Board authorizes annexation payment and tax base exchange for Diamond Springs‑El Dorado Fire annexation

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Nov. 4 a resolution authorizing the exchange of property tax base and a one‑time payment of $400,000 to the El Dorado County Fire Protection District as part of the annexation of the Diamond Springs‑El Dorado Fire Protection District.

Allison Winter of the Chief Administrative Office explained the annexation arrangement: upon completion, Diamond Springs‑El Dorado Fire’s base and increment will transfer to El Dorado County Fire. The $400,000 payment is intended to cover administrative transition costs — LAFCO fees, studies, policies and other items needed to align the districts and start the annexed area on a consolidated service footing.

Speakers from local fire organizations, including the El Dorado County Professional Firefighters Association, urged the board to adopt the annexation, saying consolidation will improve regional response, staffing flexibility and long‑term sustainability. Fire representatives told the board the annexation had been under negotiation for several years and that staff at both agencies had worked to reach a final agreement.

Board members thanked the fire chiefs and staff and approved the resolutions confirming the tax‑base exchange and the budget transfer to fund the one‑time payment. The motions passed 5–0.

The board and the fire districts said they expect operational and policy alignment work to continue after the annexation is finalized, with the payment intended to support that transitional work.

Direct quotations and attributions come from the Nov. 4 meeting record.