Marin, Ross Valley Fire Departments Propose Some Shared Services

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Marin County and Ross Valley fire departments have proposed joining forces for executive management and other administrative support services. The proposed agreement is going before the Marin County Board of Supervisors for approval on July 31.

The Ross Valley Fire Department has been exploring a shared-services option since the retirement of their chief last fall, according to the county. Former Chief Roger Meagor has served as part-time acting chief since August 2017.

Marin County Fire Chief Jason Weber presented a plan to assist the Ross Valley Department by contracting for administrative and executive-level management services. The Ross Valley Fire Department's Board of Directors approved the agreement during its July 11 meeting, according to the county.

Marin County Fire Department will bring a draft memorandum of understanding to the Board of Supervisors on July 31. In the first year of the five-year agreement, Ross Valley Fire would pay the county $295,583, and Weber would serve as chief for both departments, according to the county.

Weber plans to ask for the board's approval to create an executive-level position to help manage both agencies, according to the county. In addition to providing executive management to both departments, the memorandum of understanding would align the two agencies and reduce duplication of services by unifying the emergency medical services, fire prevention, training programs and facilities management.

"This works out very well for both fire departments and makes sense economically, the more sharing agencies can do the better and more efficiently we can serve our communities," Meagor and Weber said in a joint statement. "The changes should be seamless for the communities being served. Ross Valley Fire would still be Ross Valley Fire. The only difference financially would be that Ross Valley would share a portion of the costs for Marin County Fire's administrative services in return for increased administrative and executive management support."

The Ross Valley Fire Department has four stations, 33 personnel and a $10.6 million annual budget, serving the communities of Ross, San Anselmo, Fairfax and Sleepy Hollow, according to the county. The Marin County Fire Department has six stations, two lookout stations, 190 personnel – including 90 seasonal firefighters – and a $26.5 million annual budget. The two agencies also support volunteer firefighter and explorer programs.

If the board approves the memorandum of understanding, the arrangement would be put into place starting Aug. 1.

Image via County of Marin