Kings County staff outline costs, risks and options in Avenal fire-services study session

Kings County administrative staff and the county fire chief detailed operations, legal constraints and finances for fire protection in the City of Avenal during a board study session July 1, 2025. The presentation reviewed the historic subsidy the county has provided Avenal, the mechanics of the county’s property-tax “credit,” and operational limits on mutual- and automatic-aid agreements.

The county’s chief administrative officer, Carrie Martinez, said the county has continued to provide fire protection for Avenal since the most recent contract expired June 30, 2024, and that the county has provided Avenal $425,000 so far for the out-of-contract year. "Throughout all the contracts, the city of Avenal has been subsidized from the county," Martinez told the board, and staff offered a proposed four-year contract that would apply the county property-tax credit while eliminating the county subsidy after the current retroactive year.

Why this matters: the session turned into an extended public conversation about whether Avenal should remain with Kings County Fire or establish its own municipal department. County staff argued the county’s long-run cost structure and state rules limit the county’s ability to absorb growing personnel and retirement costs; city officials and residents said local control and a new sales-tax measure (Measure A) are intended to improve local services and fiscal stability.

County presentation and legal/operational limits

Alex C. Walker of county administration and County Fire Chief John Chamberlain walked the board through legal and operational constraints. Walker summarized the county’s revenue mix and explained how a portion of county property-tax receipts has been applied as a policy-level credit to Avenal under a standing tax-share practice. Walker said that tax-share…