might be another avenue, I don't know. But by not putting all the cards on the table I think we're cutting ourselves short."

City Manager Belinda Espinosa said that there have been discussions with both El Cerrito and Richmond before Green's 2010 election, but they haven't generated much interest.

"This is where we ended up, with these two interested in presenting their proposals," Espinosa said.

She added that she has placed a call to Richmond at Green's request and that El Cerrito is not interested in a contractual relationship.

Both Long and Mayor Pete Murray said that a full consolidation with another fire district is a possibility in the future. Council members also discussed at length the need for the extension of an existing utility tax is due to expire at the end of the year. Continuing the 8 percent tax is presumed to be placed on the November ballot. The tax rakes in about $2 million per year, roughly one-fifth of the city's general fund.

"Without getting that passed, all of this discussion is for naught," Murray said.