Turlock to renew fire administration contract with Modesto despite union opposition
The Turlock City Council voted Tuesday to negotiate a new fire administrative services agreement with Modesto despite strong opposition from the firefighter labor group.
The vote was 3-2, with Councilmembers Kevin Bixel and Cassandra Abrams dissenting. The motion also added the creation of a citizen advisory board that includes a union member.
“I believe that we aren’t there yet, but I want Modesto to help us get there,” said Mayor Amy Bublak, whose vote broke the tie. “I want you to help us set this up so that in one or two, three years … we’re prepared to be back and be Turlock Fire Department solely.”
A future council meeting will present a proposed contract for the council to consider.
Turlock has shared fire administrative services with Modesto since 2022, following a two-year vacancy in the permanent Turlock fire chief position. This regional partnership includes a shared fire chief and administrative support to TFD.
The contract is set to expire June 30.
Over time, concerns were raised regarding the shared administrative structure, including about local control and oversight, communication between agencies, cultural alignment and the impact on TFD’s organizational identity.
“It is not a perfect system. There are real challenges within the current model, and those have been identified and discussed openly,” Deputy Fire Chief Chris Jelinek said at the meeting.
He said he believes the concerns raised are not structural failures of the model but rather governance and communication issues that could be addressed. He hopes to make TFD a destination department rather than a steppingstone plagued with high turnover.
This item was on the agenda in January but was pulled for further work. The staff report prepared for the January meeting recommended that the contract be allowed to expire and that the city proceed with recruitment for a permanent Turlock fire chief. The new staff report for Tuesday’s meeting gave no recommendation.
Concerns from firefighters, public
On Jan. 26, Chad Hackett, president of the Turlock Firefighters labor group, Local 2434, wrote on Instagram that after a conversation and formal vote, the bargaining unit determined it did not support the contract renewal.
“While we acknowledge and appreciate the benefits we have experienced through this partnership, … we believe the long-term needs of our department, our personnel, and most importantly, the residents of Turlock would be better served by returning to a model where we employ our own dedicated Fire Chief,” reads a statement included in the Instagram post.
Hackett cited the leadership instability as a primary concern. Turlock has had four deputy fire chiefs in five years, while Modesto has had three fire chiefs during that time. Both departments are currently led by an interim chief.
Fire Chief Kevin Wise retired in December. He became interim Chief in 2023 before becoming permanent in June 2024. Since Wise’s retirement, Chief Shanon Evans has been serving as interim fire chief while also leading the Westport Fire District.
The statement wrote that the ongoing turnover has “disrupted continuity, hindered long-term planning, and impacted morale.”
Hackett reiterated his concerns during public comment on Tuesday, adding that the contract has hurt the morale and sense of identity of the department. Several members of the union were also at the meeting.
“If you were a business owner entering into a major agreement with another company, would you hire your own attorney to represent you? Or would you pay the other company to have their attorney represent you?” Hackett said. “I think we know the answer.”
During the presentation, multiple contract scenarios were presented. Some individuals pointed out that the report focused more on the cost analysis of new contract options without entertaining what an independent fire department would look like.
All public commenters sided with the labor group and advocated for TPD’s independence, including mayoral candidate Jim Reape.
“I don’t want you to be afraid that this can’t be done with local control,” Reape said. The two cities also have a contract regarding fire apparatus fleet maintenance services that have been in place since 2023. Turlock has since achieved full staffing, hired a fleet services manager to oversee the division and maintains certified technicians to perform preventative maintenance, inspections and major apparatus repairs in house, according to the staff report.
Earlier in the meeting, the council unanimously approved the purchase of a ladder truck, which includes a pump, water tank, hose and ground ladder, to replace TFD’s aging aerial ladder truck for about $2.37 million.
