By Alex Lane -
One Lockwood area resident is voicing her opposition to Measure M, the ½ cent Sales tax proposal supporting local firefighters that is set for the November ballot. “While Jackson, Sutter Creek, District Supervisor Ted Novelli and others are painting a rosy picture of having paid firefighters, it…leaves Lockwood Fire Protection District out in the cold,” said resident Jackie Vaughn, who also made it clear that she is “merely a private citizen who happens to be a former (AFPA) Board Director.” Lockwood, with a population of 1,100 and a fire incident percentage of 3.231, is a 22-square mile area considered by CALFIRE and other firefighting representatives as a “high fire density zone.” Vaughn is objecting to what she sees as an unfair disbursement of funds and representation under the Measure M guidelines. “Lockwood is the only true volunteer fire department,” she said. According to the disbursement formula, Lockwood would receive just over 3 percent of the funds based upon incidents and population. But Vaughn argues that this disbursement in disproportionate, and that the Measure does not consider that Lockwood has no revenue stream. While “other volunteers receive a ‘pay-per-call’ stipend…Lockwood volunteers receive nothing,” she said. Sutter Creek Fire Chief Butch Martin, a strong supporter of Measure M, says “I know the economy’s not good right now, but we wouldn’t be asking for it if we didn’t need it.” Last year, fire department calls went from 525 to 630, more than a 100-call increase, adding, “I hope it doesn’t do it again this year.” 85 percent of those were medical calls. Five years ago, with a staff of 35 firefighters, Martin was “on top of the world” and never thought about consolidation. Now, they are down to 17 volunteers and he believes consolidation under this Measure is the answer. Measure M is back on the ballot after failing to get the support needed the last time it was up for public vote. At that time, the vote in favor was 63 or 64 percent, just shy of the 66.66 percent-plus-one vote needed to pass. Vaughn believes that no matter the benefits, disbursement needs a reevaluation. In her words: “The AFPA needs to go back to the drawing board and make it equitable to all.”
