The following is a short summary from the San Mateo Daily Journal of some of the cost-sharing and outsourcing measures undertaken in the county over the past year -
San Carlos remained a focal point, particularly as it moved forward with plans to disband its joint Belmont San Carlos Fire Department as another way to balance the budget. Belmont leaders knocked San Carlos for the decision and decided to establish its own department. San Carlos sought proposals from other cities and asked San Mateo County to consider absorbing it under the Cal Fire contract. Instead, the members of the Board of Supervisors told both cities to roll up their sleeves and work out their differences with Belmont. The two cities sat down but the conversation was fruitless. San Carlos mulled a contract with private provider Wackenhut — an idea that did not fly well with residents worried about accountability and service and the fire union worried about jobs — but ultimately opted for a hybrid model with Redwood City. The fire department officially dissolved in October.
Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Office took over police duties in Half Moon Bay and are poised to do the same for Millbrae once final details are hashed out.
San Carlos took over parks and recreation services for Half Moon Bay while South San Francisco began providing police dispatch services for Pacifica.
Burlingame looked at sharing a fire chief with San Mateo although it ultimately passed on the idea. However, sharing dispatch and records could still be a go.
Millbrae and San Bruno also signed on to test a four-city fire merger with Burlingame and Hillsborough that already operate as Central County Fire.
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Posted by Steve Sinai
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