County continues to study fire-protection standards
Standard operating procedures for private fire protection companies serving areas of the county not protected by fire districts was the focal point of the Wednesday night, Sept. 19 meeting of the county board of commissioners.
Chairman Jim Raffenburg was not present at the hour-long meeting in Anne Basker Auditorium, attended by a large crowd.
Currently, residents in areas of Josephine County not served by a fire district subscribe to one of three private fire protection companies. The cost to each resident is based on assessed property value, much the same as the property tax structure.
The companies are
Rural/Metro Fire Dept., Grants Pass Rural Fire Dept., and Inland Fire Protection Agency.
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The goal of the county commissioners is to set a standard for these private companies to ensure that subscribers are afforded adequate fire protection.
Fes Lellis, Josephine County Fire Protection Committee chairman, began the discussion with a progress report on fire protection standards. Primary areas of concern are effective communication between the three private companies involved during emergency situations and ensuring that each company has appropriate equipment and professional standards.
Lellis stated that a 911 Advisory Committee was providing input and that a final draft recommendation should be ready this week.
The public comments that followed Lellis’ report included a number of suggestions. They ranged from removing the standardization process entirely and allowing a free market approach to set the standards for fire protection to setting up a Josephine County Fire District.
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One member of the Fire Protection Committee expressed frustration at the standards as being inadequate for the situation. He indicated the need for a more centralized approach to the problem.
Commissioner Dwight Ellis, although agreeing with the sentiment, said that the commission needed to “learn to walk before running.” He referred to a failed attempt in the early 1970s to set up a fire district for the county as an example of trying to do too much too soon.
Commission Vice Chairman Dave Toler
echoed the opinion, saying that a fire district is the eventual goal for the county.
In other business, the commissioners OK’d collective bargaining agreements with county service employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees through June 30, 2009 and with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association through June 30, 2008. Both commissioners praised the unions for working with the county during a period of fiscal restraint. The pacts include small cost-of-living increases.
Commissioners also approved 2-0 an expenditure of $5,160 annually that will provide video streaming of commission meetings. This will allow those with no access to cable television to view the meetings through the county’s Website. There also are plans for live talk shows through the same system.
Toler stated that the system should be functioning sometime in October.
