California City Council Seeks Proposal from Kern County Fire for Interim Services; Motion Passes Unanimously

The City Council voted Oct. 28 to request a formal proposal from Kern County Fire to provide interim fire services to California City and to proceed with a temporary agreement process. Councilmembers said the step is being pursued because the city is in a financial crisis and the council wants to ensure continuity of fire and emergency services.

Staff described the draft agreement as an interim, cancellable arrangement with short-notice termination options (10- and 30-day provisions) and noted that the arrangement would require consent of the mayor and council. The city manager said Kern County Fire was receptive to the concept.

During public comment several residents urged reinstatement of the suspended public safety director who had been acting as both police and fire chief at times; others urged the council to consider the county proposal to avoid service disruptions. Acting Director of Public Safety Shannon Hayes was publicly thanked by staff for his on-call response work and leadership during the transition period.

Council Member Smith made the motion to approve the staff-recommended resolution (listed in the record as resolution 25-3180) and cited long-term financial instability and the need to explore alternative service-delivery models. The motion was seconded and passed on a roll-call vote with Council Member Clark, Council Member Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Creighton and Mayor Hawkins voting yes.

The council asked staff to seek a formal written proposal from Kern County Fire and scheduled any further discussions or a special meeting as necessary to review the county’s offer. Staff recorded follow-up tasks to return the proposal for council review and to continue to coordinate with the city’s public-safety leadership.