Hollister and Calfire present plans to offer service to county
County officials have received and will begin mulling competing fire-service plans from the City of Hollister and Calfire as they decide which agency will provide coverage for the county beyond this fiscal year.
“It’s going to be either-or,” said Rich Inman, San Benito County’s administrative officer. “A horse can’t have two saddles. It’s what we’re going to get for our buck. It’s going to be the level of service, the number of people that provide service to us along with other things such as training.”
After Calfire last October said it would increase its annual $1.2 million contract cost by $109,000 in 2012-2013 – then lower it to $850,000 the following year – county officials began considering ending the partnership with the state fire agency.
The city’s and Calfire’s proposals will now be reviewed by county supervisors Jerry Muenzer and Anthony Botelho, who are sitting as a subcommittee of the board in order to vet the proposals. Inman said he is unsure how quickly the issue will come before the full board for discussion and a vote, though it could be by mid-March.
“When we do our analysis on the proposals, which we’ll hopefully get done in the next week, we’ll meet with the committee and we may call in either or both (of the city or Calfire) to clarify any questions,” Inman said, noting that he’d like to see the issue resolved “as soon as possible.”
Muenzer said he and Botelho continue to meet with representatives of the city and Calfire.
“We’re trying to get the biggest bang out of the little dollar amount that we have,” Muenzer said. Asked if he expected the county to pick the proposal that costs the least amount of money, he said, “I don’t want to say that. You can’t put public safety on a strict dollars-and-cents criteria. Knowing that everybody’s under budget constraints, you’re trying to get the best deal you can.”
Hollister City Manager Clint Quilter said the city is “prepared to sit down and negotiate” a contract with the county, which had asked the city to present a proposal after Calfire said it may not renew its contract.
The city’s proposal, he said, is in the range of $1.1 million annually “give or take.”
“Our point was to have it as a basis for negotiation,” Quilter said. “We’re not proposing a construction contract, so it’s not a take it or leave it. I don’t know that we’re negotiating against Calfire. If the county chooses to stick with Calfire, that’s fine.”
However, Quilter said the city could realize benefits beyond the revenue from providing service to the county.
The city currently has an “auto aid” agreement with the county in which some service calls – particularly in the northern end of the county – are assisted by city crews without compensation to Hollister.
“If we’re going to provide service out in the county, we’d like to be compensated,” he said. “We also believe there’s another station that needs to be put on the west side of town. That would increase coverage for the county and the west side of the city.”
The city’s proposal, as written, would provide an extra two or three firefighters than are currently employed by the county and the city, he said.
