City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Kevin Werner, City Administrator
Date: 12/09/2025
Subject: City of Ripon and Ripon Consolidated Fire District Memorandum of Understanding
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
City Council to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Ripon and Ripon Consolidated Fire District that establishes each agency’s role in the Fire District’s pursuit of a fire suppression assessment pursuant to Proposition 218, including the sharing of cost on a 50/50 basis.
BACKGROUND
Residents and businesses within the City of Ripon are served by several essential agencies, including the Ripon Consolidated Fire District. The Fire District has communicated ongoing fiscal challenges associated with maintaining adequate operations within its service boundary, which includes the City of Ripon.
The members of the Ripon City Council and Ripon Consolidated Fire District Board 2x2 Committee (“2x2 Committee”) have met several times over the last few years to discuss ways the City may support the Fire District and help ensure the continuation of the high-quality fire emergency services that Ripon residents and businesses rely upon.
In 2021, the City and Fire District executed an MOU outlining each agency’s roles and responsibilities as the Fire District pursued a Proposition 218 assessment to increase operating revenue. As part of that MOU, the costs associated with the assessment were shared equally.
The City’s share total was $81,200, representing half of the total cost for the preparation of the Engineer’s Report and related public outreach.
In August 2024, the Fire District held a public hearing to count the ballots submitted for the proposed assessment. A majority approval was required for the assessment to pass; however, only 45.1 percent of ballots were in favor of the assessment, and the assessment failed.
DISCUSSION:
The Fire District has recently decided to pursue another fire suppression assessment pursuant to Proposition 218 to generate additional operating revenue, after taking the following steps:
A committee of residents was formed by the Fire District to evaluate options of how to move forward following the unsuccessful 2024 assessment and to provide a recommendation to the Fire District Board of Directors. After a series of meetings, the Fire District committee recommended moving forward with a revenue measure to increase operating revenue that will allow the Fire District to increase staffing levels as necessary to address rising concurrent call incidents that have contributed to longer response times.
The Fire District updated the 2x2 Committee on the Fire District committee’s recommendation, including the option of another fire suppression assessment pursuant to “Proposition 218” or a Property Tax Assessment.
On September 22, 2025, the Fire District Board of Directors directed staff to proceed with another fire suppression assessment pursuant to “Proposition 218”. The District solicited proposals from consulting firms to prepare the required Engineer’s Report and assist with election administration. One proposal was received—from SCI Consulting Group—in an amount not to exceed $118,800.
City representatives on the 2x2 Committee recommend that the City of Ripon enter into a new MOU with the Fire District with terms consistent with the 2021 agreement, including a 50/50 cost share of expenses related to the fire suppression assessment pursuant to Proposition 218. A draft of the MOU is attached for consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated cost is $118,800, of which the City of Ripon would be responsible for $59,400, which would be paid through the City’s General Fund.
Attachments:
1. City District MOU 218 2025