Item:
Title
Interlocal Agreement With the City of Durham for the Provision of Consolidated Fire, Rescue and First Responder Services in the Southern Part of the County
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: June 25, 2018
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to authorize the County Manager to enter into an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the City of Durham for the provision of consolidated fire, rescue and first responder services. The Board is also requested to approve two (2) separate lease agreements that are contained within the ILA. One is for the lease of Durham County Fire Rescue (DCFR) Station 81 and the other is for DCFR Station 83. These two (2) stations will be used by the consolidated DCFR and Durham Fire Department (DFD) until two (2) new DFD stations are built and occupied.
The ILA consolidates the DCFR and the DFD, an accredited CFAI department in an effort to provide the same or higher level of fire, rescue and first responder services than are currently being provided by DCFR. The consolidated DFD will function under a single operational plan and point of coordination in the delivery of fire, rescue and first responder services to the residents and businesses in the DCFR Fire Service District, as well as the City of Durham. The proposed ILA will achieve the following goals: 1. provide the same or higher level fire service for the District, 2. mitigate future capital costs for the District, and 3. protect and provide career advancement opportunities for DCFR employees. The ILA is drafted to achieve all of the stated goals using tax revenue collected for the Durham County Fire and Rescue Service District. A copy of the “Fire Consolidation White Paper” presented during the Joint City/County Committee meeting in October 2017 has been attached for additional background information.
The ILA transfers 53 DCFR employees, front line and training fire and support apparatus to DFD. The Agreement includes a cost share for the construction of two (2) new facilities and the purchase of new fire-fighting apparatus to serve the population in southern Durham County and to maintain and improve on Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings in an effort to achieve the lowest insurance rates for residents and businesses in the DCFR Fire Service District (including the Research Triangle Park).
The proposed ILA has been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney’s Office.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: The agreement aligns the County’s Strategic Plan Goal 3: Safe Community and Strategic Goal 5: Accountable, Efficient and Visionary Government.
Resource Persons: Jodi Miller, General Manager and Jim Groves, EM/FM Director.
County Manager’s Recommendation: The Manager recommends that the Board consider the proposed ILA with the City of Durham and authorize the Manager to sign and execute the ILA for the provision of consolidated fire, rescue, and first responder services in the DCFR Fire Service District, as well as sign and execute the leases with the City of Durham for DCFR Station 81 and DCFR Station 83.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________