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Home My WebLink AboutItem GAGENDA REPORT ,l =o Date: March 12, 2001 TO: Mayor Campbell & Members of the City Council FROM John B. Bahorski, City Manager SUBJECT: Orange County Fire Authority Proposed Replacement Of Council Representatives SUMMARY OF REQUEST: That Council approve the attached resolution opposing any involuntary change to the governance established in the Orange County Fire Authority Joint Powers Agreement and authorize the Mayor's signature on the letter of opposition to Assemblyman Ken Maddox. BACKGROUND: On January 1" of this year, the Orange County Register featured an article that Assemblyman Ken Maddox "would like to replace the City Council representatives on the Orange County Fire Authority with five officials elected specifically for the job ". The City of Seal Beach is a long- term member of the Fire Authority which provides fire protection and emergency medical services to our community. The Joint Powers Authority was created as a way of ensuring that our residents would have a strong role in establishing its service levels, approving its budgets and directing its course through our elected City representatives. The JPA has been unanimously approved on two separate occasions by its twenty-three member municipal and county governing bodies and has been an effective and successful governance structure. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact at this time. RECOMMENDATION: Upon motion of the consent calendar, Council to approve attached Resolution endorsing the right of each agency in the OCFA to participate on the governing board and to authorize Mayor's signature oggttached letter of opposition. Agenda Item -G March 13, 2001 Orange County Fire Authority Attention: Ms. Nancy Swanson P. O. Box 86 180 South Water Street Orange, California 92866 Dear Ms. Swanson, Forwarded is a copy of Resolution Number 4880 "Supporting Existing Orange County Fire Authority Joint Powers Authority Governing Board Structure" adopted by the Seal Beach City Council at their regular meeting held on March 12°. Resolution Number 4880 has been forwarded to Assemblyman Ken Maddox, a copy of the transmittal letter is enclosed for your information. Very truly yours, Joanne M. Yeo, City Clerk City of Seal Beach Encl. March 13, 2001 The Honorable Ken Maddox Assemblyman, 6e District State Capitol, Room 4102 Sacramento, California 95814 Dear Assemblyman Maddox In response to your proposal to introduce legislation that would mandate a change in the governance of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), the City of Seal Beach has adopted the attached resolution opposing any involuntary change to the governance established in its Joint Powers Agreement. The City of Seal Beach is committed to preserving the very effective and successful governance structure established in the OCFA Joint Powers Authority Agreement which has been unanimously approved on two separate occasions by its 23- member municipal and county governing bodies. Furthermore, the City Council has directed the City Manager to utilize City resources to oppose any effort undertaken to mandate a change to the current OCFA govemance structure. Our City government, which had a duty to provide fire protection and emergency medical services in our community, decided to establish this Joint Powers Authority as a way of ensuring that our residents, whose tax dollars fund the Fire Authority, would have a strong role in establishing its service levels, approving its budgets and directing its course through their elected City representatives. It is a significant contravention of the rights of local government and its citizens to limit their ability to enter into a contract to more effectively utilize their public safety resources. Public Safety resources account for over 50% of the local government budget. The State, by restricting cities and counties from entering into such agreements, adversely affects local governments' ability to fiscally manage its resources and carry out its responsibility to protect its community. March 13, 2001 - Page 2 Assemblyman Ken Maddox The City of Seal Beach believes that the Joint Powers Agreement under which it oversees the provision of emergency fire and medical services, is a successful example of how communities can effectively share resources to provide a higher quality of service without sacrificing public accountability. Respectfully, �Mll Patricia E. Campbell Mayor, City of Seal Beach Attachment FEB -21 -2001 0838 CITY OF CYPRESS 714 229 6682 P.01iO4 CITY OF CYPRESS 5275 Orange Avenue Cypress, CA 90630 (714) 229 -6680 FAX (714) 229.6682 From- Mayor Mike McGill Number of Pages (including cover): 4 Re: Letter from City of Cypress to Assemblyman Ken Maddox Please distribute the attached letter to your City Manager, Orange County Fine Authority Board Member, and Alternate. To: Fire Chief Chip Prather - 7145385359 Assemblyman Tom Hannan - 714- 8435375 City of Buena Park - 714 - 5023559 Greg Beaubien Patsy Marshal Steve Berry City of Dana Point - 949- 240-9920 John Bahorski Harold Kaufman Joe Synder City of Irvine - 949- 7245045 Allison Hart Michael Ward Greg Smith City of Laguna Hills — 949- 707 -2614 Bruce Charming R. Craig Scott Joel Lautenschleger City of Laguna Niguel - 949-3624340 Tim Casey Mark J. Goodman Joe Brown City of Laguna Woods - 9494575160 Leslie Keane Dr. Brenda Ross City of Lake Forest — 949461 -3511 Robert Dunek Helen Wilson Richard Dixon City of La Palma- 714 -523 -2141 Len Wood Ken Blake Lauree Aragona City of Los Alamitos — 562493 -1255 Bob Dominguez Maritynn Poe Ronald Bates City of Mission Viejo - 949 - 859 -1386 Dan Joseph Sherd Butterfield William Craycraft City of Placentia - 714561 -0283 Robert D'Amato Chris Lowe Maria Moreno City of Rancho Santa Margarita - 949 -635 -7951 Billralley Carol Gamble Neil Blais City of San Clemente - 949 -Ml -8283 Mike Parness Susan Ritschel Lois Berg City of San Juan Capistrano - 949493 -1053 George Scarborough John Greiner Wyatt Hart City of Seal Beach - 562493 -9857 Don McIntyre Shawn Boyd John Larson FEB -21 -2001 08:30 CITY OF CYPRESS 99: P.01 FEB -21 -2001 08:38 CITY OF CYPRESS 714 229 6692 P.82iO4 1. City of Stanton - 714-890 -1443 Terry Matz David John Shawyer Brian Donahue City of Tustin - 714 -838 -1602 William A Huston Tracy WIlis Worley Jim Potts City of Villa Park - 714598 -1508 Fred W. Maley Bob Beil Robert E. McGowan City of Westminster- 714 - 373-4684 Don Vestal Tony Lam Margie L. Rice City of Yorba Linda - 714- 993.7530 Terry Belanger Ken Ryan Barbara W. Kiley FED -21- 2001 08:30 CM OF CYPRESS 99% P.02 FEE -21- 2001 08:38 CITY OF CYPRESS 714 229 6682 P.03iO4 ivCITY of CYPRESS 5275 Orange Avenue, Cypress, California 90630 may„ d rt, M1.11 February 13, 2001 P14) 2296699 9uilCing65i1e1y 22 %230 9 °:mess Um. The Honorable Ken Maddox 22 %712 at, Gem Assemblyman, 880' District :2 %690 State Capitol, Room 4102 city Zis°sse9 Sacramento, CA 95814 Cndelirlw enl 22 %726 Eng=e gy, 11 %l°1 rinantt Dear Assemblyman Maddox: 22 Mdlnbnanm nantt WW At the Council meeting of February 12, 2001, Council Members unanimously 2x9g6691 voted to support a resolution opposing your proposal to replace % ° "ii962zo representatives on the Orange County Fire Authority Board with elected you 72X6"ao m officials at large. The City of Cypress is one of seven long -term members of 9ue11cw the Fire Authority whose services are provided through property taxes paid zzWn0 spec call for the purpose of fire suppression and emergency medical gec 22u a vam Y P rP PP r9 cY 22 %2so response. "e B I zz9%'no a"x23;�g 6 The City of Cypress takes pride in its ability to serve on the Orange County s niaCeMer Fire Authority Board in a manner that best represents the needs of our 2232"06 agency. The City Council does not believe it is appropriate for the State of California to interfere with the decisions and services of the established Joint Powers Authority. Furthermore, your proposal to replace the Fire Authority Board with elected officials at large severely impacts the City's role and ability to make direct decisions related to fire services on both a qualitative and cost- efficient basis. Therefore, the City of Cypress has adopted the position to oppose any form of change you propose in replacing the current representatives of the Orange County Fire Authority. Sincerely, %� — /v 'a k Mike McGill Mayor Warns Aft. cc: Senator Johnson Assemblyman Harman Orange County Fire Authority Member Cities of the OCFA MlkeMcM Maya LyAa sondhr, Mayor PrC9em Fmnk S. McCoy, Council Member Tim Keenan. Council Member Anna L Piercy. Councll Member FEB- 21- 2001 08:30 CITY OF CYPRESS 39:; P.03 FEB -21 -2001 1. 714 229 6682 P.04iO4 RESOLUTION NO, 5382 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CYPRESS OPPOSING THE REPLACEMENT OF COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES ON THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY WHEREAS, on January 1, 2001, the Orange County Register featured an article that Assemblyman Ken Maddox 'would like to replace the City Council representatives on the County Fire Authority with five officials elected specifically for the job'; and WHEREAS, the City of Cypress has been a member of the Orange County Fire Authority, as a Structural Fire Fund City and as such is provided fire services and emergency medical services, with the full understanding that a Council representative would have a vote on matters involving the Authority; and WHEREAS, the City Council does not believe it is the role of State of California to interfere with services that have been entered into by other governmental entities, most particularly municipalities; and WHEREAS, the City of Cypress has been a partner in the Joint Powers Authority since its creation in 1985. The City's representation has always been a highly sought post and one which reflects the concern in the critical nature of fire protection and emergency services. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City Of Cypress does hereby express its strong opposition to the replacement of Council representation to the Orange County Fire Authority with an elected five- member board, and does not believe that it is in this City's best interest to have its vote taken away. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Cypress at a regular meeting held on the 12e day of February 2001. /s/ Mike McGill MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CYPRESS ATTEST: lal Jill R Ing llnc ertin CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF CYPRESS STATE OF CALIFORNIA ] COUNTY OF ORANGE )SS I, JILL R. INGRAM- GUERTIN. City Clerk of the City of Cypress, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duty adopted at a regular meeting of the said City Council held on the le day of February 2001; by the following roll can vote: AYES: 5 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Keenan, McCoy, Piercy, Sondhi and McGill NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: 0 COUNCIL MEMBERS: None IW J11111 R. Inoremlorwrtln CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF CYPRESS FEB -21- 2001 08:31 CITY OF CYPRESS TOTAL P.04 90: P.04