City Council
December 17, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Damon Covington
City Administrator Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Airport Rescue Firefighting MOU
Extension with Port of Oakland
DATE: December 4, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Extending The Memorandum Of Understanding Between The City Of Oakland (City) And The Port Of Oakland (Port) For Up To Two Years, For The City To Continue To Provide Fire Protection And Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Services At The Oakland International Airport
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Oakland Fire Department is seeking to amend the current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Oakland and The Port of Oakland, to extend the current term for up to two years, to allow the Fire Department to continue providing rescue and firefighting services at the Oakland International Airport. This report provides a history of the contractual relationship and a foundation for the City Council to authorize the City Administrator to amend the MOU, which expires December 31, 2024. There is no additional cost associated with the recommended action.
REASON FOR URGENCY
The Port of Oakland’s board and the City Council must approve the resolution before the end of the year for an extension to be effective January 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
In 1997, The City Council, via Resolution No. 73115 C.M.S., authorized the City of Oakland (City) to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Port of Oakland (Port) to provide fire protection and aircraft crash rescue services (ARFF services) at the Oakland International Airport (Airport).
Jestin Johnson (Dec 6, 2024 05:42 PST)
Dec 6, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Airport Rescue Firefighting MOU Extension with Port of Oakland Date: December 4, 2024 Page 2
City Council
December 17, 2024
In accordance with the MOU with Local 55 (the labor union representing the Oakland Fire Department’s firefighters), the Oakland Fire Department provides emergency response services at the Airport, with firefighters based at Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Station #22, located between the iconic Oakland International Airport Tower and its runways.
The City subsequently entered into several agreements to supplement the MOU to continue to provide ARFF services, the latest of which (the seventh supplement) expires on December 31, 2024.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The adoption of this proposed resolution advances the citywide priority of ensuring holistic community safety, which includes ensuring the safety of millions of passengers who utilize the Oakland International Airport each year.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID-19), the City was in the process of commencing negotiations for a new MOU with the Port for the City to continue to provide ARFF services at the Airport. Since the onset of COVID-19, City staff and Port of Oakland resources have been stretched such that completion of negotiations for a new long-term agreement with the Port was not feasible. In June 2020, both parties agreed that a one-year extension of the agreement was the best approach, and the City Council authorized a one-year extension.
On July 26, 2021, the City Council approved
a three-month extension to the MOU for ARFF
services with no other changes to it. At that time, staff explained that both the Port and City needed additional time to discuss with their respective bargaining units certain enhanced functions that would be required of ARFF personnel during the term of the extension.
Subsequently, the Port and the City concluded those discussions with their respective bargaining units.
In September 2021, the City Council approved a 15-month extension to the MOU for ARFF
services with the expectation that the two sides would be able to agree on all terms for a new MOU before the expiration of the fifth supplement on December 31, 2022. The Fire Department is seeking an additional twelve-month extension to this existing agreement and using the same financial terms and ARFF services description to adopt.
In January 2023, the City Council approved an additional one-year extension of the MOU.
In December 2023, the City Council approved a twelve-month extension of the MOU.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Port and the Oakland Fire Department continue negotiations for a new, longer-term MOU, which would become effective no later than January 1, 2027.
In the interest of continuing to provide uninterrupted ARFF services at the Airport, City staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Administrator to amend the current MOU between the City and Port to extend the term for up to two years to allow the Oakland Fire Department to continue to provide such services at the Airport pending agreement on the longer proposed extension of the agreement.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Airport Rescue Firefighting MOU Extension with Port of Oakland Date: December 4, 2024 Page 3
City Council
December 17, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT
The City has provided the Port with an updated budget outlining its current costs to provide ARFF services at the Airport.
Extending the current agreement to provide ARFF services will not result in a negative fiscal impact to the City. Under the terms of the extension, the Port has agreed to pay the actual costs incurred by the City to provide the services in an amount not-to-exceed $10,250,000.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for the proposed policy action beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures because the negotiation between the City and the Port of Oakland is ongoing.
COORDINATION
The Budget Bureau and the Office of the City Attorney were consulted in the preparation of this report.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There is no economic impact caused by the passage of this resolution.
Environmental: There is no environmental impact caused by the passage of this resolution.
Race & Equity: There are no racial or social equity impacts caused by the passage of this resolution.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Airport Rescue Firefighting MOU Extension with Port of Oakland Date: December 4, 2024 Page 4
City Council
December 17, 2024
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Extending The Memorandum Of Understanding Between The City Of Oakland (City) And The Port Of Oakland (Port) For Up To Two Years, For The City To Continue To Provide Fire Protection And Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Services At The Oakland International Airport
For questions regarding this report, please contact Deputy Chief Matthew Nichelini at [email protected]
.
Respectfully submitted,
Damon Covington
Fire Chief, Fire Department
Prepared by Deputy Chief Matthew Nichelini