By Ted Langdell, Yuba-Sutter.LIVE
The Linda Fire Protection District may grow to four stations, if an agreement to have Linda Fire annex the Marysville Fire Department into LFPD moves forward.
Marysville already contracts with Linda FPD for the services of Chief Kyle Heggstrom and a battalion chief. More staff would be added, if the annexation happens.
An annexation feasibility study is part of the Marysville City Council meeting this Tuesday.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Linda Fire Protection District (“Linda FPD”) and the City of Marysville (“City”) are interested in reorganizing and annexing fire services provided by the Marysville Fire Department (“Marysville FD”) into the Linda FPD. This new organization would combine staff, facilities, governing bodies, and spheres of influence (“SOI”). Specifically, the reorganization would annex the service area and SOI of the fire services currently provided by the City into Linda FPD. At the same time, the annexation would end fire service operations provided by the City.
Linda FPD and the City have a history of efficiently sharing fire department resources, programs, and processes to improve services and minimize duplication to the communities they serve. The two agencies currently operate the fire departments under a contract for shared administrative services.
Under the contract Linda FPD staff provides the City with day-to-day office and administrative operations including managing Marysville FD staff, managing and processing incoming and outgoing Marysville FD correspondence, approving Marysville FD related expenditures, properly authoring and submitting Marysville Fire related City Council staff reports and related material, as well as maintaining appropriate records related to City Council meetings. The Linda FPD’s Fire Chief is primarily responsible for ensuring these administrative tasks are accomplished. Results have increased organizational efficiency, realized cost savings and cost avoidance, enhanced both community members and firefighters’ safety, as well as adding organization depth and important operational resiliency.
It is anticipated that this proposed annexation will result in service improvements to constituents of both agencies, including:
• Formally merging the management resources of both agencies will eliminate unnecessary redundancy to increase internal and external efficiency.
• One Fire Chief to focus on executive management and community connections.
• Improved career succession options for fire employees.
• Consolidated new hire recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Larger pool of employees to cover shifts in the event of leave, participation on strike teams, training, and sick time.
• Consolidation of business practices, software systems, and office support positions which are the backbone of the organizations.
o For example, combining software platforms can create annual license/support savings.
• One governing body to set policy and make decisions based on the best interests of the combined communities.
This report addresses topics related to the annexation and is written to support the evaluation and decision making for staff and governing bodies for both agencies. If the proposed annexation is approved by both the Linda FPD Board and the Marysville City Council, the report is also designed to guide the agencies in the annexation application process with Yuba County LAFCO. The report follows local LAFCO guidelines for evaluating services and SOI. Finally, this report serves as an outside independent analysis of the two agencies, and an assessment of key financial, facility, and performance indicators of a combined agency.
Acceptance of a feasibility study is on the consent calendar. The 43 page document is referred to in the staff report but not attached, for some reason.
We’ve uploaded both the Staff Report and the Feasibility Study here. Click on “Download” to read more easily.
The complete council agenda and link to the staff report is here:
https://marysvilleca.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=296
The Tuesday agenda includes approval and adoption of the General Plan 2050.
