Salida fire district board looks to hire a full-time chief. But can the district afford it?

The Salida Fire Protection District is preparing to recruit for a full-time fire chief and will need to find additional revenue to cover the salary and benefits.

District board members approved a job description Thursday evening and have yet to start a four-month recruitment for the chief’s position. When salary and benefits are included, the fire district serving the unincorporated communities of Salida and Del Rio is expected to pay as much as $200,000 annually to fund the position.

Salida had a part-time chief, costing $25,000 a year, before former Stanislaus County Fire Warden Dale Skiles retired, effective Dec. 31. In August, the fire district accepted a letter from the county terminating an agreement under which Skiles worked as part-time chief for Salida in addition to his duties as county fire warden.

The county’s decision followed months of controversy over Skiles getting lifetime medical benefits from the fire district, questions about station renovations and a move by paid firefighters to form a union.

The $200,000 anticipated cost for a full-time chief is $40,000 more than what was budgeted for the position in the current budget, a board member said at Thursday’s meeting.

District leaders believe a deficit created by the chief’s position could be backfilled by reserves for no more than three years. The district could try to squeeze more dollars from a community facility district or from the growth revenue of Proposition 172, a half percent state sales tax increase in 1993 devoted to public safety.

The fire district has twice failed to get voter approval for tax measures.

An ad hoc committee appointed by the Salida board looked at sharing a fire chief with neighboring agencies such as the Woodland Avenue and Ripon fire departments. Another alternative is hiring a part-time chief.

But board members think the district needs a full-time administrator at the helm.

“The part-time arrangement might have led us into the position we have now,” Board Member Mark Brubaker said.

Some Salida residents attending Thursday’s meeting expressed concern the cost of the chief’s position will lead to cuts to frontline firefighting staff because the district is short on funds. “I would hate to see you hire a full-time fire chief who does not need to be here full time,” Debbie Nutt said.

Interim Fire Chief Vernon Losh said a $120,000 straight salary for the permanent chief would be the top step. Officials won’t know the exact cost for the position until applications are sought, candidates are interviewed and an offer is accepted by a top finalist later this year.

The district could use Crabtree Consulting to recruit candidates under a $12,000 contract. Officials are talking with the head hunter about options for shortening the contract if it looks like the recruitment isn’t going well.

Board Member Jerry DeBoer said the board agrees with residents that the ultimate goal is better fire protection and emergency services. “Our No. 1 priority is public safety,” DeBoer said. “That is what we are elected for.”

Mark Stone, a newly elected board member, predicted the administrative position will be a stepping stone for employment with a larger department in the Modesto area.

Salida’s five-member board will have a new appointed member before long. Thursday, the board accepted the resignation of Emil Rusca after 54 years of service as a board member.

The district will accept applications and fill the vacancy by appointment.

This story was originally published January 20, 2018 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Salida fire district board looks to hire a full-time chief. But can the district afford it?."