Board approves temporary governance steps for three fire protection districts; motion passes 4-1 amid calls for broader community oversight

The Solano County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the boards of directors for the Montezuma, Suisun and Vacaville Fire Protection Districts, approved a set of interim governance and operational measures aimed at stabilizing the three dependent districts and preparing them for reorganization. The board voted 4-1; Supervisor Williams cast the lone no vote.

The actions approved included: adopting a supplemental policy document to align procurement, purchasing thresholds and other operational policies across the three districts; delegating authority to the interim district administrator to appoint an interim fire chief for continuity of operations; delegating authority to the district administrator to approve emergency purchases of up to $250,000 and provide concurrence on certain personnel decisions; adopting resolutions establishing a 14-day work period for Fair Labor Standards Act compliance; and initiating annual financial audits for the districts (with a corrected scope for Vacaville's prior audits).

Nancy Nelson, senior management analyst in the county administrator's office, told the board the supplemental policy document is intended to create consistent rules while the districts move toward consolidation and a unified command structure. "The supplemental policy document is intended to align policies between the 3 districts as they work toward consolidation and a unified command," she said during the presentation.

Staff asked the board to authorize the county administrator to act as the districts' interim district administrator for operational continuity; board members asked staff to change the written reference to reflect the districts' status and the board agreed to an amended phrasing, directing authority to an interim "district administrator." The board also authorized the county administrator to exercise delegated emergency purchasing authority for urgent needs and to provide concurrence on certain personnel matters while the reorganization proceeds.

The fire districts presented recent activity and statistics to the board. Montezuma and Suisun described vegetation management, burn permits and public-education efforts; Vacaville described training, grants for extrication equipment and technology upgrades to improve dispatch and reporting.

During public comment residents from unincorporated areas emphasized response-time concerns and asked the board to ensure rural stations remain staffed. Supervisors and chiefs acknowledged those concerns and said the board intends to proceed with community input. Supervisor Mashburn announced an ad hoc supervisory committee (Mashburn and Vasquez) to work with staff and the districts on the transition and to provide an accessible point of contact for stakeholders.

The board also asked staff to continue the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) application work and to return with details of commissioner appointments and a proposed timeline for consolidating services. The board requested staff provide background materials and recommended candidate information when appointments or interim chief selections are proposed.

The motion passed 4-1. Supervisors voted as follows: John Mashburn, yes; Supervisor James, yes; Supervisor Brown, yes; Supervisor Vasquez, yes; Supervisor Williams, no. The board directed staff to coordinate audit work, LAFCO application steps, and to provide regular updates on operational consolidation and staffing.