Fire spat ignites strong words

But Belmont Councilwoman Coralin Feierbach, who helped put the joint powers authority back together four years ago, said Monday’s decision whether to send the dissolution letter is the make-or-break moment.

"If they go through with this, I for one will never reconsider them again,” Feierbach said. "Once they send the letter, there is no more kiss and make up.”

San Carlos Councilman Matt Grocott, who was also part of the JPA reconstruction, also believes the council must think long and hard before agreeing Monday to approve a notice to dissolve the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department.

"If we send that letter, it’s over,” he said.

But Grocott may be alone in thinking Monday’s outcome could prove a draconian point of no return.

Both San Carlos Mayor Randy Royce and Councilman Andy Klein, who currently represents his city on the fire JPA board with Councilman Omar Ahmad, see it as a starting point to either work with Belmont, try a regional approach that could also include Belmont or find a better financial arrangement with a different agency like Cal Fire.

"It just starts the ticker going. There is no secret we’re looking at options,” Royce said.

Royce sees the decision whether to send a letter as actually beneficial to its partner.

"We do need to let them know we are in a serious situation,” Royce said.

Feierbach sees it slightly differently, albeit with the same outcome.

"I wish they’d just make up their mind but consider what’s going to happen to all the firefighters,” Feierbach said.

Royce and Klein say they are considering the firefighters, as well as the residents and financial well-being of San Carlos.

Outsourcing

The city is looking at outsourcing its parks maintenance and police services as ways to cut costs in addition to potential fire service changes. The proposals have stirred up strong opinions in the city as residents debated what should be kept in-house and other options for filling a $3.5 million budget deficit.

So far, only the Sheriff’s Office has submitted a proposal to San Carlos for police. The Redwood City Council on Monday is scheduled to authorize its city manager to prepare and submit a proposal too.

Changing fire service in San Carlos is a bit more complicated than simply culling proposals and voting to outsource. The agreement with Belmont requires an 18-month notice to dismantle the JPA although both parties could agree to end the relationship sooner.

A change in formula

The suggestion to dissolve the JPA first arose last year when then-mayor Bob Grassilli asked that the current funding formula in which San Carlos pays more be revamped. Assessed value for property in San Carlos has jumped, leaving the city paying even more. Grassilli wanted the criteria changed to 35 percent each for stations and calls and 15 percent each for population and assessed valuation.

The San Carlos City Council agreed to ask for the change which could have saved an extra $120,000 a year but in January the Belmont City Council, acting as the Belmont Fire Protection District, voted 4-0 to keep the evenly-weighted formula in place for funding the approximately $12 million budget.

With the idea scrapped, many on the San Carlos City Council said it was time to look at other options that might prove more financially beneficial. Grocott was against the idea even then and through recent budget study session stood his ground more firmly.

But Klein said Grocott is "100 percent” wrong to think simply sending the dissolution letter will stymie working with Belmont.

"Belmont sent the notice last time and they have a great deal now. This just changes the conversation and is the only way to get Belmont to talk to us,” Klein said.

A tumultuous past

Belmont and San Carlos have a tumultuous past, culminating in the former seeking to dissolve the former JPA, the South County Fire Authority, in December 2004.

Rather than end a 27-year relationship, the two cities ultimately opted during the 18-month separation process to stay together with the equally weighted funding formulas and a new name.

Klein said the same could happen again.

"We have a new agreement because of bad blood,” he said.

That said, Klein is also very open-minded about a potential agreement with the state fire service or any other neighboring jurisdiction. He and Royce are also excited about an upcoming meeting of fire chiefs called by Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman which they believe could lead to a regional fire agency.

Grocott also likes the idea of a multi-city approach, saying that if more cities join the current JPA reworking the funding formula for two cities is moot.

"Quite frankly, I don’t know why we want a better deal with Belmont. The direction we should be going to expand the JPA with another city or two or three. Then we don’t have to worry about the formula,” Grocott said.

‘Risky’ letter

By sending the letter to Belmont, however, Grocott believes the city is risking its ability to continue working with the city and ultimately to retain firefighters worried about job stability.

"We are putting the public at risk,” he said.

Like Feierbach, Grocott believes the letter is turning the city’s back on the hard work to rebuild the JPA and that the emotional and political aspects will overtake the technical aspects.

Grocott, who no longer represents San Carlos on the fire board, said his colleagues and even city staff may lack the experience needed to see the bigger picture. Feierbach, who also does not sit on the board currently, agreed and wondered what happens to equipment and grants if the two sides divorce.

"This costs both sides money each time. It’s not just as easy as saying we don’t want to be with you anymore,” she said.

But Royce said Belmont is in a different position that San Carlos, funding their share with surplus in its special district. Working with the existing city is always best, he said, but the reality is that something needs to change.

"The JPA works well in all areas except affordability,” Royce said.

The San Carlos City Council meets 7 p.m. Monday, April 12 at City Hall, 600 Elm St., San Carlos

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.