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Los Osos board adopts 2024–25 budget but withholds disputed county overhead on Fire Schedule A
Summary
The Los Osos Community Services District approved its 2024–25 final budget but excluded a disputed 4.71% countywide overhead charge tied to the Fire Schedule A contract and directed staff to continue talks with the county.
The Los Osos Community Services District board voted to adopt its fiscal year 2024–25 budget on a motion that excluded the countywide overhead charge applied to Fund 301 (Fire Schedule A).
Staff presented the final budget after a preliminary review at the May 2 meeting, noting main cost pressures from cost‑of‑living adjustments, employee benefits and the upcoming November election. The presentation outlined changes across funds, including an increase in Schedule A costs for fire services to about $2.8 million — roughly a 10.5% increase from last year — driven primarily by labor and shift‑schedule changes.
The staff report said the district had added about $34,000 for personal protective equipment (a decennial turnout replacement requirement), and an $1,300 increase in oxygen supply line items (from $500 to $1,800). For the water enterprise, staff included a $22,000 variable frequency drive to extend pump life at the 10th Street well.
On Schedule A, staff recommended the board approve the contract amount but not the countywide 4.71% overhead charge, which the district is disputing. The board approved Resolution 20245 adopting the final budget “with the exception of Fund 301 Schedule A countywide overhead charge” and directed staff to continue negotiating with the county on the overhead and related County Fire contract concerns.
A roll‑call vote recorded all voting directors as "yes". The motion’s text and the vote were recorded in the meeting minutes; the board also agreed to agendize a focused discussion of drainage funding and capital planning in an upcoming utility advisory committee meeting.
The board flagged a large drainage project in the Cabrillo Basin as a significant upcoming capital need and discussed potential FEMA reimbursement and other grant sources to reduce the district’s net cost.
The budget approval enables staff to proceed with operations and the work plan but leaves one outstanding contractual charge for further negotiation with the county.
