Crazy contract

By Mountain Democrat
From page A4 | February 20, 2012 | 11 Comments

Feb. 10 we published a lengthy summary of a report on consolidation of two fire districts — Garden Valley and Georgetown.

The report was presented to the Garden Valley Fire Protection District board Jan. 18. It was the culmination of meetings of a committee of the two boards that began in September 2010.

The committee met with the Local Agency Formation Commission in March 2010. Its most recent meeting with county staff was Dec. 12, 2011.

Among the conclusions of the Jan. 18 report is this: "Consolidation will not save any money. It allows that available monies are spent better by eliminating redundancy, duplication, and providing the ability to streamline some service methods."

Forget that statement is internally contradictory. What is key here is the efficiencies that would be achieved by consolidation of the two neighboring fire departments. The report noted that Garden Valley is going to have to cut its staff 50 percent and Georgetown is in a similar situation.

Bearing that in mind and the timeline listed above, we have to conclude the effort behind the report was largely a sham. Someone was, as the Indians would say to the Lone Ranger, "speaking with forked tongue."

Only two months after the merger committee started meeting the Garden Valley fire board signed a 10-year contract with its chief that included the following clause:

"In the event the Garden Valley Fire Protection District should consolidate with another fire protection district or enter into a contract for services the chief shall have property rights to the position the chief holds at such time. The chief shall not be replaced by the consolidating agency or contract for services in the position of chief of Garden Valley Fire Protection District except as agreed to by the chief."

That's a poison pill for consolidation. Why did the Garden Valley fire board keep up the pretense of meeting and studying consolidation when it had a crazy contract like this?

And who gets a 10-year contract? The board members only have four-year contracts with the voters. County counsel only has a four-year contract with the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors. Ten years? That's insane.

Crazier still is the board can't fire the chief for cause unless there is a unanimous vote. The board members who agreed to that contract and tied up future boards for 10 years were either asleep at the switch or incompetent.

Not only is the chief locked in with a 10-year no-cut contract that rules out consolidation, but his $86,336 annual salary is automatically boosted every year by the San Francisco-San Jose annual Cost of Living Index — minimum of 2 percent and maximum of 4 percent, according to the contract. For 2011 the SF-Oakland-San Jose CPI was 2.9 percent. Had the contract specified the California CPI it would have been 2.6 percent. On top of this the contract allows for merit increases.

The board members should slap their foreheads and say, "I coulda had a V-8." or more appropriately, "I coulda had an at-will contact with no automatic escalator to the chief's 3 percent at age 50 retirement plan."

The Georgetown Fire Protection District board was more judicious. Even though they were not clever enough to get anything shorter than a 10-year contract, they did have a clause that said the chief "serves at the pleasure of the board." Though it will require unanimous displeasurement to discharge the chief.

Georgetown also did not throw a monkey wrench into consolidation like Garden Valley. The Georgetown chief's contract states, "The district agrees to allow the employee to apply for and be given consideration for any vacated or newly created position in the event the district reorganizes with other public safety agencies."

Georgetown clearly has a more astute board and a chief more concerned about public service than personal enrichment. Georgetown's contract with its chief is three pages, while Garden Valley's is 14 pages.

We wonder if all the Garden Valley board members read every page of the chief's contract. It sure doesn't look like they knew what they were doing.

Mountain Democrat

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Discussion | 11 comments

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RetiredFebruary 18, 2012 - 7:46 am
You have to be kidding! A ten year contract, for that guy! What people don't realize is that a fire department that small that runs fewer than two calls a day doesn't need a guy making almost 90k plus 30k in additional costs?? All these rural chiefs spend time and money to go to a bunch of useless meetings that get nothing accomplished. Those two departments could have gotten rid of one chief and saved well over 120k per year. That probably would keep one or two firefighters on. As a tax payer who lives in this area, I'd rather see an engine with two bodies show up to my house verses an out of shape old guy in a pickup truck. As long as you have many small district chiefs, you will never see a consolidation because these guys only care about themselves, not the citizens and certainly not their staff. Ten year contract, what a joke.
Michael TarleckiFebruary 18, 2012 - 12:45 pm
"Fewer than two calls a day"?..... You don't live in GV....that's for sure.
TontoFebruary 18, 2012 - 8:36 am
The facts speak for themselves, the chief secured his contract and to hell with anyone who tries to remove him without paying for it and to put in place a ten year contract is a great insurance policy that he built in. Review and search the legal options available and dump the contract and put the "Service" back into play.
Michael TarleckiFebruary 18, 2012 - 12:52 pm
This "Consolidation" rant has gone on for better than 10-yrs. Let me ask "Retired" and "Tonto": If you are in a boating accident and they pull you to the shore along "Ice House Road"... You are bleeding, and you need aid ASP..... Are you willing to wait for the Garden Valley FPD responders who are 10-more miles away? Helicopter you say? Helicopter isn't always available... Georgetown FD has a Motorcycle accident to respond to EVERY WEEKEND! Consolidation looks good on Jack Sweeney's desk....but to the people laying on the ground.... It's STUPID.
RetiredFebruary 18, 2012 - 8:13 pm
As a retired battalion chief I can say after lookin at your run statistics.... It is less than two calls a day. And micheal, your statement makes no since as El Dorado County Fire serves that area and regardless of whose district the call is in.....it's closest resource that goes in addition to responsible agency. You guys have no clue what you are talking about and I stand behind my opinion, this county needs one fire department that is well trained not 14 hodge podge ones, ten year contract is a joke and never in my 27 years on the job have I even heard of it.
Michael TarleckiFebruary 19, 2012 - 4:30 pm
According to the Gerogetown Log... they respond to motorcycle accidents almost every weekend.... Just going by their records...
TinkerbellFebruary 18, 2012 - 9:02 pm
Amen, "Retired". It is time for a a county wide department, much like Sac Metro Fire". Giving these Chief's 10 years contracts is just plain stupid. I am sick and tired of hearing these small districts complain about the "Aide to Fire Monies" being taken away. I think it is about time to look at what the Chief's make plus benefits. And Michael, you need to do your homework; El Dorado County Fire covers Ice House, not Georgetown. Another important fact, not one department in this county does it alone, not a single one. Everyone jumps in to help neighboring districts, this is a fact that has been going on for years. These prima donna Chief's don't want to give up their kingdoms.
Merger SupporterFebruary 19, 2012 - 6:52 am
A ten year contract for a 59 year old man. Did this gentleman have a physical when he was hired? I really question the true motive in the contract? Garden Valley and Georgetown have been discussing merging for years is true, but LAFCO or the board of supervisors needs to force it or it is not going to happen. Garden Valley has about 600 calls per year. Each call get the response of CalFire (their station is right down the street from GV's) and the closest ambulance weather from Georgetown or not. CalFire has 24 hour staffing with an engine of 3 Firefighters and the ambulance has 2 firefighter/Paramedics, Garden Valley response with now only one firefighter plus volunteers. This present chief had publicly expressed his wanting to take this department 100% professional when he first started, he failed and needs to increase the volunteer base to provide the level of service previously held prior to his hiring. So do you really feel that a 10 year contract was in the best interest of the taxpayers of Garden Valley? This gentleman will be 69 at the end of his contract.
Joe BfnlFebruary 20, 2012 - 1:12 pm
Some bad info here. CAL FIRE Garden Valley Station is only staffed during fire season and it is not unusual for both engines from that station to be gone and a cover engine from who knows where in place. Also, not only has he failed to increase the volunteer base, he actually drove off some career firefighters that were volunteers. Also the "poison pill" makes me wonder at the reality of the alleged reasons for not going with the county or a CAL FIRE contract.
TontoFebruary 19, 2012 - 8:48 am
Contracts were always year by year and "At Will" status kept the FD running well, this is a contract that only benefits one and does nothing for the citizens who the FD are supposed to protect. Self serving at the least and should be done away with and the merger should take place as soon as possible before the budget cuts take away any protection we may have for our homes.
taxpayerFebruary 21, 2012 - 6:50 am
Go to www.gardenvalleyfire.com and read about this corrupt fire department.