FAIRFIELD — A draft response that takes issue with some Solano County civil grand jury findings while partially agreeing with others won approval Tuesday by Cordelia Fire Protection District directors.
Directors meeting at the Main Station on Cordelia Road said in the draft response that they support consolidating fire districts in Solano County.
The grand jury report includes the recommendation that Cordelia considering merging with Fairfield, Suisun City or the Montezuma Fire District.
Jeff Dittmer, chairman of the Cordelia district board of directors, noted Tuesday, “We have no authority to do the consolidation.”
Solano County supervisors and the Local Agency Formation Commission would undertake that, he said.
A grand jury finding that the Cordelia Fire Protection District does not have adequate income to sustain itself spurred the draft response that funding fire service via special districts is dysfunctional.
“This is not unique to this district,” the draft response continues. “The district is able to continue to operate at this time, but a tipping point may be reached.”
Directors in the draft response also said the grand jury used county descriptions of budget items rather than the district’s. The grand jury found board members did not appear to understand the budget and what was contained within each line item.
The Cordelia fire district response states that the capital facilities fees listed by the grand jury is not a fire protection district budget line item.
“The correct description should have been building use fees,” according to the response. “The grand jury used an incorrect description to question board members, which likely resulted in their inability to answer the question.”
The grand jury in the report issued June 22 said the fire district minimally communicates with citizens, defers maintenance, has to replace equipment and is facing difficult decisions to continue as a fire district.
The draft response approved Tuesday partially agrees that community outreach is minimal but adds the grand jury reports fails to note outreach now underway. The district has a website and Facebook page – and has long worked with the Green Valley Landowners Association to inform the community, according to the response.
In response to the jury recommendation that directors meet with fire district accountants to understand the budget, the draft said the recommendation was already in place before the grand jury published its report.
A grand jury recommendation that fire district directors develop a robust plan to inform residents about the need for more funds, opportunity to serve on the board and options for Cordelia to continue as a fire district spurred a response from director Carl Hakenen about the “robust” reference.
“I’m not sure what other kinds of plans there are,” he said.
Directors also cited what they said were errors in the grand jury report about the fire district.
Three board members were appointed in recent years – not the four the grand jury said – and the November ballot is expected to include two board positions, not three, directors noted.
Directors are expected to take up the grand jury response again when they meet July 12.
June 29, 2016
Fairfield Daily Republic
Ryan McCarthy
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