Municipal Service Review and Sphere of Influence Study for Gold Ridge and Monte Rio Fire Protection Districts and the City of Sebastopol Fire Department

The Commission will be reviewing this study at their meeting on November 6, 2024 and will consider adopting the determinations (summary conclusions) of the study and whether to change the sphere of influence of the Gold Ridge FPD to cover the two other agency areas.

The study indicates that Gold Ridge is experiencing difficulty in gaining ownership or lease agreements of a number of facilities owned by volunteer fire departments. These departments served areas that have now been annexed to the district as part of a major reorganization in 2023.

The City of Sebastopol has been found to underfund its fire department, which relies almost wholly on volunteers, for many years, and has recently had to rely on neighboring agencies to respond to some calls within the city.

Monte Rio FPD has secured approval from its constituents for a special (parcel) tax and has been able to hire paid firefighters to cover weekday daytime shifts. The District is facing the retirement of its longtime chief and seeks a partner to take on leadership and management duties.

If the Commission amends the sphere of influence of Gold Ridge, the District intends to seek reorganization in one or two proposals, annexing the territory of the other two agencies. If this occurs, the Commission will conduct publicly-noticed hearings, and if the reorganization(s) are approved landowners and registered voters in the annexed territories will have the ability to protest the action.

The Public Review Draft of the study is attached; the staff report and draft resolution will be published one week prior to the November 6, 2024 meeting.