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Board approves Deputy Fire Chief job, handbook updates and mutual‑aid reimbursement policy
Summary
Directors approved creation of a Deputy Fire Chief position with salary and benefits aligned to battalion chiefs, adopted an amended unrepresented employee handbook establishing overtime and a take‑home emergency vehicle for the role, and adopted a resolution authorizing mutual‑aid responses and reimbursement terms.
The board approved several personnel and policy changes that establish a new Deputy Fire Chief position and set terms for statewide mutual‑aid responses.
Directors adopted an amended unrepresented employee salary schedule effective July 1, 2024, that reflects prior authorization to increase salaries for fuels mitigation manager and fuels mitigation specialist roles and that creates a Deputy Fire Chief salary range set 10% above the battalion chief level. The board also approved an amended unrepresented employee handbook (effective Aug. 22, 2024) that adds the Deputy Fire Chief position and aligns retiree medical and dental benefits and a monthly uniform allowance ($80) with battalion chiefs.
The handbook authorizes a take‑home emergency vehicle assigned to the deputy chief for official business and describes on‑call procedures for emergency recall through dispatch; staff said take‑home vehicles are used so exempt 40‑hour employees can respond directly to incidents. Directors asked clarifying questions about vehicle type (staff said a Dodge 1500 or similar light‑duty pickup has been purchased), recall procedures and how holiday pay is recorded for exempt administrative personnel.
The board also adopted Resolution 24.11 to explicitly identify employees eligible to participate in the California mutual‑aid system and to set reimbursement terms: portal‑to‑portal pay for employee time, vehicle charges to reimburse the district, and a 23% administrative handling fee consistent with existing district practice when responding to incidents outside the district.
Why it matters: the changes formalize a senior operational role, clarify compensation and benefit parity, and ensure the district can recover costs when personnel and vehicles respond to statewide mutual‑aid incidents.
Next steps: staff will implement the amended handbook and salary schedule, assign the take‑home vehicle, and process the district’s participation documentation for mutual‑aid reimbursement.
