Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday an updated Fire Protection Reimbursement Agreement with CALFIRE, but acknowledged during lengthy discussion that the contract has more hurdles to pass before final approval. As detailed in the approved resolution, the agreement “provides fire protection services…for the period of July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2013 in an amount not to exceed $2,783,909.” July 1 marks the beginning of the new fiscal year. The contract creates an umbrella policy for CALFIRE services on a local level, also known as the “Amador Plan.” The original contract was for 2009 to 2012, but as Supervisor Richard Forster explained, policy changes “have taken six months to go through CALFIRE’s administrative office,” and meanwhile costs are increasing. Another level of approval is still needed from the General Services Department in Sacramento. “Hopefully we can get it through the next bureaucratic level, but it’s not easy when you start dealing with this bureaucracy,” said Forster. Forster said the River Pines station had to shut down because of costs, while costs at other stations are escalating. “We can not afford that and we’re at a point where we will have to modify the schedule or reduce the number of stations further,” he said. A proposed Buena Vista Station would also fall under the new agreement, but only if the Buena Vista Casino goes forward. Under its Intergovernmental Services Agreement, the tribe has agreed to pay approximately $2.15 million to support fire services. The county opposes the tribe’s proposed casino operation and is fighting the casino going forward, a discussion item that continues to appear on the Board’s closed session agenda. Butte County recently asked CALFIRE if it would wave its 11 percent administrative fee, a significant additional cost that county’s must pay for the state agency’s service. Forster said it is “unlikely” that approval will be granted. “We have brought up things like this before and the answer has always been a pretty pat replay that that is what it costs us to do service, that’s what our fee is,” he said. Nevertheless, the Board authorized staff to draft a letter supporting Butte County’s request. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.-
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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday an updated Fire Protection Reimbursement Agreement with CALFIRE, but acknowledged during lengthy discussion that the contract has more hurdles to pass before final approval. As detailed in the approved resolution, the agreement “provides fire protection services…for the period of July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2013 in an amount not to exceed $2,783,909.” July 1 marks the beginning of the new fiscal year. The contract creates an umbrella policy for CALFIRE services on a local level, also known as the “Amador Plan.” The original contract was for 2009 to 2012, but as Supervisor Richard Forster explained, policy changes “have taken six months to go through CALFIRE’s administrative office,” and meanwhile costs are increasing. Another level of approval is still needed from the General Services Department in Sacramento. “Hopefully we can get it through the next bureaucratic level, but it’s not easy when you start dealing with this bureaucracy,” said Forster. Forster said the River Pines station had to shut down because of costs, while costs at other stations are escalating. “We can not afford that and we’re at a point where we will have to modify the schedule or reduce the number of stations further,” he said. A proposed Buena Vista Station would also fall under the new agreement, but only if the Buena Vista Casino goes forward. Under its Intergovernmental Services Agreement, the tribe has agreed to pay approximately $2.15 million to support fire services. The county opposes the tribe’s proposed casino operation and is fighting the casino going forward, a discussion item that continues to appear on the Board’s closed session agenda. Butte County recently asked CALFIRE if it would wave its 11 percent administrative fee, a significant additional cost that county’s must pay for the state agency’s service. Forster said it is “unlikely” that approval will be granted. “We have brought up things like this before and the answer has always been a pretty pat replay that that is what it costs us to do service, that’s what our fee is,” he said. Nevertheless, the Board authorized staff to draft a letter supporting Butte County’s request. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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