Amador County – Amador Fire Protection Authority board of directors discussed their chiefs’ work on a consolidation document last week, asking them to report their progress at the next quarterly meeting in July.

Amador Fire Protection District’s Dominic Moreno said Ione Fire Chief Ken Mackey had written part of the plan for consolidation, as the six chiefs have been meeting to discuss consolidation the past three months, using guidelines previously approved by the AFPA board.

Supervisor Chairman Louis Boitano and the Board of Supervisors sent a letter to AFPD Chief Jim McCart to ask for a consolidation plan for fire departments, and accounting of 172 spending, giving a year to respond with a definitive plan for consolidation.

Board member Hal Gamble said Sutter Creek Fire District has spent zero 172 funds. Jackson City Manager Mike Daly said Jackson has spent Measure M and 172 funds on salaries, benefits, and protective equipment. Mackey said the same was for Ione, along with recruitment. Lockwood fire said an audit was under way there.

Jacks Valley Fire’s board member Jake Herfel said his department has spent $35,000 in 172 funds: “We are a small department and that’s a small wedge, but it’s big to our budget.”

Jackson Vice Mayor Connie Gonsalves said she thought they better give Supervisors what they want, and “maybe include a note that we’re working on a consolidation plan and our thoughts” on that. The chiefs and board members all reported a majority of support for planned, non-forced consolidation.

Moreno said departments could give Prop 172 spending reports without a special AFPA meeting and the info was directed to be given to AFPA staff to be placed in spread sheets.

Ione Mayor Ron Smylie asked if the chiefs would be building the consolidation agreement in their meetings, and Gonsalves asked if the chiefs’ association has a chief.

Moreno said the chiefs’ group is not an association, and “everything we do we bring back to our boards to talk about it.” He said the framework would get the basic ideas.

Gonsalves said Jackson Fire Chief Marc Crain attends every city council meeting and reports on progress at the chief meetings. Gamble said board members need to ask their chiefs for updates. Herfel said his chief tries to attend board meetings but sometimes he is working a 24-hour shift.

She said the arena of the chiefs’ group was the best place to keep the dialogue going, then they can give a more thorough report, which the AFPA board can forward to Supervisors. Gonsalves asked that they try to get the plan to the board early to have time to discuss it.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.