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Fire Department report: budget concessions, new academy class, bond funds and equipment timelines
Summary
Acting Chief Mark Gonzales and Deputy Chief Ramona Williams updated the commission on recent budget negotiations (about $580,000 in agreed reductions), recruit academy graduations and new classes (48 graduated; 42-start class), and the passage of a health bond to fund an EMS headquarters and fleet purchases; timeline estimates placed major facilities work within a multi-year window.
Acting Chief Mark Gonzales briefed the commission on department business including the fiscal process, staffing and planned equipment orders.
Gonzales said the department negotiated roughly $580,000 in reductions with the budget analyst and preserved proposed positions and fleet priorities through agreement. Deputy Chief Ramona Williams said the department planned to order engines and ambulances in July (eight engines and nine ambulances in the near procurement schedule) and was negotiating fireboat valve repairs and delivery timelines.
On staffing and training, the department announced that the 100th/119th recruit class graduated June 9 with 48 recruits; the 100th/120th class began on June 20 with 42 recruits and will be augmented by 12 members from Station 49 on July 6. Williams said an offer had been made to an industrial hygienist who should start next month.
Commissioners also discussed the recent Proposition 8 health bond that passed with 79 percent approval; Vice President Cleveland noted an allocation of roughly $58 million for a new EMS headquarters. Assistant Deputy Chief Lombardi told the commission the conservative estimate when the bond was done was 2021 but that the department hoped to accelerate delivery and potentially complete the project by 2019, depending on design and procurement timelines.
Commissioners asked for further detail on crew assignments, Station 49 staffing and an updated strategic plan; the department agreed to provide demographic breakdowns of the incoming academy class and a final budget report showing add-backs and operating assumptions.
