Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net
ward Winning News al A pa
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 13, No. 28
rs
Na t
pe
ion
July 15, 2011
to the Fire district developing options Back blackboard by Rick Lemyre Staff Writer A pair of committees is now looking at possible futures for the cash-strapped East Contra Costa Fire Protection District that serves Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay and unincorporated far East County. The district board held a special workshop Monday to discuss a plan offered by fire board directors Pat Anderson of Oakley and Steve Barr of Brentwood. That plan, created with the help of representatives from Citigate, the consulting firm that put together a now-outdated plan for the district 10 years ago, could see the district divided into coverage zones based on population concentrations rather than city limits. Under the plan, each zone would receive the same baseline service, based on what the district can afford now. The district now spends nearly $12 million per year, but declines in property tax revenue have reduced income to just over $8 million per year. The district is currently making up the difference with reserves, which will run out next year. That means that without a revenue enhancement, the baseline could be reduced to three stations in the district that now operates six. Citigate representative Stewart Gary said there are only three ways the district can reduce expenses: cut pay, cut hours or cut staff. One possible way, he said, was to use as many as 13 paid-
From immunization rules to new campuses, our Back-to-School section gets you ready for the first bell. Page 1B
Photo by Rick Lemyre
At this week’s fire board meeting, Oakley police Chief Bani Kollo, center, presented ECCFPD Captain Jeremy Copple, left, and Engineer Kalani Dillon with a Certificate of Valor for pulling a gunshot victim to safety at the height of a hostage crisis. on-call (POC) firefighters in place of some of the district’s 48 full-time employees. It’s important to note that POCs are not volunteers, Gary said. Because so many residents work out of the area and are not available to answer calls, and since modern firefighters require 70 to 100 hours per year of training to stay current, a volunteer system such as far East County relied on years ago isn’t practical. Paid-on-call firefighters are essentially part-
time workers, although they are fully qualified firefighters. Typically young, POCs are paid less and can be used to bolster staffing during big community events or periods of high fire danger. At Monday’s occasionally contentious workshop, the district’s Executive Committee (EC), which includes city managers Bryan Montgomery (Oakley) and Donna Landeros (Brent-
Staff Writer City Manager Donna Landeros announced Monday that she would accelerate her planned retirement by a year. Her final day at the city’s helm will be Sept. 30. In a special meeting on Monday, the Brentwood City Council voted unanimously to appoint Assistant City Manager Paul Eldredge to the city’s top administrative post upon Landeros’ departure. City staff will work out an employment agreement for Eldredge and bring it back to the council for approval at an upcoming meeting. Landeros, 62, had announced
Online Now!
Paul Eldredge, right, will replace City Manager Donna Landeros, who will retire in September.
Photo by Rick Lemyre
in January that she would retire in August of next year. On Monday, she said she had enjoyed a recent trip to Lake Tahoe with her hus-
www.thepress.net Your Hometown Website
band, Ben, so much that she decided to move her retirement up by a year and in order to enjoy “more time in the mountains with him
Corn-ucopia
go to news/WebExtras! Check out the kernels of culinary genius in our Corn Recipe Contest.
The historic Roswell Butler Hard House in Antioch appears on the road to restoration. Page 3A
Compatible competitors
see Fire page 15A
City manager to retire in September by Rick Lemyre
Hard gets a lot easier
and our dogs.” Eldredge has worked for the city for 14 years, starting as an assistant engineer in 1997 and working his way up to being named assistant city manager earlier this year. He has overseen capital improvement projects such as the city’s wastewater and water treatment plants, helped re-organize the city’s engineering and public works departments and worked on special projects including examining fire service options and serving as the city’s liaison to state and federal agencies on transportation, water and wastewater matters.
Two racers’ passion for each other hasn’t impeded their passion for success at the Speedway. Page 19A Business ............................... 6B Calendar ............................ 19B Classifieds ......................... 12B Cop Logs ............................17A Back-to-School ................... 1B Entertainment ................... 9B Food .................................... 10B Health & Beauty ................ 8B Milestones .......................... 7B Opinion ..............................16A Sports .................................19A ravemotionpictures Brentwood 14 +
see Retire page 15A
Wide berth
go to news/press releases A campaign called Move Over aims to protect highway workers and cops.
®
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
BMX blowout
go to multimedia/videos Top BMX stars set Brentwood’s Sunset Plaza ablaze with sick tricks.