Brentwood Set to Discuss Funding 4th Station, Contracting Out Fire Services

On Tuesday night, the Brentwood City Council will discuss the idea of funding a 4^th station within the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District. They will also be presented with the idea of funding their own station within Brentwood city limits.

In January, an ad-hoc committee for fire and medical services was created with Councilmembers Steve Barr and Karen Rarey to look at possible future options to provide emergency services.

The committee was created after Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor requested the item be placed on the after the failed User Utility Tax (UUT) and lack of fire services. His concern is Brentwood should be looking at all options since they have 1-fire station within city limits for 60,000 people with additional engines coming from the City of Oakley and the Town of Discovery Bay and Knightsen.

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According to the staff report, the Committee met to discuss the possibilities of amending and
continuing the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Oakley, City of
Brentwood, Contra Costa County, and the District in order to continue funding a fourth station—which is set to close at the end of June 2017.

Attachment “A” is a matrix identifying potential agency contributions that, when combined with the District’s available funding, could be used to keep a fourth station open. Cost allocations for this purpose were developed using a blend of calls for service in each jurisdiction as well as population.
OPTIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE

• Option One: Amendment and continuation of the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Oakley, City of Brentwood, Contra Costa County, and the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District using the contribution amounts identified in Attachment “A” for a three-year contract. Per communication from both the City of Oakley and the Contra Costa County this option would be presented to their respective council/board no sooner than April 18, 2017.
• Option Two: This option assumes that the only agency participating in a Memorandum of
  Understanding would be the City of Brentwood. The City of Brentwood would contract for
  additional fire and medical services for a period of three years through a Memorandum of
  Understanding with the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, and would fund to operate an additional fire station in the City of Brentwood. The City of Brentwood’s contribution per Attachment “A” would need to increase to include the contributions listed from the other agencies, less the District’s available funding.

It is the recommendation of the Committee that the Council direct the City Manager to present both Options One and Two above to the District Board on April 3, 2017. Pending the District Board’s discussion and potential direction, the Committee would return to the City Council with next steps, including potential appropriations and a revised or new Memorandum of Understanding for the funding of a fourth station in the District.

FISCAL IMPACT
During the September 2015 City Council Strategic Planning session, Community Facilities
District (CFD) assessment funds were identified as a potential funding source for future Fire
Services. Currently, the vast majority of the annual CFD assessments are transferred to the
General Fund for Police services. During the past five fiscal years, a portion of the CFD
assessment revenue has been retained in the CFD funds, as unallocated cash, to
accommodate service and/or facilities needs of the growing community.
As of June 30, 2016, $1.3 million in unallocated cash is available in the CFD funds. In addition
to the cash balance, during FY 2017/18 through 2019/20 an average of $950,000 per year in unallocated CFD assessment revenue is projected to be available. These amounts are after the effect of transfers to the General Fund for Police services, which are currently projected in the General Fund Fiscal Model.
The fiscal impact of Option One would require a funding commitment of an estimated $1.5
million over the three-year period to operate a fourth station. The remaining $5.7 million needed to keep the fourth station open for three years would be funded through contributions by the District, the County and the City of Oakley. At the end of the three-year period, including the funding for the fourth station, the projected CFD unallocated cash balance would be $2.8 million.
The fiscal impact of Option Two would require a funding commitment of an estimated $3.0
million over the three-year period to operate a fourth station, with the remaining $4.2 million
being funded by the District. At the end of the three-year period, including the funding for the
fourth station, the projected CFD unallocated cash balance would be $1.3 million.

The funding of the fire services with unallocated CFD assessment revenue will not have an
impact on the provision of current City services; however, it would reduce the ability of the City Council to utilize these funds for other potential service and/or facilities needs of the community.
For the full staff report: http://brentwoodca.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx