Sonoma Valley 630 2 Street West Fire & Rescue Authority Form

Instructions and help about Sonoma Valley 630 2 Street West Fire & Rescue Authority

WELCOME BACK. I'M BRIAN HACKNEY IN THE NEWSROOM. SONOMA COUNTY WILL CONSOLIDATE ITS FIREFIGHTING SERVICES, HELPING TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT. MOTION TO COMBINE 29 DEPARTMENTS ACROSS NINE CITIES, DOWN TO 18 FIRE DEPARTMENTS. THERE WILL ALSO BE SIX MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS AND 12 FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. MOST OF THE COUNTY'S SMALLER FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE SHORT STAFFED AND UNDERFUNDED, AND THE GOAL HERE IS TO REDUCE OVERHEAD COSTS AND TO COORDINATE FIREFIGHTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY. MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER, THAT WE ARE NOT A BUNCH OF FIEFDOMS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE THE MONEY THEY NEED, SOME OF WHICH DON'T. LET'S KEEP GOING IN THIS DIRECTION WHERE WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY STILL NEEDS TO NEGOTIATE AGREEMENTS AMONG THE FIRE AGENCIES. THEY ARE PLANNING TO USE MONEY FROM BOTH SALES AND HOTEL TAXES TO HELP COVER UP TO $8 MILLION IN CONSOLIDATION COST. THE BOARD IS ALSO WORKING ON A