FROM:
Finance
SUBJECT:
Title
Amendment No. 9 to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Agreement 18-354 for Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services for Fiscal Year 2024-25 in the amount not to exceed $42,500,034.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 9 to San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Agreement 18-354 for Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services for Fiscal Year 2024-25 in the amount of $42,500,034.
End
COUNCIL GOALS:
• Improve public safety by maximizing fire and emergency medical service resources.
• Practice sound fiscal management by producing timely and accurate financial information.
• Concentrate on Inter-governmental relations by working cooperatively with neighboring jurisdictions.
• Concentrate on Inter-governmental relations by establishing partnerships and positive working relationships with other public agencies providing services to residents and local businesses.
DISCUSSION:
Since its formation in 2008, the Fontana Fire Protection District (District) has contracted with the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (County) for fire protection and emergency medical services. Services as proposed for fiscal year 2024-25 will be provided through 8 fire stations throughout the City of Fontana. The proposed contract amount for 2024-25 is $42.5 million which represents decrease of 0.6% as compared to the 2023-24 contract and is summarized below.
Salaries and Benefits
Total staffing costs as proposed are $36.7 million, which represents a decrease of 2.7% or $1.0 million as compared to 2024-25, and fund 139.83 full-time equivalent personnel.
Average cost per position includes salary, benefits, and retirement unfunded accrued liability (UAL). The net decrease is due to a decrease in UAL charges as a result of the County’s pension obligation bonds being paid off in 2023-24.
Services and Supplies
Services and supplies as proposed are $3.4 million, which represents an increase of 7.4% or $237,967 as compared to 2023-24. Services and supplies primarily consists of:
• CONFIRE ($1.2 million) - communications, dispatch, computer information systems support (IS), and geographic information systems (GIS) services.
• Overhead ($607,667) - allocated overhead for County central services.
• Turnout Safety Gear & Equipment ($712,630) - annual new and replacement turnout gear and equipment.
• General Operating Expenses ($911,785) - other operating expenses.
Fire Station Expenses
Fire Station expenses as proposed are $1.8 million, which represents an increase of 0.1% as compared to 2024-25. There were no notable increases.
Fire Prevention Services
Fire Prevention Services and Supplies of $269,858 reflects a 38.8% or $75,401 increase as compared to the prior fiscal year due to a change in the reporting format and breaking out the salaries and benefits overhead separately. However, the net increase in total overhead salaries and benefits and services and supplies is 11%. Services and supplies primarily funds Office of the Fire Marshall administrative overhead in the amount of $243,101 with the balance of $26,757 for general operating expenses.
Administrative Overhead
Administrative Overhead of $669,889 reflects a 41.2% or $195,453 increase as compared to the prior fiscal year. This represents the District’s percent allocation of SBCFPD Administrative Overhead.
CPI-U Adjustment
Per the District’s contract with SBCFPD, Section 3 Compensation (b), the annual increases in administrative costs related to the execution of the contract cannot exceed 6%. As proposed, these costs increased by 9% and the CPI-U Adjustment of $347,739 reduces the costs to reflect a 6% increase.
Tolling Agreement
The District and SBCFPD are parties to a tolling agreement, where the time period of October 1, 2022, until June 30, 2024, was initially approved and extended to September 30, 2024, shall be excluded from, and not be counted in, the computation of time for the purposes of any time-based limitations or defenses arising out of or in connection with a dispute over certain pension costs that are payable by the Fontana Fire Protection District to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, pursuant to Agreement No. 18-354.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact associate with the approval of this item is $42,500,034 and is included in the fiscal year 2024-25 supplemental budget.
MOTION:
Approve Amendment No. 9 to San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Agreement 18-354 for Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services for Fiscal Year 2024-25 in the amount of $42,500,034.