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Sheriff describes Deloro school scare; fire district unveils new engine and a proposed unified tax
Summary
Lt. Matt Hardcastle told the council a multi-hour security response cleared Deloro School after a threatening 911 call; investigators are reviewing whether the incident links to other hoax calls. South Placer Fire District officials also reported a new Pierce engine purchase and a proposal to consolidate fire taxes into a single $375 annual levy on the November ballot to stabilize district finances.
The Placer County Sheriff's lieutenant briefing at the Lumis Town Council meeting on May 12 described a multi-hour response to a Deloro School phone threat, and a separate presentation from the South Placer Fire District summarized equipment updates and a proposed unified tax measure.
Lieutenant Matt Hardcastle said the Deloro incident began with a phone call to the school that prompted an hours-long campus evacuation and command-post operations. "After four or five hours, we finally cleared the campus," he told the council, and added that investigators believe the call may be linked to a cluster of similar hoax calls in nearby jurisdictions, but the connection is not yet confirmed.
The sheriff also presented routine monthly statistics: the office reported 498 incidents in the month, 55 reports taken, about 150 traffic stops, 63 citations and 10 arrests; deputies assisted allied agencies 32 times. Outreach programs highlighted included an anti-drug "Right Choice" program at Lumis Grammar and a "Day with the Deputy" community event.
South Placer Fire District personnel reported station repairs at Station 20, completion of a new apparatus-bay door, and the purchase of a new Pierce fire engine with an expected four-year build time. Staff noted construction and equipment costs have increased significantly; the speaker said the price of a new engine has risen about 64% since before the COVID era, lengthening realistic replacement timelines.
To address long-term budget shortfalls, the fire district plans to submit coordinated ballot language that would repeal disparate local levies and replace them with a single districtwide fire tax proposed at $375 annually; staff explained that currently Lumis residents pay approximately $400 annually and other parts of the district pay different amounts, and the measure would apply a single rate across the district. District representatives said ordinance/resolution language will return to respective boards ahead of a submittal for the November ballot.
No formal council action was required on these agency reports; council thanked both agencies and asked staff to follow up on school-safety coordination and on providing materials explaining the proposed fire-tax timetable.
What happens next: investigators continue work on the Deloro incident; the fire district will finalize draft ballot materials and present ordinance language to its board and partner jurisdictions as required.
