Council: Consultant to study fire operations and funding options

January 27, 2016
Santa Paula News

The City Council approved — but not without one member noting their reluctance — to move ahead with a $50,000, 16-week study on options for the Santa Paula Fire Department. 

The council voted 5-0 at the January 19 meeting to have Matrix Consultant Group conduct the study.

City Manager Jaime Fontes addressed the revised bid that limits costs and tightened the timeframe noting the study would be done in two phases to allow time for a “structural analysis” if a funding measure goes to the ballot.

Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi had objected to the initial 16-week timeframe and Fontes’ report notes “The revised proposal also breaks down the project work schedule into two phases in order to comply with the 10-week timeframe. In Phase 1, Matrix proposes to conduct interviews, perform data collection and prepare a revenue analysis of the options to fund public safety on a long-term sustainable basis in the first 10 weeks. A feasibility and operational analysis to determine opportunities for operational restructuring would occur in Phase 2. A final report would be issued within 16 weeks.” 

During public comment Joseph Alexander questioned the cost of the study noting that the $50,000 for the consultant is “80 to 90 percent of a firefighter’s salary…”

The SPFD’s own website shows a wish list that Alexander said includes turnouts and helmets that the consultant’s study fee would cover.

“Is this the best way to spend the city’s money? The people you employ and we employ, some of this information should be at their fingertips,” said Alexander.

Gherardi noted the council has asked that the timeframe be condensed to eight weeks and it still remains 16 weeks, “Really not useful to us,” for budget planning purposes.

“I think our staff has the capability,” and the community would be willing to help she added.

“If we go down this route,” said Gherardi, “we’re definitely not looking at any changes for another year.”

Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite asked that the consultant’s study be broken down and Fontes said it would result in an “overall report” covering various areas and funding options done in phases.

The first phase according to Matrix’s report, will be conducting a “detailed structural and revenue production analysis” that would also address a possible tax measure to supplement public safety; the second phase would be an analysis of alternatives for providing financially sustainable fire protection for the long-term including “alternative approaches” to staffing the SPFD such as entering into a contract with the Ventura County Fire Department or the SPFD using firefighting reserves only working under full-time engineers and captains.  

Long-term funding said Fontes could also be an assessment district/parcel tax or a utility tax.

“I’m not crazy about spending money,” said Councilman John Procter but “anytime you do anything in house” there could be the suspicion of bias. 

“We have to beyond reproach,” he added, by hiring a third party.

You can’t put a price on public safety said Mayor Martin Hernandez who noted he was in favor of the consultant’s study. 

“It’s a third party, impartial and our staff is already working down to their knuckles,” with no time.

He agreed with Gherardi that he would like the study sooner also but the council can “always make necessary adjustments,” to the budget. 

“I have heard from several members of the public,” that consultants can also be swayed said Crosswhite who noted, “I have not had one person contact me who thinks it’s a good idea…but I have heard,” from those who believe the city should not be spending money on such a study.

But, Crosswhite added, “we do have to do something, we just can’t keep kicking the can down the road,” when it comes to the SPFD and it’s $2.3 million annual budget. 

After more discussion Gherardi said, “I am with great reluctance going to vote going forward,” with the study. “I agree with Councilwoman Crosswhite, we just can’t keep kicking the ball down the road, ” and if it takes 16 weeks and $50,000 so be it.

But, “I think we could do it for less and faster…”

Councilman Jim Tovias, a SPFD critic, has long advocated exploring switching to reserve firefighters and “just restructuring we would have a potential $1.6 million potential savings…”

Such a savings he added could potentially hire more police, fix streets and give employees raises.

Hernandez noted the study has not been a new issue: “When it came back to us January 4,” if the council had approved it “we would have saved ourselves two weeks…”

The council voted 5-0 to proceed with the study.





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