Kings County amends Avenal fire-services contract, extends termination notice to one year

The Kings County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 12 approved an agreement with the city of Avenal for county-provided fire and emergency services retroactive to July 1, 2024, through July 1, 2028, and amended the contract to require one yearwritten notice before termination.

The change to the termination clause came after extended discussion among supervisors, the countyadministration and the fire chief about the operational and personnel impacts of a shorter notice period. County administrative officer Kerri Martinez told the board the agreement covers services the county has been providing since the prior contract expired and that the earlier contract had produced escalating costs; she said the countywas asking the board to approve the new multiyear agreement retroactively to cover expenses already incurred.

The boardheard from Kings County Fire Chief John Chamberlin, who described the departmentcurrent operational posture in Avenal. Chamberlin said the department continues to staff the city on a full-time basis, and that a longer notice period would reduce the risk of sudden staffing disruptions or forced reorganizations that could produce layoffs or service gaps. "If I had to look at it in a 6-month capacity, could I make it work? I would say we could probably make it work," Chamberlin said. "But that is not optimal."

The contract documents presented at the meeting show year-by-year amounts the county will charge Avenal. Martinez told the board the contract cost increased over recent years and cited a prior multi-year total of about $3.8 million. For the previous fiscal year she said the contract amount was $450,000; for the current fiscal year (starting July 1) the document lists $1,906,310 (about $91,000 per month); fiscal year 2026 is shown as $1,100,000 (approximately $93,000 per month), and fiscal year 2027-28 as $1,156,236.

Several Avenal residents and community members addressed the board during the agenda item. Resident Sheila Verdugo said many in Avenal were anxious about losing county fire coverage and said the dispute had created political tensions in her city. Ginger Wallace, who identified herself as representing Avenal community interests, told supervisors she supported county firefighters and said the city mayor had made inaccurate public statements about the department's handling of an emergency.

Board members expressed concern that a six-month termination clause could leave county firefighters and the county budget exposed if Avenal gave short notice. One supervisor described community agitation in Avenal, including a recall campaign against city council members, and urged a longer notice period to give time for staffing adjustments and budget planning. Another supervisor proposed a compromise that would add an earlier "intent to withdraw" milestone and additional reporting requirements; the maker of the main motion accepted a friendly amendment to lengthen the required notice to one year and include an early-notice milestone.

With the amended language in the contract, the board voted in favor of approving the agreement. The clerk called the roll and recorded the measure as approved; the board voted in favor, with the final roll call recorded as unanimous.

The county attorney and the Avenal city council previously reviewed the agreement; county staff said the city council had already approved the version that the county received. County staff will finalize the amended contract language, obtain signatures and forward the signed document to the city.

The approval means Kings County Fire Department will continue providing the services listed in the agreement under the amended termination terms, and the fire chief said the department will continue to staff daily with a captain and an engineer until directed otherwise by the board or county administration.

The contract allows either party to terminate with the agreed written notice; the boardadded a reporting and early-notice milestone to give both jurisdictions more lead time to plan for continuity of emergency services.