Board hears debate over Chester Gap staffing agreement, county funding split and proposal to shift staffing in‑house

County staff told the Board the Chester Gap Volunteer Fire Department serves a roughly 16.1‑square‑mile first‑due area with about 800 addresses and an estimated 2,100 residents and that funding follows a February 2016 automatic‑aid and financial agreement that guarantees a minimum contribution not to fall below $39,500.

Jerry (county staff) said Warren County’s current annual contribution for Chester Gap’s service area is $44,698. He said the current staffing program cost is $170,215 and noted the county reimburses Rappahannock County for 60% of workers’ compensation for staff placed under the agreement (last year about $7,989), producing a combined figure the packet listed as $222,902.

County staff traced the staffing arrangement’s origin to February 2020, when Chester Gap, Warren County and Rappahannock County used CARES Act funds to support temporary staffing after volunteer availability fell during the COVID‑19 pandemic; in February 2022 the arrangement moved into normal budget allocations. Staff said call‑share calculations show Chester Gap runs roughly 60% of its calls inside Warren County and that the historical funding split moved from 50/50 to a 60/40 split based on call distribution.

Chief Piatico of Chester Gap and Chief Brown of Rappahannock each spoke about operational realities and pay levels. Piatico said Chester Gap and Rappahannock have urged Warren County to increase its contribution so contractor pay aligns with neighboring Rappahannock’s rates (Rappahannock’s BLS $18/hr and ALS $30/hr). County staff and some supervisors said adopting those rates would raise the county’s staffing costs by two illustrative scenarios: matching current Warren County base rates would add about $37,178 to the staffing program; matching Rappahannock’s adopted contractor rates would increase the budgeted cost by about $85,013 (figures presented by staff as examples for board consideration).

Chief Brown and others argued the higher Rappahannock rates reflect a different staffing model and part‑time tenure that drives higher hourly pay; Brown did not ask Warren County to match Rappahannock’s rate, county staff said. Brown and Chester Gap leaders reaffirmed a mutual‑aid relationship and said they would continue to respond across jurisdictional lines as safety required.

Warren County Fire Chief (presenting staffing needs for the county) argued for a different approach: rather than match Rappahannock’s contractor pay, he urged the board to reallocate funds used for the Chester Gap staffing agreement to hire county personnel at Station 1. The chief said his request (he described nine total positions countywide) would include staffing Station 1 with ALS‑capable providers and that converting some of the current staffing allocation could obtain three of those positions; he argued the change would improve ALS coverage and oversight inside Warren County while acknowledging the arrangement with Chester Gap has been valuable.

Board members asked about cost recovery, how transport revenues are allocated today and whether changes would affect mutual aid. Staff explained current cost‑recovery receipts go to the entity that transports the patient; when Chester Gap transports into Warren County the department retains revenue for that transport. Staff also said any increase to the staffing program would require a budget amendment and clear board approval.

Why it matters: the discussion weighs three choices—continue the multi‑jurisdictional staffing agreement as budgeted, increase county funding to raise contractor wages, or move toward hiring county employees to staff ALS resources directly. Each option has tradeoffs for labor costs, benefits and mutual‑aid dynamics.

The board did not vote on a change at the meeting; staff said the matter will return for formal consideration, with a clear budget impact analysis.