HomeMy WebLinkAbout0201.095,
City of Palo Alto
City Manager's Report
HONORABLE CITY CO{iNCIL
FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: FIRE
AGENDA DATE: April17.199S CMR: 201:95
SUBJECr: Reqllest t. Add FlIDding for I Nortll CO. Illy FIr. Sorvica
Consolidoooa Study
BEQUEST
The purpose of !his report is \0 request Ihal Council approve !he attac!>ed Budget A=ndment
Otdlnance (BAO) in the amount <>f S15,000 '" smdy the feasibility of toosOOdating fire
protection serW:es in the Non!! Sonia Clara Coon!y jurisdictions of Palo AItn. MOWlIain VIeW.
LoS A1Io<. and Los Altos Hills.
RECOMMJitNDADON
I. Approve the BAO 10 fund Palo Alto's portion of. North County Fire C<JnsoIidation
Study;
2. Amhorize staff 10 coordiruile with the North Santa Clara Coonty jurisdktioos of Los
Altos, l.<Js Altos Coon!y Fire Pro!ettion District, and Mouruain VIeW fur the purpose of
studying the oosIs and benefits of reorganizing the North Coonty fire and emergency
medi<:aI services system; and
3. AlJtborize retaining. qualified cons.uI1ant 10 assist in the preparation of. joint study of
the costs and benefits of reocganizing North C-ounty fire and emergency medical
services.
POUCY IMPI J<;ATIONS
The c:ootenI oflhis sIudy is cooslstenl with existing City polkies. The results oflhis study may
recoounend changes that have significant policy implications.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
III June of 1994, the FiR Deptlrtment ~ 10 a Request for lnfonrulUon (RfI) from the
City of Los Altos for fire ~ services. The Mountain VieW Fire Departmen! and Santa
Clan C«mty CentraI.-He Protectioo D'.sIrlct also responded 10 the Los Altos RfL Subsequent
10 thal response the Fire Chiefs from Palo Alto and Mountain VIeW mel to 1liscuss the
operational efficiencies ""d advantages of. more regioDal approach 10 fire protection in the
North Santa Clara Counly area. Two mcefin8S were held wrob the City Mmagcrs orP.to Alto.
Los Altos, Mountain ,rleW, and Los Altos Hill.. Provided 10 the Cily Managers was the
following inforrnatioo in favor of cooducting a fire servi<:e5 coosoIidatioo study:
~ cities and distrk:ts experien<:e greater demand:; for Fire Department relaled services
(emergency medical lI)'stem (EMS) services, bo!h lire and environmental prevention andior
respoase services). sources of fundinS sucb seMcCS become in<:reasingiy difficulL In this
eoviromnenl of fiscal 000SI!aint and higher servlcelevel demand, opportunities for pr",idIng
Fire Deparfmenl related services in IDOl'C eflective and efficient ways need 10 be investigated.
III North Santa Clara County • Wlique set of circumstances has emerged in c:onnectioo with the
provision oftireJEMS services. Those circumstances include:
(I) • sha1ed interest on the part of the foorNorth Counly jurisdictions of Los Altos,
Los Altos County are Pro!ection District, Mountain VIeW. and Palo A~.o 10
consider oome form <>f coosolidation or sbaring of resources;
(2) the receo1 retiremenI of the Los A/tos Fire Chief;
(3) • shared vision on the part of !be two renWning North County fire Chic!;; 10
create • singie FireIEmergency Medical Service (EMS) delivery system;
(4) shared boundaries;
(5) existing mutual and automatic aid agreemetlts;
(6) strong similarities in levels of training, equipment. apparatus, wmrnand, and
communicatioos prindples and practices; ond
(7) • p«!itive labor attitude toward consorldation.
At this time, the potential exists for all four jurisd'lCtiorlS in the Nortl' County 10 gain
economi<:aIly andfor in servke levels through some form of c0ns06d36on. There are many
reasons for Ibis stalement, some ofwbich are ciled below. To seriously explore this unique
h&<JaI7
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opportooity. we must be prepared to look at olternative F=-EMS delivery systems significantly
differatt from -..1lat we have tOOay. Criteria fur """q>tance "'!!lese various alIematives shooI-i
be esIabIisI'.£:d early in ibe prO<eSS 10 ensure tl;at each is equally measured agaw.s! the status quo.
RpASONS TO CONSIDER CHANGE
I. Growth in demand for services
2. Budg<!1aty constraints
3. PolmtieI cost !aviDgs 10 taxpayers
4. Ecooomies of """Ie
S. Elimination of artificial service boundaries
6. Better utilization of scarce resoorces
7. 0pp0rIunity 10 expand seMces and/or specialize
I. EIiJnilIak duplication
9. SlreDstben in!emcl programs
In considering wbkh type of delivery system to lISe fuc me prot""f.oo end emergency medical
services ill the N<Jrth Santa ClIlJ'll COunty area. lOur primary options sbouId be analyud:
I. Statu Quo
Each of the three Fire Departments provides both commoo and different Iypes
a!Id levels of services in the lOur jurisdictions.
Advantages:
I. Ma>Wnwn local control.
2. Ability 10 spccifJ service level withln fiscal constraints.
3. Ccst and level of service is koown.
Disadvanl.ages:
I. Limited in ability 10 enjoy ecooomi .. of scale end associated cost savings.
2. Cannot lr.1ly drop 00r<iers for emergency response purposes.
3. Limited efficiency with specialized equipment/staff.
4. Limited in strength of int£mal support programs.
S. LintlWl in services Ibat can be provided.
2. Joint Po.en Agr..,m~nl (JPA)
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Through • joint pow ..... agreement two or more agencies arrange for 1he joint
planning. financing. and delh'Ol)' of selected services 10 • goograpbkal are&.
1bcse asrcemcnrs an: used in areas where soch scrvi<cs an: best provided by one
Ip<:y 10 either maintain savice level. III • reduced cos!, increase seM<:e levels
lOr 1he same eo&. or bo!h.
I. GRa_ local control over level and <:OS! of services except lOr Status
QUo.
2. C.eolr3lization of I!"",.gement and administration (Le. economies of
scale).
3. ~ COS!! of (lvcrhead.
4. Centralization of dispatch resulting j,~ improved response times.
5. Improved capacity for handll."!g large, simultaneoos or specialized
incidents.
6. Abilily 10 utilize Cldsting support ~ 0( cities.
1. Improved fire senice eapabl1i1les due 10 lm:mosed resources and
speciaflZed equipmen!.
~. CenlraflZed apparatus maintenance.
DisadvanIages:
I. A degree of reduction in local conrroL
3. FuctioooJ C<I ..... lid.tlo. (Inf«govemmental conlracls)
CldJt:ZOl:9S
Separate 6re agencies are retained, but one 01: more filnctions nonmilly performed
by all agencies are assigned, by contract. 10 one .gooey. Functions may include:
• Emergency Operations
• Persoonel Management
• Training (FIre, EMS. Hatardous Materials)
• Apparatus Maintenance
• Fire Investigation
• 91llDispatchlng
• Disaster Planning
• Plans Rn-iew
• Purchasing
• COOe Eafoo:ement (Fire and Enviroomental)
Advantages:
h&o4.n
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I. Can improve service leveL
2. Can save money.
). Some loss of JocaI control over IiJnctiooaJ area.
2. Reduces synergy of parenI deportment "itb functioruJ area.
4. RopJI'oI eo .... lldatio.
Merge two or more Fire Department! throes!> • legal process inlo one regional
department (1.e. Fire Protection DistricI Act of 1982-H &; S Cede 138QO).
Advantages:
1. Cen1ralizcd lire management
2. Potential for reduced overhead costs
3. Centralized dispatching witb reduced response times
4. Imp!'O\'N fire serna <:apabilities due 10 increased resources and
spe<iaJized equipmeN
S. S1an<lar1lizaIi of fire codes and orllmances
6. Governing board respoosible for providing only fire pro!eCtioo services
7. CenIRliZed 8pparaIUS maintenance
Disadvantages:
1. Loss of klc&I coo!rol (Fire Disttict overseen by & DU.-tnct Boon!)
2. Process 10 cre&!e lengthy and complex
CONSOJ.IDAOON STIiDY
The first ~tep wouI<I be to put logetbec an agreement between \be four jurisdi<:tioos to P.ntly
conduct and pay for tile 3ludy.
The purpooe of \be study is twofold. Fin\. to determine the advantage>, if any, of cl.anglng
from status quo. Second, if there are signiOOmt advantages Ie cha"ging. wbJch of the three
alternative models (i.e. lPA., Funcliooal or Regional Consolidation) best maximizes the
advantages. To determine this, each of the mojo< functional responsibilities of & Fire
DeparImeIl1 will need 10 be S!Udied in !he COIIteXl of each of Ihe fOur options. Examples inckl<1e
Pw&o J on
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fire suppressio:!, fire prevention. <:ommunications, emergency medical service, environmental
services, and administration.
In addition. an inven!o<y of fixed and mobile assets will need 10 be conducted. Questions of
aoset ownership, maintenance responsibility, and hability will need to be answered. The
governing stru<:ture of each alternative will need 10 be cleatly identitkd. Other legal and
labor/management questions will need 10 be answered.
The s!udy 8fOOI'{s} should be repm;cntative Gf the lOur juris<Ii<:tioas' g<l\'eming bodies 0< their
representatives. Fire Department staff /rom all three departmeols, along with other cities and
DisIrict staff as deemed 1lCCeSS8IY, will won with the «>IlSUltanIlo develop the i."fonnation.
mE CQNSUI,TANTIlX)ST
Given the diversity and complexity Gf!hese ahematives, as wen as the ne.:d for objectivity, •
coosultant "'ilh experience in this field of study should be sele..-red.
Each Gf the four jurisdictions will shaR equally in the cost of this study which has been
budgeted at $60,000 (51 5,000 from eacb jurisdiction). Funds &oot !he other Il-d1:e jurisdictions
will be placed in the Fire DepatImenI budget b ease of lracldng and acrounting purposes. The
Fire Department budget is beiDg aa)USted by this SAO 10 1<X'00000000te !he fun cost Gfth;>se
funds.
For the reasons cited earlier in this n:porI staff belieVes I window Gf opportunity exists b
po!entially imprm-e Fire and Emergency Medical services in the Nonb Santa Clan County area,
while reducing costs by coosolidaling and/or reorganizing oor joint fire service resoorces. We
belieVe this opportunity wm dissipate ever lime and, therebe, should be seized Tbe best
option b its implementation should be sele..-red and acIed upon as soon IS prudently possible.
FISCAL IMPACT
The loCal cost of the study will not exeeed $60,000. The jurisdlctions involved will .narc
equally in !he final cost Gfthe study. The City of Palo Alto', 5hare Gftba! cost will not exceed
$15,000.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSfflSMENT
TIrls is not a "project" b purposes of !he Environmental Quality Act.
PREPARED BY: Ruben Grijalva, Fire Chief
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ORDllO.NCE NO.
ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF '!'HE CITY OF P1>.LO AI,TO
l\MENIl roo THE BUDGET FOR THE FI seAL YEAR 19 94 • 95
TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO F'JND
A RORTII COONTl FIRE SERVICES CONSOLIDATION S'l'\JOY
~. pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of Article
III of tbe Charter of the City of Palo Alto, the C~~il on June
~O# 1'94 did adopt a budget for fiscal year 1994-95; and
lif'lmR.EAS..-ill July ... 151514, the Fire Depart~ent responded to a
.Request for Information from t.he City of Los Altos for fire
protection services, as did the M:)untain View Fire Department and
Santa Clara County Central Eire Protection District; and
WHER.EAS. further disC'.J.ssions were held that led to a proposal
to Btudy a regional fire approach bet'-l'een Palo Alto, Los Altos,
~~tain View and Los Altos Hills; and
WHER.EAS, it is possible that some' form of consolidation could
lead to eCODOllic and/or service level gain in the four
jurisdictions; and
WHE:REAS, a join.tly funded study is proposed to explore this
poesibility ~~b the four localities; and
lfHBR:8AS, this study will be split evenly among the four
jurisdictions and is expect~d to cost $50,000; and
WHEREAS~ Palo Alto's share of this study ~~~ld th~refore be
$lS,OOO.
WHEREAS~ Palo Alto will administer the cootr5ct for the four
juri8~ctlons and will therefore receive $45 .. 00'0 for Los A1tos~ Los
Altos Bills~ and Mountain view's share of the contract.
NOW6 ~~ the Council of the City of Palo Alto does
ORDAIN as f 011 OW8 ,
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SECTIQN la The sum of Forty~Five Thousand Dollars {$4S,OCO)
in Revenue frOOt Other Agencies is hereby increal!ed in the Fire.
Depart'Wlent t. budget 4
g~tOM 2. The ~~m of Sixty Thousand Dollars ($6~,OOO) is
hereby ap'propria~ed to Contract Services in the Fire Depart~entfs
budget and the General Fund B\..>dg'et Stabilization Reserve is reduced
0). Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000).
secTiON :3. This transaction is projected to redu<:e the
General Fund Budget Stabilization Reserve from. $12,,077,,411 t.o
$12.'062.411.
g~.CN C. As specified in section 2.23.080(.) of the Palo
Alto Xunicipal Code, a two~thirde vote of the City CO".lncil is
required to adqpt tb19 ordinance.
SfiC'!'IQN Sa The Counci.l of the City of Palo Alto hereby finds
tha~ \:he enactmeo-t of t.his ¢rdina.nce is not a project under the
California Environment-al O'.Jality Act. and" t.herefore, no
enviror.men,tal impact assessment is necessary.
Sl!!:U~.
Municipal Code-i
adopUO<l.
NOES,
ABS'l'ENTICf<S ,
ATTEST:
City Clerk
As provIded in Section 2.04.375 of the Palo Alto
this ordinance shall become effective upon
APPROVED,
Mayer
Sr. Asst. City Attorney
'ire C"nief