Dear Citizens,
The purpose of a city is to provide Police, Fire, and Public Works. Tonight, this city government plans to get rid of its fire department, one of the 3 core responsibilities of a city.
I want to make sure the cities citizens are aware that during the one meeting the fire Adhoc committee had with the fire department as a whole it was stated by Nesa Hinton that her plan was to merge with Goldridge if that did not work then Graton and if they both failed then she would consider
staying independent. Many of us at the fire department tried to express different cost saving solutions with none of them ever being given much thought. The decision seemed to
have already been made.
This is supported in part by what Diana Rich stated in a different council meeting where she acknowledged by
merging with Goldridge they could bypass getting citizen approval through a vote. Rather they could just impose a new tax on to the citizens and businesses by becoming part of Goldridge The firefighters had been told that Goldridge had agreed they would not go forth with a merger unless the citizens had a change to vote, but that does not seem to be the truth.
Measure H was written with the idea that each area would be required to still provide financial support for fire suppression to its communities. With the passing of
Measure H the city was supposed to be required to still pay its fair share to provide fire coverage to its citizens, but Diana Rich also stated in a City Council meeting if the city did not have a fire department that they may not have to pay
anything to support fire suppression to its citizens and businesses. This has also been confirmed by the city
management as a possibility they are looking into.
The people before you are voting tonight to neglect its responsibility to its citizens by ending the city fire
department, using a loophole to skip the hearing of its citizens voices through a vote, and put the financial burden of a fire department directly on its citizens and businesses.
Thank you,
Shawn-Paul O’Dell
Sebastopol Firefighter for the past 23 years.