FROM:
Jason Weber, Fire Chief
SUBJECT:
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Presentation of the results from the Ross Valley Fire Department Governance and Leadership Study
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RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends that Council consider the following two options:
1) Receive report and provide direction to the Town's representatives to the Ross Valley Fire Board regarding recommended future governance and leadership of the Ross Valley Fire Department.
2) Receive report and direct staff to place an item on a February Town Council agenda to provide the opportunity for further discussion and to provide direction to the Town's representatives to the Ross Valley Fire Board regarding recommended future governance and leadership of the of the Ross Valley Fire Department.
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BACKGROUND
The Ross Valley Fire Department (RVFD) is a consolidated department protecting lives,
property, and the environments of Ross, San Anselmo, Sleepy Hollow, and Fairfax. The
Department's history can be traced to the early 1900s, starting with the formation of small
volunteer fire departments in the newly formed towns of Ross, San Anselmo, and Fairfax. Built
near the wildfire-prone slopes of Mount Tamalpais, these communities were and continue to be
acutely aware of the risk of fire.
In 1982, the Fairfax Fire Department and the San Anselmo Fire Department joined forces and
became the Ross Valley Fire Services. At the time, Sleepy Hollow was receiving fire protection
from the Town of San Anselmo through a service contract. Sleepy Hollow chose not to become a
Joint Powers Authority (JPA) member while maintaining a non-voting seat on the Board. In
2010, the JPA expanded to make Sleepy Hollow a full JPA member, ending its contract for
service with the Town of San Anselmo.
In 2012, Ross Valley Fire Department's Board of Directors voted to consolidate fire services
with the Town of Ross, incorporating the Town of Ross Fire Station 18 into the Ross Valley Fire
Department. Therefore, the current...
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