Illinois Valley News

Standards for private fire protection providers and code enforcement at county parks were among topics discussed by the Josephine County Board of Commissioners during its Thursday, March 11 meeting with county legal counsel.

The meeting took place at the courthouse in Grants Pass. Board Chairman Dwight Ellis was absent.

Commissioner Dave Toler had requested a status update regarding the fire standards ordinance.

Three private companies provide fire protection for areas of the county outside of existing fire district boundaries, but are largely unregulated. As such, some residents in those areas have requested that standards be adopted by the commissioners.

Legal Counsel Steve Rich said that a fire standards draft ordinance was submitted to the commissioners, and asked for further direction.

Vice Chairman Sandi Cassanelli suggested that the board wait to consider the matter until Ellis returns.

Toler said that there is “not a whole lot of precedence“ for county governments applying fire standards to private companies. But he added that there could be parallels with how ambulance service agreements are drafted.

That could be used as a model for fire standards, Toler said, rather than having the county try to “reinvent the wheel.“

Rich said that the franchise agreement that the county has with American Medical Response includes $25,000 for contract administration fees. He said that the county has ambulance service areas that are exclusive franchises, and that the county could do the same for fire protection service providers.

Cassanelli said that Colonial Valley, a neighborhood near Merlin, may want to form its own fire district. Rich verified that he met with a group from that area inquiring what they had to do to circulate a petition to begin that process.

Williams and Illinois Valley have their own fire districts, Cassanelli said, adding that people in those areas can see the equipment and stations in their neighborhoods. Cassanelli said that some citizens may be reluctant to support the formation of a larger fire district.

Rich characterized that as “shortsighted,“ and said that forming a series of smaller districts would require multiple administrators and boards of directors.

“It seems to be working in Williams,“ Cassanelli said. “It seems to be working in the Illinois Valley.“

Toler pointed out that Illinois Valley Fire District (IVFD) covers a large area, from Hay“s Hill to the California border. He said there is not much difference in size between IVFD and the Mid-Rogue Rural Fire Protection District (MRRFPD), which voters rejected overwhelmingly in the November 2008 general election.

The county should stay out of forming districts, Toler said. He said that he sees the adoption of standards as a “separate tract“ from the possible MRRFPD formation.

Rich also updated the board on an updated draft of a code enforcement ordinance. Toler said that he wanted to focus the discussion on enforcement of the ordinances governing the county“s parks.

Cassanelli said that she is leery of setting up a situation where a hearings officer can be “judge, jury and executioner.“

Rich said that hearings officers do tend to perform all those functions. He added that unless the commissioners themselves want to handle every single case that would be referred to a hearings officer, the only other option is a Justice Court.

Establishing a hearings officer would form bureaucracy, Cassanelli said, adding that she would rather see a Justice Court.

But Rich said that he has yet to see the numbers to justify such a court. Toler said that a Justice Court also would involve bureaucracy, and invited Cassanelli to formulate a solid proposal for such a system.

Toler said that he would like to see a code enforcement draft ordinance pertaining only to county parks.

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