Council to Discuss Future of Fire Department

With the separation of the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department inching closer, Belmont City Council will receive an update on the possibility of implementing a stand-alone fire department in the city on Tuesday night.

The presentation will feature design options and possible pay and compensation models.

There were three options presented at the Jan. 25 meeting concerning fire protection in Belmont. The first was to establish an independent fire department in Belmont; the second to contract a portion of the services to an outside agency, hoping to share control costs; and the third to contract the entirety of fire services to another city.

During that meeting the Board on the first option, to construct an independent fire department in Belmont.

Since that point Belmont has swayed momentarily, having carried on discussions with Redwood City concerning the possibility of sharing services. But city leaders eventually decided to move forward with the independent project, the focus now being redirected toward revenue capacity.

On May 24, city staff presented two work plans in order to move forward: the stand-alone approach, which would not save costs, and the public safety approach, which will include some cost-saving and is what the Board decided to pursue. 

The public safety approach is expanded upon in the Belmont Fire Protection District Organization Chart, which has budgeted 25 safety employees in Belmont: 15 firefighters, six fire captains, three battalion chiefs and a fire chief. The fire marshal and fire inspector will represent contracted positions.

It seems that now, the focus of the project has shifted to wages and expenditures. With the split from San Carlos effective Oct. 13, the staff has presented two options to the board concerning pay wages for the stand-alone Belmont Fire Department.

In the Belmont Fire Protection District Staff Report for Tuesday's meeting, the first of those two pay options is described as "one that is affordable to the Belmont Fire Protection District while still providing a competitive salary and benefits package to a highly skilled work force."

Most recently, on June 16, it was revealed that Doug Fry, former BSCFD Fire Chief, will serve as for the Belmont Fire Department.

Tuesday, the Board will receive further updates on salary and benefits plans, as well as the implementation schedule for the Belmont Fire Department.

The City Council meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, located at 1 Twin Pines Lane in Belmont.