Marinwood's Acting Fire Chief Sinott explains the crisis preparation for the Covid 19 virus. His serious professionalism is a stark contrast to the feckless Marinwood CSD manager who is simply waiting for instruction and has made NO CONTINGENCY PLANS.
Showing posts with label marinwood fire department. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marinwood fire department. Show all posts
Saturday, March 14, 2020
San Rafael/Marinwood Fire Chief discusses Corona Virus Response
Marinwood's Acting Fire Chief Sinott explains the crisis preparation for the Covid 19 virus. His serious professionalism is a stark contrast to the feckless Marinwood CSD manager who is simply waiting for instruction and has made NO CONTINGENCY PLANS.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Marinwood CSD approves Labor contract WITHOUT financial analysis
The Marinwood CSD rushed to approve this at the December 20, 2018 WITH NO DISCUSSION of the financial costs and long term financial affects to the district budget. It is yet another example of the feckless leadership on the Marinwood CSD board and the CSD Manager who lacks training in labor negotiation. Over 66% of all Marinwood FD emergency response is in the City of San Rafael. Marinwood taxpayers subsidize this because of the inept ability of Marinwood CSD to negotiate a fair agreement. This is why we need to consider alternatives to the current "shared services" agreement such as alignment with another agency or hiring fire services privately.
Marinwood CSD is certain to go bankrupt unless it adopts a responsible fiscal management plan. Simply doing "business as usual" will drive us irreversibly into bankruptcy without the ability to meet pension obligations.
Marinwood firefighters get 3-year contract after period of tension
Marinwood firefighters get 3-year contract after period of tension
Firefighters extinguish a vegetation fire last year near Johnstone Drive in Marinwood. The neighborhood has its own firefighters, but the top administrators are from the San Rafael Fire Department. (Robert Tong/Marin Independent Journal)
By GARY KLIEN | gklien@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal
PUBLISHED: December 22, 2018 at 5:15 pm | UPDATED: December 22, 2018 at 5:18 pm
After several years without a contract, Marinwood’s firefighters have secured a three-year package of pay hikes.
The contract, approved Thursday night by the Marinwood Community Services District board, also includes a $2,000 one-time payment and other incentives. The vote was 4-0, with Jeff Naylor absent.
The increases range from 5.5 percent to 8.5 percent over the three years, depending on rank. By the end of the contract, the maximum pay scale will range from $6,913 a month for veteran firefighters to $8,121 for captains.
Union negotiator John Bagala, a former Marinwood fire captain, said the contract still leaves Marinwood’s pay as the lowest in the county, but the multiyear deal gives the firefighters and the district a respite from being at “loggerheads.”
“Much more needs to be done, but this contract is a good first step,” said Bagala, vice president of Marin Professional Firefighters, Local 1775 of the International Association of Firefighters. “The reason we strive for parity is in order to attract the most qualified people so we can provide the highest quality service to the public.”
The district also agreed to start an “advanced life support” program for its medics, bringing them up to the care level provided by other local departments. Bagala said the majority of the department’s 1,400 to 1,500 annual calls are medical.
The contract caps a prolonged period of tension over not just wages but also basic working conditions. The firehouse kitchen, largely demolished nearly two years ago during a mold abatement project, was only recently refurbished after repeated snags over funding and contractors.
“The district is grateful to have completed this process and looks forward to focusing on the future, while enhancing the high level of service our community has come to expect,” Leah Green, president of the district board, said of the contract resolution.
In this fiscal year, the contract calls for a 1.5 percent raise for firefighters and firefighter-paramedics; 2 percent for engineers; and 2.5 percent for captains. In the 2019-20 and 2020-21 fiscal years, those numbers rise to 2 percent, 2.5 percent and 3 percent.
Under the agreement, the department will have nine budgeted positions instead of 10. The nine positions cover three shifts that include a captain, an engineer and firefighter. Overtime shifts fill in the gaps. See the full story HERE
By GARY KLIEN | gklien@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal
PUBLISHED: December 22, 2018 at 5:15 pm | UPDATED: December 22, 2018 at 5:18 pm
After several years without a contract, Marinwood’s firefighters have secured a three-year package of pay hikes.
The contract, approved Thursday night by the Marinwood Community Services District board, also includes a $2,000 one-time payment and other incentives. The vote was 4-0, with Jeff Naylor absent.
The increases range from 5.5 percent to 8.5 percent over the three years, depending on rank. By the end of the contract, the maximum pay scale will range from $6,913 a month for veteran firefighters to $8,121 for captains.
Union negotiator John Bagala, a former Marinwood fire captain, said the contract still leaves Marinwood’s pay as the lowest in the county, but the multiyear deal gives the firefighters and the district a respite from being at “loggerheads.”
“Much more needs to be done, but this contract is a good first step,” said Bagala, vice president of Marin Professional Firefighters, Local 1775 of the International Association of Firefighters. “The reason we strive for parity is in order to attract the most qualified people so we can provide the highest quality service to the public.”
The district also agreed to start an “advanced life support” program for its medics, bringing them up to the care level provided by other local departments. Bagala said the majority of the department’s 1,400 to 1,500 annual calls are medical.
The contract caps a prolonged period of tension over not just wages but also basic working conditions. The firehouse kitchen, largely demolished nearly two years ago during a mold abatement project, was only recently refurbished after repeated snags over funding and contractors.
“The district is grateful to have completed this process and looks forward to focusing on the future, while enhancing the high level of service our community has come to expect,” Leah Green, president of the district board, said of the contract resolution.
In this fiscal year, the contract calls for a 1.5 percent raise for firefighters and firefighter-paramedics; 2 percent for engineers; and 2.5 percent for captains. In the 2019-20 and 2020-21 fiscal years, those numbers rise to 2 percent, 2.5 percent and 3 percent.
Under the agreement, the department will have nine budgeted positions instead of 10. The nine positions cover three shifts that include a captain, an engineer and firefighter. Overtime shifts fill in the gaps. See the full story HERE
Editor's Note: The Marinwood CSD rushed to approve this at the December 20, 2018 WITH NO DISCUSSION of the financial costs and long term financial affects to the district budget. It is yet another example of the feckless leadership on the Marinwood CSD board and the CSD Manager who lacks training in labor negotiation. Over 66% of all Marinwood FD emergency response is in the City of San Rafael. Marinwood taxpayers subsidize this because of the inept ability of Marinwood CSD to negotiate a fair agreement. This is why we need to consider alternatives to the current "shared services" agreement such as alignment with another agency or hiring fire services privately.
Marinwood CSD is certain to go bankrupt unless it adopts a responsible fiscal management plan. Simply doing "business as usual" will drive us irreversibly into bankruptcy without the ability to meet pension obligations.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Marinwood fire chief retires after 27 years of service
Marinwood fire chief retires after 27 years of service
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Tom Roach is retiring after 27 years with the Marinwood Fire Department. (James Cacciatore/Marin Independent Journal)
By ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ | arodriguez@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal
PUBLISHED: October 12, 2018 at 5:15 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2018 at 7:00 pm
Tom Roach, the Marinwood Fire Department’s longtime fire chief, is retiring this month after a 27-year career at the department where he began as a volunteer firefighter.
“It’s been a pleasure serving the Marinwood community,” said Roach, who moved to Marinwood with his family in 1974 at the age of 6. “I feel blessed being able to serve in a community that I grew up and live in. I’m lucky to have served in a community that I care so much about.”
Roach, 50, has been fire chief for nearly 16 years. For the past year, Roach has been planning his retirement, over which time he helped shepherd a new five-year shared services agreement with the San Rafael Fire Department. Under that agreement, San Rafael fire Chief Chris Gray and the department’s top officers will be at the helm of Marinwood fire, overseeing operations and administration of the department.
See Article HERE
Saturday, October 13, 2018
The Marinwood Taxpayers are getting a bad deal from San Rafael Fire Department
Ron Marinoff gives history of fire department agreement with San Rafael He objects to the new Marinwood agreement with San Rafael as we are delivering far more than we receive in return
Marinwood CSD director Irv Schwartz questions the fire department agreement with San Rafael. We taxpayers pay to respond to calls in San Rafael but get very little in return. Marinwood taxpayers are being exploited by an unfair agreement.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Marinwood, San Rafael closing in on fire service deal
Marinwood, San Rafael closing in on fire service deal
By ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ | arodriguez@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal
After studying the costs and benefits, Marinwood and San Rafael fire departments could soon be operating under the same chief — if a new five-year agreement gets a thumbs-up.
The Marinwood Community Services District this week agreed that the fire department should expand its shared services with San Rafael in lieu of hiring a new fire chief. The district board voted 3-0, with directors Leah Green and William Shea absent, to go ahead with that plan.
Now the San Rafael City Council is now poised to authorize the agreement, which would mean that San Rafael’s fire chief officers would oversee administration and operations of the Marinwood department.
“From the options on the table, this made the most sense,” said Eric Dreikosen, Marinwood district manager. “We’ve had a longstanding relationship with San Rafael, and I expect it to go seamlessly.”
The Marinwood Fire Department is among a handful of other agencies that recently explored the benefits of expanding shared services, including plans between Southern Marin and Mill Valley, and a recent chief sharing agreement between Ross Valley and the county.
The move would amend a shared services agreement between the two departments that was first established in 2014. It would put the community services district on the hook for $96,320 annually to be paid to San Rafael to provide fire chief oversight for the Marinwood department.
At the end of each year, that service fee will increase by 3 percent. The five-year contract could be canceled with a 90-day notification.
The San Rafael City Council is expected to consider the amendment at either its Oct. 1 or 15 meeting, City Manager Jim Schutz said.
“San Rafael and Marinwood have a long history of working collaboratively to provide the best service possible, and this could be another great example of that,” Schutz said.
The Marinwood Fire Department began exploring options for a new chief last year when fire Chief Tom Roach announced that he would be retiring. The department has 10 firefighters and a $2.6 million budget.
Roach, who is 50, has spent 27 years with the department, 15 years as chief. He earns $170,000 annually and is expected to retire Oct. 31. See full article HERE
By ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ | arodriguez@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal
September 12, 2018 at 8:37 pm
After studying the costs and benefits, Marinwood and San Rafael fire departments could soon be operating under the same chief — if a new five-year agreement gets a thumbs-up.
The Marinwood Community Services District this week agreed that the fire department should expand its shared services with San Rafael in lieu of hiring a new fire chief. The district board voted 3-0, with directors Leah Green and William Shea absent, to go ahead with that plan.
Now the San Rafael City Council is now poised to authorize the agreement, which would mean that San Rafael’s fire chief officers would oversee administration and operations of the Marinwood department.
“From the options on the table, this made the most sense,” said Eric Dreikosen, Marinwood district manager. “We’ve had a longstanding relationship with San Rafael, and I expect it to go seamlessly.”
The Marinwood Fire Department is among a handful of other agencies that recently explored the benefits of expanding shared services, including plans between Southern Marin and Mill Valley, and a recent chief sharing agreement between Ross Valley and the county.
The move would amend a shared services agreement between the two departments that was first established in 2014. It would put the community services district on the hook for $96,320 annually to be paid to San Rafael to provide fire chief oversight for the Marinwood department.
At the end of each year, that service fee will increase by 3 percent. The five-year contract could be canceled with a 90-day notification.
The San Rafael City Council is expected to consider the amendment at either its Oct. 1 or 15 meeting, City Manager Jim Schutz said.
“San Rafael and Marinwood have a long history of working collaboratively to provide the best service possible, and this could be another great example of that,” Schutz said.
The Marinwood Fire Department began exploring options for a new chief last year when fire Chief Tom Roach announced that he would be retiring. The department has 10 firefighters and a $2.6 million budget.
Roach, who is 50, has spent 27 years with the department, 15 years as chief. He earns $170,000 annually and is expected to retire Oct. 31. See full article HERE
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Marinwood's Paramedic Tax Continues 7 years after adoption but STILL MARINWOOD FD does not have Paramedics stationed locally
Since 2011 Marinwood CSD has been taxed for Paramedic services that it has never received. The Marinwood CSD Board of Directors do nothing while our community is being ripped off. Why are we continuing the tax? Here is a recent resolution by the City of San Rafael. If you or a loved one had an ambulance response, you will notice that you received a huge bill sent to you by San Rafael Fire Department. This is a tactic used to collect extra from Medicare and your insurance company.
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CLERK'S CERTIFICATE I, LINDSAY LARA, City Clerk of the City of San Rafael, and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Council of said City, do hereby certify that the foregoing ORDINANCE NO. 1958 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL AMENDING THE PARAMEDIC SERVICE SPECIAL TAX RATES WITHIN THE VOTER-APPROVED LIMIT, COMMENCING WITH FISCAL YEAR 2018-2019, FOR RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL, COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 13, AND COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 19. ($95.00 FOR RESIDENTIAL AND $0.132 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES), AND FOR RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN THE MARINWOOD COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT ($85.00 FOR RESIDENTIAL AND $0.11 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES) is a true and correct copy of an Ordinance of said City, and was introduced at a REGULAR meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael, held on the 7th day of May 2018; was published as required by City Charter in the MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL, a newspaper published in the City of San Rafael, and passed and adopted as an Ordinance of said City at a REGULAR meeting of the City Council of said City, held on the 21st day of May 2018, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Bushey, Colin, Gamblin, McCullough & Mayor Phillips NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None WITNESS my hand and the official Seal of the City of San Rafael this 22nd day of May 2018 _______________ LINDSAY LARA City Clerk NO. 694 MAY 25, 2018
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Letter to Marin IJ "Marinwood Fire needs to merge with other agency"
Marinwood Fire needs to merge with other agency
Marinwood Fire Department should be merged with another agency, period. We pay way too much for too little fire service. Each month our Marinwood firefighters are responding to emergency calls in San Rafael, and Marinwood taxpayers are footing the bill. We are essentially a substation for San Rafael but get paid nothing in return for 50 to 66 percent of all emergency service calls.
It gets worse. In 2011 Marinwood passed Measure E, which was supposed to give us a paramedic from San Rafael Fire Department to be stationed in Marinwood. Due to labor issues this has never happened and we have been paying the tax for seven years. Marinwood CSD has done nothing to address this rip-off on behalf of Marinwood taxpayers
A better solution for all parties, most especially the firefighters themselves, is to merge Marinwood Fire with a larger agency or convert to a semi-volunteer department. A merger with San Rafael would create better career opportunities for firefighters; San Rafael will have more resources to deploy and Marinwood could concentrate its limited resources to parks, open space and recreation.
Why not contract our fire service just like we do with county sheriff for policing services? The new agency can stay in our fire station and keep the same staff. Just change the lettering on the fire truck and hardly anyone will notice the difference.
— Stephen Nestel, Marinwood
Monday, April 16, 2018
Why is Marinwood insisting they Pay TEN TIMES the price of a competitive bid DESPITE CHANGES IN THE LAW?
Here is hoping cooler heads will prevail and the Marinwood Fire Department, Marinwood Staff and Board members immediately reverse course on the John Pope Contract for the Fire Kitchen that is TEN TIMES the cost of a competing bid. Legal Bid procedures were not used and it appears that the contract was illegally steered to a favored bidder. A written contract from www.thegraniteexpo.com in the amount of $7999 was received on March 10, 2017 and would have been installed by today from their estimate. John Pope bid $72,000. Luxury kitchen appliance add another $10,000 to the bill (including $2000 to hook up a gas stove)
The money saved can be invested in our parks, programs and pensions. Why not use taxpayer funds wisely?
Public Agencies No Longer Required to Contract with DIR Registered Contractors for Small Projects
July 2017
Number 38
Senate Bill (SB) 96, passed this June as part of the California state budget, contains provisions designed to encourage more contractors to participate on small public works projects.
Public works projects under $25,000 and maintenance projects under $15,000 are now exempt from the requirements of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) registration program. The new law also permits contractors to register for up to three years in advance and imposes new penalties on contractors found to be in violation of the registration requirements. The deadline for public agencies to provide notice to DIR of new public works projects has also been extended from five to 30 days from the date the contract was awarded.
Prior Law
Since April 1, 2015, all contractors have been required to register with the DIR and to pay an annual registration fee of $300 in order to bid on or be awarded a public works project, regardless of whether the project was competitively bid. Some public agencies have experienced difficulty in identifying contractors willing to comply with the registration requirements, especially where the contemplated project is relatively small. In order to assist DIR in monitoring prevailing wage compliance, public agencies were required to provide notice to DIR within five days of the award of any public works contract. (See 2014 Client News Brief No. 43.)
Changes Made by SB 96
SB 96 amended Labor Code § 1725.5 to exempt public works projects, including construction, alteration, demolition, installation or repair work, of $25,000 or less and maintenance projects of $15,000 or less from the DIR registration and electronic certified payroll reporting requirements, effective July 1, 2017. This change is intended to encourage more contractors to participate on small public works projects. The law also increases the registration fee from $300 to $400 but will allow contractors to register or renew their registration for up to three years at a time beginning June 1, 2019.
Labor Code § 1773.3 has also been amended to provide more flexibility to local governments in providing DIR with notice of a new public works project. Public agencies now have 30 days from the date a public works contract was awarded to file the required notice with DIR.
Beginning January 1, 2018, new penalties will apply to any contractor or subcontractor found to be in violation of the registration requirements. Labor Code § 1771.1 now provides that contractors and subcontractors found to have engaged in work on a public works project without being registered may be assessed a $100 penalty for each day of work performed in violation of the registration requirements, up to a maximum of $8,000. Contractors or subcontractors found to have entered into a subcontract with an unregistered lower tier subcontractor could be assessed similar penalties.
Additionally, DIR is required to issue a stop order prohibiting the use of the unregistered contractor or subcontractor on all public works until that contractor or subcontractor complies with the registration requirement. A contractor or subcontractor's violation of such a stop order is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of up to 60 days in jail and a $10,000 fine.
If you have questions regarding these changes to the DIR registration program or other public works obligations, please contact the authors of this Client News Brief or an attorney at one of our nine officeslocated statewide. You can also visit our website, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or download our Client News Brief App.
Number 38
Senate Bill (SB) 96, passed this June as part of the California state budget, contains provisions designed to encourage more contractors to participate on small public works projects.
Public works projects under $25,000 and maintenance projects under $15,000 are now exempt from the requirements of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) registration program. The new law also permits contractors to register for up to three years in advance and imposes new penalties on contractors found to be in violation of the registration requirements. The deadline for public agencies to provide notice to DIR of new public works projects has also been extended from five to 30 days from the date the contract was awarded.
Prior Law
Since April 1, 2015, all contractors have been required to register with the DIR and to pay an annual registration fee of $300 in order to bid on or be awarded a public works project, regardless of whether the project was competitively bid. Some public agencies have experienced difficulty in identifying contractors willing to comply with the registration requirements, especially where the contemplated project is relatively small. In order to assist DIR in monitoring prevailing wage compliance, public agencies were required to provide notice to DIR within five days of the award of any public works contract. (See 2014 Client News Brief No. 43.)
Changes Made by SB 96
SB 96 amended Labor Code § 1725.5 to exempt public works projects, including construction, alteration, demolition, installation or repair work, of $25,000 or less and maintenance projects of $15,000 or less from the DIR registration and electronic certified payroll reporting requirements, effective July 1, 2017. This change is intended to encourage more contractors to participate on small public works projects. The law also increases the registration fee from $300 to $400 but will allow contractors to register or renew their registration for up to three years at a time beginning June 1, 2019.
Labor Code § 1773.3 has also been amended to provide more flexibility to local governments in providing DIR with notice of a new public works project. Public agencies now have 30 days from the date a public works contract was awarded to file the required notice with DIR.
Beginning January 1, 2018, new penalties will apply to any contractor or subcontractor found to be in violation of the registration requirements. Labor Code § 1771.1 now provides that contractors and subcontractors found to have engaged in work on a public works project without being registered may be assessed a $100 penalty for each day of work performed in violation of the registration requirements, up to a maximum of $8,000. Contractors or subcontractors found to have entered into a subcontract with an unregistered lower tier subcontractor could be assessed similar penalties.
Additionally, DIR is required to issue a stop order prohibiting the use of the unregistered contractor or subcontractor on all public works until that contractor or subcontractor complies with the registration requirement. A contractor or subcontractor's violation of such a stop order is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of up to 60 days in jail and a $10,000 fine.
If you have questions regarding these changes to the DIR registration program or other public works obligations, please contact the authors of this Client News Brief or an attorney at one of our nine officeslocated statewide. You can also visit our website, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or download our Client News Brief App.
Monday, November 20, 2017
Marinwood CSD approves $77k plus "Martha Stewart" Fire Kitchen makeover- November 2017
The Fire Department wins approval of the "Martha Stewart" Kitchen makeover featuring luxury appliances like a $4500 Viking stove, custom cabinetry. Lea Kleinman-Green argues that to "determine price" we must approve the $77,000 makeover and then deal with the contractor adjustments after the fact. The rest of the Marinwood CSD board eventually agrees unanimously. Only months before the CSD REFUSED a generous $25,000 gift for less fancy kitchen by falsely claiming it was ILLEGAL to take the contribution. The winning contractors have ties to people in the community. The TAXPAYERS ARE BEING SCREWED. In other business, the CSD is considering reorganization of the fire department in secret meetings. The Marinwood CSD agree to this outrageous abuse of taxpayers like blind sheep.
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