Canyon Lake votes to terminate CalFire contract in 2022

During its Wednesday, Nov. 4 meeting, the City of Canyon Lake City Council voted unanimously to terminate the city's contact with CalFire Riverside County Fire Department, effective January 2022. 

Canyon Lake would become only the second Southwest Riverside County city to form its own fire department. Murrieta was the first. 

City Manager Chris Mann laid out the proposal for the resolution. 

"The city has been looking at options for many years, but in the last year and a half, since I've been here, we really intently looked at options to solve the situation for the city," he said. "The first thing we thought is, 'Okay, well, can we negotiate with the county? Can we reduce the rate? Can we talk about what that rate is?' We quickly found that that's not doable. The County charges us to what they say are their actual costs for providing the service. And there's really no wiggle room."

Mann said city staff looked at several different options and ultimately reiterated that residents want to keep Station 60 open.  

After exploring the options, Mann said staff focused on two options, economic development and an EMS subscription program, which would include an annual fee for residents. Those that do not subscribe to the program would be charged a fee if service is required. 

They also considered doubling a utility tax, creating a special tax, and forming a fire protection district. Mann stated that council has been consistent in wanting to avoid new taxes for its residents. 

He said staff has started the process of acquiring the Bureau of Land Management land needed, has contracted with economic development consultant Bill Blankenship and has coordinated with BLM, Riverside County Conservation Authority, Congressman Ken Calvert, Supervisor Kevin Jeffries and environmental agencies. 

Mann indicated that the city was under a deadline of the end of the month to make a decision on the matter. 

"I've personally been contacted by municipal firefighters who live in Canyon Lake, who do not work for CalFire and that words of encouragement were there," Mayor Pro Tem Kasey Castillo said. "I've not received any personal messages from anyone else. I was encouraged by people who work for municipal fire departments reaching out and saying, 'You can do it, it's going to be awesome.' 

"I understand that there may be hesitancy from the community in the past. The fire station has been shut down. No one wants to be without fire service. No one wants to be without adequate and competent and efficient medical response. Can you elaborate a little bit further on any kind of words of encouragement or support that you've received in your various meetings?"

"I certainly can't speak for the county or for CalFire, but my impression has been that it would be CalFire's preference that we keep our contract with the county, but that CalFire and county fire administration, as well as the county executive office and our county supervisor are supportive of Canyon Lake," Mann said. "And they understand that we need to do whatever this council believes is in the best interest of Canyon Lake. Now, if the council decides to cease the practice of contracting with the county for fire services, it's very important to the county and to CalFire that we remain part of the regional system and though we'd be a good neighbor and it's very important to our neighboring cities as well. 

"We received very good service from CalFire. We just feel that long-term, it's going to be a challenge to continue paying for it. And ultimately because of our fiscal constraints here in Canyon Lake and our lack of sales tax revenue, that those increased costs will continue falling on the back of residents. That's really what prompted this whole discussion."

He said he didn't think the council would support the move without being confident that they could provide "as good, if not better fire service than we're receiving."

"The safety of the public is the local government's number one priority," Mann said. "And I know each of the members of the council, I know that you all agree with that, and your staff agrees with that. The plan contemplated by ESCI has the same one fire engine that we have today. It adds a new engine putting our current engine in reserve. It has a Type 6 quick response engine, which we don't have today. It adds a reserve program, which we don't have today that could not only be helpful here in Canyon Lake, but could be helpful regionally and could help, could help our neighbors. 

"In many ways, I think that we could become even better regional partners, even better neighbors to Lake Elsinore and to Menifee and to the county than we are today."

In an email distributed Wednesday night, Bill Weiser, Riverside County Fire Fire Chief C3100, said, "This vote is not a reflection of our dedicated and professional firefighting personnel. Both elected and paid staff of Canyon Lake commented on the professional service they currently receive. This is a fiscal decision.

"Our department will remain committed as always, to delivering the highest level of emergency care and response to all emergencies in Canyon Lake during this transitional period."

The approved resolution includes direction for Mann to approach the county for a six month extension to its current contract. 

The full meeting can be viewed at http://www.cityofcanyonlake.org/live. 

Jeff Pack can be reached by email at [email protected].