Page 44 - Sonoma County Gazette August 2019

This worthwhile fundraising event is always a hit, assisting the Jenner Community Club, a non-profit to continue the Jenner Community Center Building Restoration Project, and continue to offer community-based activities and social events throughout the year.
The Russian River Fire Protection District (RRFPD) Board of Directors has engaged in conversation with Sonoma County Fire District (SCFD) Fire Chief Mark Heine and the SCFD Board of Directors to explore the possibility of joining the newly formed SCFD. These discussions developed in part from the RRFPD Board’s decision early this year to contract with SCFD for executive leadership and administrative services rather than hire a full- or part-time chief and administrative staff.
The Jenner Community Club maintains the Jenner Community Center building which is home to a division of the Monte Rio Fire District, station #3. This is an essential asset for our coastal communities. Fundraising efforts this year will continue to support the 1st Responders’ access to this important station on the Sonoma Coast. The Jenner Community Center is also designated as a Red Cross Emergency Site. See you there!
The Sonoma County Fire District emerged in early 2019 from a successful consolidation of the Windsor Fire District, Rincon Valley Fire District, Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, and Bennett Valley Fire District. SCFD has increased services to the communities it serves and increased firefighter staffing in those stations, hiring 17 new firefighters in July alone. Moreover, SCFD has created a financially sustainable future for emergency services in these communities at a time when small districts across the county, including RRFPD, face ominous financial futures.
A few years ago, the overhead power and communication wires were relocated underground through the tiny seaside village of Jenner. What a difference to have the skyline free of these unsightly (and dangerous) cables. This was done mostly for aesthetic reasons, but made the highway safer as well.
At this point, the boards of both districts see the potential annexation as mutually beneficial and likely to result in meaningful improvements in emergency services for taxpayers in all affected service areas without incurring a significant increase to residents’ tax burdens.
For some reason the bulky communication cables along the highway south of town were overlooked. The high voltage lines are routed up on the hill, away from the world-class coastal vistas you enjoy approaching this quaint community. It would be a simple task to simply reroute the tele-com cables that mar this pristine landscape, up on the hill with the PG&E lines. Maybe leave one or two poles for the Ospreys to perch on.
Without some remedy to RRFPD’s financial strains in the next few years, our board faces the reality of reducing staff (and quality of service) or asking taxpayers to vote to double their parcel tax burdens—with no guarantee that such a vote would pass or, if it did, that its revenue would be sufficient to actually improve service.
Just upstream from Jenner, around the bend is where Sheephouse Creek enters the Russian River Estuary. There are only a few of these estuary-perched streams. They are directly influenced by the flow and water levels of the River. The lower reaches of the River are affected when the river mouth is closed; water backs-up like an inland lake all the way to Austin Creek by Cazadero.
The potential benefits to RRFPD residents and taxpayers would be numerous and significant.
Sheephouse Creek enters the River almost adjacent to Hwy 116 just upstream from the Hwy 1 bridge. The CalTrans highway culvert is mere yards from
the confluence. A couple of years ago, a ‘wing-wall’ shoring- up the roadside creek bank of the under-highway culvert, collapsed, falling into the streambed. CalTrans has twice attempted to make the needed repairs over the past two years, and twice have had to abandon the critical repair project when the river- mouth closed and water flooded the work area.
We would gain the professional executive and administrative leadership currently employed by the SCFD, including Chief Heine, Deputy Chief Mat Gustafson, and an experienced administrative and finance staff. RRFPD currently does not employ its own Fire Chief or administrative staff. To independently hire such personnel would cost a considerable amount of money that the District simply does not have. While a steep parcel tax hike could increase revenue if approved by voters, we see this as an opportunity to meaningfully improve both administrative oversight and service quality without adding significant burden to our resident taxpayers.
It is imperative that they complete the job and get the obstruction
out of this critical Coho Salmon Stream as soon as possible. Last Winter’s storms brought record levels of debris and gravel downstream, building up against the concrete slab in the streambed. It needs to flush out before next salmon spawning season.
At our general Board meetings throughout the spring and summer, our directors and those in attendance have heard presentations and engaged in significant discussions about this possibility—our August and September meetings are likely to be consequential. Each person who holds elected office on the RRFPD Board takes the responsibility to safeguard the taxpayers’ interests seriously. The RRFPD directors have cast unanimous votes to this point in favor of exploring this annexation, as have the directors of the SCFD.
Traffic is at record levels out here, with the inland heat driving the masses to the beach. Be Safe while enjoying our world-class scenery.
We encourage anyone who wants to learn more to visit our website or attend our next General Board meeting on Wednesday, August 14 at the Guerneville fire station. www.russianriverfire.org
44 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/19
Russian River Fire District Pursuing Annexation
Do not miss Fish Stock 2019, Jenner’s annual fundraising event featuring live bands, The Jennerators and More! Great Food, Wine & Beer, Auction and free activities for children. Happening on Labor Day weekend, Sunday September 1 from 11 – 5, jennercommunitycenter.org/fishstock.html
By Jason Weaver, President, Russian River Fire Protection District
Small fire departments across Sonoma County have long faced significant
challenges that grow more daunting each year—rising labor costs, aging infrastructure, and increasing fire risk, among others. Joining forces
with other departments is one potential approach to long-term survival, undertaken already by some districts and under consideration by others.
Annexation by SCFD would also add three Firefighter/Paramedic positions to the Guerneville fire station—one for each shift. RRFPD is currently able
to deploy Paramedics only on our ambulance. Right now, for approximately eight hours on an average day, RRFPD’s ambulance is committed to transporting someone to a Santa Rosa area hospital. During this time, no Paramedics are available in our district to respond to the next medical emergency. Staffing these three additional positions would significantly enhance service and response to residents by ensuring the availability of a Firefighter/Paramedic on both our fire engine and our ambulance.
Beyond these specific examples, we expect that a variety of efficiencies and improvements to service would result—better purchasing power, reduced overhead costs, improved growth opportunities for staff, and better interconnected cooperation with neighboring districts.
Still, perhaps the strongest endorsement of annexation is the unanimity of the firefighters themselves. Every one of RRFPD’s 11 firefighters, from long- tenured Captains to new hires, supports the pursuit of annexation by SCFD.