Ceres council to vote on contracting Modesto for fire services. What are the costs?
Modesto could begin providing all fire protection services for Ceres as soon as August if the Ceres City Council on Monday approves a proposed contract.
The contract option recommend by fire staff can save Ceres an average of $234,000 annually for five years compared to the traditional city fire department model, per a council agenda report.
Modesto would hire Ceres firefighters and Ceres would continue to own its fire trucks and stations under the agreement. Oakdale signed a similar contract with Modesto two years ago, and its city manager praised the arrangement.
On Monday, the Ceres council may vote to approve one of three versions of the Modesto service agreement. All versions include benefits such as adding a division chief and a fire prevention inspector focusing on Ceres, Interim Fire Chief Michael Botto said in an email. Ceres would also gain a firefighter to staff an existing truck company.
But staff recommend the first contract option, Botto said, because it is the middle ground between cost and services. The first option would add an Advanced Life Support (ALS) firefighter company in Ceres, which the city lacks, Botto said. An ALS firefighter company could reduce delays for Ceres residents to receive emergency medical services because the countywide ambulance system is stressed, Botto said.
Meanwhile, the second option features both an ALS company and technical rescue services from Modesto. The third option would provide neither, documents show.
If the council opts to proceed with a traditional Ceres Fire Department, city staff have outlined a sustainable staffing plan that takes four years to complete. The department is understaffed, Botto has said in council meetings since March 8, when the council directed staff to research options for fire service contracts.
With decisions on the fire service agreement pending, the proposed budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year accounts for a traditional Ceres fire agency. Council members on Monday are also scheduled to vote on the budget, which begins July 1. The proposed fire services contract through June 2026 also features a July 1 start date, but needs approval from the Modesto and Ceres councils, as well as the local agency formation commission.
Nevertheless, the Ceres council could opt to continue discussion on the proposed agreement in future meetings, City Manager Tom Westbrook said.
“Regardless of if regionalization happens or not, the administrative position has been included in the budget, just like if we were going to remain Ceres Fire Department,” Westbrook said. “We need to beef up the administrative component of the fire service and so year one we’re starting with the administrative battalion chief.”
Proposed Modesto-Ceres contract details services
Under the contract, Ceres would continue to own its fire vehicles and stations and pay to repair them if costs exceed $5,000. Ceres would also pay for any planned improvements or upgrades, although Modesto would coordinate the work.
Emblems for Ceres Fire would stay on the trucks, Westbrook said, but Modesto may add a label saying it provides the services. The firefighters working those trucks would wear Modesto uniforms.
The city of Modesto will hire all Ceres Fire Department employees if the agreement is approved as is. Modesto intends to offer the former Ceres firefighters similar positions and ranks, the contract says.
Ceres would no longer be responsible for 33 funded full-time fire department positions, nor need to recruit new staff, including a chief. Botto, who retired from the Oakdale Fire Department in 2009, committed to work as interim chief through the end of June, Westbrook said.
Oakdale began a similar partnership with Modesto in July 2019 after ending an agreement with Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District. Members of the Oakdale community also had concerns about identity, City Manager Bryan Whitemyer said, but rising costs and population made regionalization the logical choice.
The city has saved about $300,000 annually in administration costs, Whitemyer said. Instead of paying for more fire supervisors working in an office, he said the city can afford more firefighters responding to calls. He called Modesto’s fire service phenomenal, adding that regionalization is more efficient, especially when it comes to leadership.
“Our experience has been a seamless transition where we haven’t even noticed the difference,” Whitemyer said. “I don’t think Ceres residents will notice a difference. You may have different logos, you may have different personnel at times, but the service will continue.”
Oakdale contracting with Modesto has additionally improved the city’s chances of getting resources from regional agencies such as the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Whitemyer said.
The soonest Modesto could start providing Ceres fire protection services is early August, Botto said. Services may begin in September depending on several steps, including council votes and adopting a revised budget according to the contract option selected.
The council is scheduled to discuss the fire service agreement during its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday. Members of the public participate in the meeting via Zoom or in person at 2701 Fourth Street. In-person seating is limited to the first 30 people because of COVID-19 safety precautions.
This story was originally published June 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
