HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/20/1993, C-5 - CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY tllll�l����(�(IIII�I�� IIIIIII City of San LUl$ OBISPO Meeting Date: April 20, 1993
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT 462-6
FROM: Robert F. Neumann, Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Contract for Services with California.Polytechnic State University
CAO RECOMMENDATION: By motion, direct staff to proceed in discussions with California
Polytechnic State University for the purposes of developing a
contract for emergency response services and to return to the
City Council for contract approval and execution.
BACKGROUND:
The City of San Luis Obispo and the University have a long history of sharing fire protection
services. Approximately ten years ago, the City and the University entered into an "Agreement for
Day-To-Day Mutual Aid" for both automatic- and mutual-aid for fire protection. This agreement
was desirable to maximize the effective use of resources to respond to fires and local emergencies
that could develop beyond the control of either the City or the University. Over the years each
party to the agreement has enjoyed the support of the other in many specific incidents. In
November of 1992, due to budget restraints, the University was forced to terminate this Automatic
Aid Agreement.
Cal Poly is the only university remaining with its own fire department, and has come under
considerable financial difficulties causing them to evaluate both the functions and needs of having a
fire department. The University has determined that a contractual agreement may provide an option
to their providing their own services and is wishing to explore the possibility of having another
agency, either the City or the County, provide emergency response services for the main campus of
the University.
DISCUSSION:
Over the past nine months the University has explored a number of alternatives to their current
system. They have talked rather extensively with both the City Fire Department and the County
Fire Department about a number of possible contractual arrangements. The University has decided
to close their fire department at the end of this current fiscal year. They now desire to reach an
agreement with the City of San Luis Obispo to provide emergency response services on the main
core of the campus. Preliminary discussions have centered around confirmed structure fire and
heavy rescue responses only.
The following points bear review:
• The City's Fire Station No. 2 is .8 of a mile from the core of the University. The furthest
distance of the University proper is 1.3 miles. Travel distances and response times are more
than acceptable by nationally recognized standards. Last year, under the Automatic Aid
Agreement, the City responded to the University 25 times and the University responded into
the City approximately 40 times.
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
• The City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department is rated as a Class 2 as compared with a Cal
Poly rating of probable Class 9.
• Fire Station No. 2 is staffed daily with a complement of two Firefighters and the City has
considerable resources out of Fire Station No. 1 with a rescue/squad, ladder truck and
additional engines within 5 minute response time.
• Until recently Cal Poly operated with one.Chief(40 Hrs.), one Firefighter on duty 24 Hrs.
and a reserve group of student Firefighters (paid-call) for a total of 5 full-time employees.
• Cal Poly expended approximately $380,000 last year for manpower and operating expenses
to provide fire-protection services at the university. It should be noted that this did not
include any long-term capital costs for structure or vehicle replacement. Additionally, they
readily admit that for the last two to three years they have been underfunding the Fire
Department.
FISCAL EMPACT:
At this preliminary stage, the type and amount of services to be contracted for and the contracted
amount are still unknown and open to discussion. However, staff is proceeding on the assumption
that if negotiations are successful, the arrangement would be financially beneficial to the City.