Los Altos Hills County Fire District Consolidation

On August 27th, 2020 the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Finance and Government Operations Committee (comprised of Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Dave Cortese) moved to bring the consolidation of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District (LAHCFD) to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors meeting on October 6, 2020. At the October 6, 2020 Board of Supervisor’s meeting, part of the Board’s action was to direct Administration to provide a report to the Board at their November 17, 2020 meeting with timelines and funding for comprehensive independent operational options study.  

    • Agenda Packet

      • At the December 2, 2020 Regular LAFCO Board Meeting, the Commission passed a motion for LAFCO staff to revise their service review work plan to prioritize the countywide fire service review which includes the Los Altos Hills County Fire District. The Commission also gave direction to LAFCO staff to prepare a draft request for proposals (RFP) for a professional services firm to conduct the countywide fire service review.

  • November 17, 2020 - Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting

    • Agenda Packet

      • The LAHCFD item 26. Under advisement from October 6, 2020 (Item No. 13): Receive report from Office of the County Executive relating to the initiation of a comprehensive review of fire services in the County of Santa Clara. (ID# 103327) 
    • UPDATE: As part of the Board of Supervisors consent calendar update, Supervisor Chavez requested that Item #26 (Receive report from Office of the County Executive relating to the initiation of a comprehensive review of fire services in the County of Santa Clara) be held until their December 15 meeting. Therefore, this item was continued to the December 15 agenda.  

  • October 6, 2020 - Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting

  • Video Recording of Meeting

  • Agenda Packet

  • Meeting Minutes (Items 13-18)

  • Update from Supervisor Simitian dated October 8, 2020

    In follow-up to your prior contact about the Los Altos Hills County Fire District, I wanted to provide you with an update following Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting. Many of you provided public comment during the meeting. Thank you for those efforts, as well as for your written public comment. The Board discussion was robust. In the end, the Board, by a vote of 4-1, tabled indefinitely the two items related to the delegation of authority to the LAHCFD and proposed consolidation of the district with Central Fire District. The Board approved an independent operational study and urged LAFCO to move up its already scheduled Countywide Fire Protection Service review. Combined these documents will provide the BOS with a comprehensive analysis of all options to coordinate fire prevention and fire protection efforts countywide. Of equal importance, the path approved by the BOS will ensure that there is robust outreach and public engagement moving forward.

    LAFCO met on October 7. Supervisor Ellenberg, who is a member of LAFCO, asked that the reprioritization of the scheduled service reviews be agendized at the December 2, 2020 meeting. More information about LAFCO, meeting agendas, can be found at its website: https://santaclaralafco.org/

    On the question of the independent operational study, the BOS directed staff to return at the November 17 BOS meeting with a proposed scope and process for the comprehensive study. The agenda for that meeting will be posted to the below website one week prior to the meeting: http://sccgov.iqm2.com/citizens/default.aspx?frame=no

    Again, thank you for your participation to date. Please continue to remain engaged in these important matters.

    Joe Simitian

  • Motion from Meeting:

    • The Board’s official motion, as recorded by the Board Clerk, is pending and it should be posted here by next week

    • Item 13

      • Receive report

    • Item 14 &15

      • Accept audits as described by Ms. Solov (LAHCFD audit R1.2 is moot and South County service zones addition)

    • Item 17

      • REMOVED

    • Item 16 & 18

      • Tabled indefinitely.

        LAHCFD provide monthly reports to both HLUET and FGOC, and to and through the Management Audit Division, through October 2021 on the implementation status of the audit recommendations. 

        LAHCFD provide access to any documents, including confidential, including any pending property transfers, to the Board of Supervisors. 

        County Counsel will bring to the BOS any proposed LAHCFD transactions that are of concern.

        BOS requests that LAFCO move the Countywide Fire Protection Service Review to first on the list of scheduled service reviews and provide an updated timeline.

        As part of LAFCO’s Countywide Fire Protection Service Review, the Board requests that recommendations related to consolidation of fire districts (from South County audit) be among those included in the final report.

        Authorize a comprehensive independent operational study of how to best organize and resource fire protection in Santa Clara County, including robust public engagement and outreach to all stakeholders. CEO report to the BOS at the November 17 meeting on proposed scope and process for the operational study

Written public comments may be submitted by email to: BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org 

For more information, please contact Deborah Padovan, City Clerk at dpadovan@losaltoshills.ca.gov or (650) 941-7222

Additional Information:

September 28, 2020 Memo from SCC Fire Chief to County Board of Supervisors

Don't be Swayed by the Fire District Ad in the Town Crier - Resident article by Neal Mielke

September 28, 2020 letter from LAH City Council to the SCC Board Of Supervisors

August 27, 2020 - Finance and Government Operations Committee Meeting (Agenda Packet and Video Recording) (Item 11)

Management Audit of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District (begins on page 174) - June 25th Meeting

Updated Response by the LAHCFD to the Management Audit Findings (begins on page 143) - August 27th Meeting

Management Audit of the South Santa Clara County Fire District (begins on page 357) - June 25th Meeting

Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors

Los Altos Hills County Fire District Website

Los Altos Town Crier Opinion Editorial (in opposition to consolidation)

Housing, Land Use, Environment, and Transportation Committee (HLUET) Meeting September 17, 2020

September 17th Los Altos Hills City Council Agenda - Item 7.B (Report by the Fire Audit Ad Hoc Committee and Recommended Action by the Town with Regard to the Proposed Consolidation of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District (Vice Mayor Tankha and Councilmember Corrigan))

September 30th Town Crier Article "Hills resident makes home fire prevention his mission" 

October 2, 2019 Town Crier Article "Wildfire protection plan offers safety tips for Los Altos Hills residents"

LAHCFD Article https://www.lahcfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Community-Wildfire-Protection-Plan-Article.pdf

Letter of Opposition from Call Fire 

Letter of Opposition from the Fire Union

Letter of Opposition from Palo Alto City Manager's Office

Letter of Opposition from past Los Altos Hills Mayors

Letter of Opposition from Morgan Hill

Resident Initiated Online Petition

petiton

CLICK HERE TO SIGN PETITION

September 17, 2020 City Council Meeting

Watch the video below to hear discussion on the following item:

Item 7. B - Report by the Fire Audit Ad Hoc Committee and Recommended Action by the Town with Regard to the Proposed Consolidation of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District

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