The Solano County Board of Supervisors voted 5‑0 on Oct. 28 to begin the process of revoking the Solano Emergency Medical Services Cooperatives (SCMSC) designation as the countys local emergency medical services agency (LEMSA) and to transition the cooperative into an advisory role.

County EMS staff presented the SCMSCs history and duties: formed in 1996 as a joint‑powers agency under Government Code 6500, SCMSC has managed emergency medical services oversight, coordinated public‑private ambulance partnerships and administered contracts and specialty‑care programs. Staff also briefed the board on an active request for proposals (RFP) to award an exclusive operating area (EOA) ambulance contract; two proposals had been submitted by the Oct. 10 deadline.

The board heard a mix of views. Fairfield Fire Chief John Sturdy urged continuity and fairness in the procurement process. Medic Ambulances president, Jim Pearson, urged the board to avoid disrupting a transparent RFP process and warned that changing governance mid‑procurement risked protests or litigation. The city of Fairfields counsel and other city representatives requested that the procurement proceed and advised caution about retroactive changes.

County counsel and staff explained that state law (Health & Safety Code section 1797.200) allows a board of supervisors to designate the countys LEMSA and that the board may change that designation. Several supervisors said the delegation of regulatory authority to a standing JPA raised perceived accountability and conflict‑of‑interest concerns when a JPA member could bid for a contract that SCMSC would otherwise oversee.

After extended discussion, the board voted to direct staff to draft an ordinance to amend county code to transfer LEMSA designation back to county governance, to reconstitute the cooperative as an emergency‑medical advisory committee, and to confirm with state EMSA that the pending RFP can continue unimpeded. The board explicitly left the RFP process to proceed while the legal and transition steps are completed.

Ending: County counsel will draft ordinance language and return with steps to transition SCMSC to an advisory body, and staff will confirm with state EMSA and report back on any implications for the ongoing ambulance RFP.