A Glenn County Grand Jury
2014-15 report states, "OVFD (Orland Volunteer Fire Department) is to be
commended for the exceptional work it does in the community, along with its
volunteers for spending so much of their personal time serving both the
department and their community at large."
At the Orland City Council
meeting on Monday, Mayor Jim Paschall concurred with that statement, saying he
commends the firefighters and the department for the work they do.
He also noted the once all-male
department now has a female firefighter.
"We are being
progressive," Paschall said.
The council voted unanimously
to respond to the grand jury report with a letter that addresses
recommendations made by the grand jury in its report.
Responding to the jury's
recommendation Orland and Glenn County establish long-term budget funding for
fire department equipment replacement, the city states, "The Orland Rural
Fire Department and OVFD — two technically separate parts of a unified response
entity — trade off in purchase of each piece of equipment and share the use of
all equipment mutually."
The response lists the
equipment purchased for the fire department over the past 15 years, including a
fire engine, medical rescue truck and a chief's truck. Other equipment
purchased includes radios and personal protective equipment.
"Orland's support for OVFD
tends to be $100,000 to $150,000 per year, depending on the requests of the
department and the limitations of city resources," the letter states.
The city also has a Fire
Apparatus Reserve for future OVFD purchases currently standing at $222,491 with
an additional $50,000 to be added for this fiscal year, in addition to $5,000
for pagers and radios.
In addition, the city is
actively looking to purchase a ladder truck. The estimated cost is $900,000,
making a cash purchase unfeasible, so the alternative is find either a low
interest loan or grant funding.
"The City Council is
intent on asking voters in 2016 to approve a new tax (sales tax, or property
tax assessment) to provide a sound and sustainable source of funding for the
City fire department," the letter states. "This revenue source would
be helpful now and is critical for planning the department's presumed eventual
transition to partly paid professional staffing."
The grand jury is also
requesting responses from the Glenn County Board of Supervisors and the OVFD on
its report.
August 18, 2015
Glenn
County Transcript
By
Julie R. Johnson
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