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Commission weighs $20–30K fire‑department strategic plan; some commissioners worry about follow‑through
Summary
The fire chief requested funds to hire an outside consultant for a five‑year strategic plan; commissioners supported the idea of an independent review but one commissioner objected to spending in the current year, leaving the item in the budget for potential next‑year action.
The commission discussed a proposed outside strategic plan for the fire department and whether to fund the work this budget cycle.
The fire chief described proposals to develop a five‑year strategic plan with community and internal input and said costs from three quotes ranged up to about $30,000. He said the plan would include benchmarks, a review of funding options and guidance for future capital and operational decisions.
Several commissioners said an outside, top‑down review could be a useful blueprint and help with long‑term planning and potential fee analyses. Commissioner Gail voiced concern about spending the money now and questioned whether the document would be followed or shelved; that commissioner preferred delaying the project to next year. The chief pledged the plan would be implemented and transitioned if leadership changes occurred.
Without formal vote, commissioners signaled consensus to leave the strategic‑plan line in the draft budget for the next year and to seek the lower‑cost option if possible. Staff agreed to revisit vendor proposals and to include follow‑up and implementation commitments as part of the procurement and plan deliverables.
