CC 2023-02-28_12a Supplemental 3MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
City Council
Jessica Matson, Legislative & Information Services Director/City Clerk
SUBJECT: Supplemental Information
Agenda Item 12.a. – Receive an Update Regarding the Five Cities Fire
Authority (FCFA) Wind-Down Process and Organizational
Assessment
DATE: February 28, 2023
Attached is correspondence received before 4 PM for the above referenced item.
cc: Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director
Administrative Services Director
City Attorney
City Clerk
City Website (or public review binder)
1
From: Jeff Lee <jlee1457@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2023 3:26 PM
To: Caren Ray Russom; Kristen Barneich; Lan George; Jim Guthrie; Kate Secrest
Cc: Whitney McDonald; Steve Lieberman
Subject: AGCC: Item 12a Public Comment Letter
Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment on this item and to include this information in the
record. As has often been said, cities can do anything – but they can’t do everything. I’m sure you
recognize that the timing of this item is prudent so that the Council can prioritize the future of the Five
Cities Fire Authority (FCFA) and to put city funds to their highest and best use.
The FCFA structure needs to be updated and an infusion of attention has been forthcoming for the last
several years – but has been hamstrung for a number of reasons including the Oceano Community Services
District (Oceano) attempting, and failing twice, to pass a revenue measure that would have provided
additional funding to the FCFA. This has resulted in a budget that has become stagnant and therefore has
actually diminished over the last 3 years because the costs of staff, equipment, gas and any number of
other items have risen.
In my opinion, one thing that this situation requires is a sense of urgency…please remember that the FCFA
will CEASE TO EXIST in its current form on June 30, 2023, and something needs to be created in its place.
The City Manager discussions have progressed as far as they can without direction from both the Arroyo
Grande and Grover Beach Councils.
Here are several possible action items to include in your direction to staff:
1. Direct staff to work with Grover Beach and Oceano to accept funding for contract fire service to
Oceano while Oceano goes thru the LAFCO process to divest themselves of fire service. Please
remember that this will not be completed prior to June 2023. The Grover Beach City Council provided
similar direction to staff at their February 27, 2023 meeting.
2. After getting concurrence from Grover Beach and Oceano, enact a short-term Amendment to
address immediate FCFA needs while maintaining the Fire Authority Board with voting
representatives from Grover Beach and Arroyo Grande and a non-voting member from Oceano.
3. Starting with the FY 2023-24 budgets, both Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach should budget an
appropriate increase in funds to the FCFA each year for the next several years to address budget
gaps for staffing and equipment which are leading to service gaps.
4. Determine long-term needs thru public dialogue on how to re-create the Five Cities Fire Authority
and address resource and service goals.
This is not a situation that was created overnight and it is not a situation that will be solved
overnight…however, I feel that immediate and decisive action is needed to address the short term needs of
the FCFA so that this required and vital City service can be provided to residents and businesses.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide this input and please feel free to contact me at (805) 459-4277 with
questions.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeff Lee
558 N. 14th Street
Grover Beach, CA 93433