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Uploaded: Thursday, December 13, 2012, 3:24 PM
Contra Costa County to close 4 fire stations after voters reject parcel tax measure
Closures leave Walnut Creek with only three stations
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The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday evening to approve a plan to shutter four fire stations a month after voters rejected a parcel tax measure meant to prevent the closures.
The cost-saving service reduction plan drafted by Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Chief Daryl Louder comes a month after Measure Q, a $75 annual parcel tax designed to help close the district's $17 million budget deficit, failed to receive a two-thirds "super majority" vote.
Stations located at 700 Hawthorne Drive in Walnut Creek, at 6500 Center Ave. in Clayton, at 1240 Shell Ave. in Martinez and at 4007 Los Arabis Ave. in Lafayette are set to close in January. The Lafayette station has been temporarily closed since June.
Those stations were selected for closure based on their location, call volume and emergency risk factors in the surrounding communities, fire officials said.
The closures will leave Walnut Creek with only three stations, Martinez and Lafayette with just two each, and Clayton without any fire station.
"We know that with longer response times, we have increased safety concerns for the public and increased safety concerns for our firefighters,"
Louder said. "We will continue to monitor the impact, monitor response times and evaluate the situation."
Louder said the closures, while a drastic measure, are the only viable alternative available since the fire district has spent through its reserves after years of falling property tax revenue and soaring pension and health care costs.
The chief explained that the district's personnel have taken pay cuts and contributed more to their pension and health care costs in recent years, but have been unable to solve their fiscal dilemma.
The plan is expected to save the financially embattled district $3 million over the next six months, according to the chief. The district's
current annual budget is over $102 million.— Bay City News Service Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Danville Independent, a member of the San Ramon Valley High School community, on Dec 14, 2012 at 8:03 am ...and what are the Board of Supervisors doing about the outrageous pensions of the upper-end Fire retiree's? THAT'S the real reason for the closing a!!
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Posted by Julia, a resident of the Alamo neighborhood, on Dec 14, 2012 at 8:52 am As you and I know and the naive folds don't know....THE SUP'S ARE DOING NOTHING AS USUAL. But don't blame the Sup's...as I have said many times before...Just look in the mirror when you want to blame someone for a mismanagement.
If we the people keep feeding the starving beast, he/she will keep taking from you and never give you back anything.
Thanks for listening, Julia Pardini from Alamo
By the way, Danville Independent is very correct in what it said in their posted message.
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Posted by Gary, a resident of the San Ramon neighborhood, on Dec 14, 2012 at 3:42 pm Another prime example of kicking the can down the road. Closing these fire stations is a temporary fix. So, what are they going to do when the "outrageous pensions" (thanks, Danville Independent) catch up with them again? Close more stations? Will we end up with no fire stations while we continue to pay for the outrageous retirement benefits? That's where it seems to be headed. We will eventually have a volunteer fire department if we want to have one at all while we continue to pay through the nose.
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