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Council discusses possible joint session with Moraga and MOFD to clarify wildfire roles and coordination
Summary
City staff and Council Member Hawky proposed a joint meeting with the Town of Moraga and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD) to reduce duplication among chipper programs, grant efforts (FSMO), outreach and enforcement; council asked staff to develop 2x2 topics and return with proposals for a future workshop.
Council members debated whether to hold a formal joint meeting with the Town of Moraga and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District to align wildfire preparedness, outreach, assistance programs and enforcement procedures.
City Manager Linda Smith and Council Member Hawky described strengthened staff-level coordination with MOFD (monthly staff meetings and twice-weekly chief-level calls) and a 2x2 subcommittee that has worked on defensible-space standards, evacuation modeling and fuel mitigation grants. Hawky argued the full council should review overlaps, particularly around chipper scheduling, grant funding to local nonprofit Fires Safe Moraga-Orinda (FSMO), and senior residents' difficulties complying with MOFD citations.
Why it matters: Multiple organizations (city, MOFD, FSMO, SSTOC) run or fund wildfire-related programs that can overlap. Council Member Hawky and some residents said clearer alignment and a joint conversation could reduce duplication and ease compliance for vulnerable residents.
Council response and next steps: Some council members suggested an incremental approach: ask the 2x2 (two Arinda council members and two MOFD board members) to compile a focused list of topics and request MOFD chief-level briefing slides (call volumes, capital projects, fuel-break status, outreach activities). The council directed staff to raise the discussion at the next 2x2 and then schedule a one-hour council workshop if the 2x2 and MOFD supported a broader joint meeting; staff was also asked to report back on FSMO grant coordination and chipper-program overlaps.
Ending: The council did not set a date for a joint session but asked staff to coordinate with MOFD and Moraga and to return with 2x2 outcomes and a proposed workshop scope.
