Politics & Government
City Council Preview: City Council Preview: Fire Job-Sharing Measure Goes Before Council
Council to vote on resolution that would expand job-sharing functions with neighboring San Mateo.
The Foster City City Council, which meets tonight for the first time since a contentious Nov. 8 election, will vote on a cost-cutting measure that would expand fire department job-sharing with neighboring San Mateo.
The "Agreement for Shared Fire Department Employees" calls for combining deputy fire and battalion chiefs. The two cities already share a fire chief, Dan Belville.
According to an official staff recommendation posted on the city’s website, approving the measure will “formalize a staff sharing relationship between the two cities.”
Find out what's happening in Foster Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The measure, which has the city council’s staff’s blessings, is a component of the council’s stated goal of eradicating a $2.8 million budget shortfall within two years.
The council meets today at 6:30 p.m at City Hall.
Find out what's happening in Foster Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
If approved, Foster City would pick up the full tab of a shared deputy chief’s $228,000 annual salary.
Foster City would get discounts on the $360,000 fire chief (from 50 to 33 percent) and $149,000 battalion chief (from 100 to 33 percent) salaries.
The measure, which needs approval from both cities, opens the door to future job-sharing, with battalion chief, fire prevention and administrative staff positions mentioned as likely targets.
