Council Continues Fire Service Debate

The contentious issue of fire services flared up at a recent City Council session as members discussed a study of the feasibility of reestablishing a city-run department.

A $15,000 report by Long Beach-based Hunter & Associates was completed this week, and after a lengthy discussion and public hearing last week, the council referred the study to its Financial Review Committee for further examination.

The council also directed City Atty. Richard Jones to examine the legal ramifications of dissolving the city’s contract with the Orange County Fire Authority, which now provides its fire services.

The move was strongly opposed by Councilwoman Margaret Shillington. Councilman Tony Lam, who is also against bringing back a city-run fire department, was absent.

Westminster’s Fire Department was dissolved in 1995 after years of infighting between city officials and the firefighters union. The cost of the Fire Authority contract is abut $1.8 million a year less than the city paid for its own department.

Mayor Frank Fry Jr. and Councilwomen Joy L. Neugebauer and Margie L. Rice have said they would like to reestablish a city-run department, however, because that would give local officials more control of the service.

The Hunter & Associates study says the city’s costs would be about the same as for Fire Authority service: about $4.8-million a year. Some city officials said the study was inadequate and questioned some of its conclusions, though.

“I don’t think this report is worth $15,000,” Shillington said.

At the public hearing, the majority of speakers voiced support for the Fire Authority.

“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” resident Chuck Gibson said. “I think we have good fire service, and we have other problems in this city that need to be addressed.”