HUNTINGTON BEACH

Instead of cutting off emergency services to Sunset Beach as proposed by Huntington Councilman Dave Sullivan, the Huntington Beach City Council voted earlier this week to negotiate with the Orange County Fire Authority for financial reimbursement or more services from the community to balance the scales.

Since 1973, Huntington Beach has been shouldering the cost of emergency calls it makes to Sunset Beach even though it charges its own residents for emergency calls within city limits. Some council members have said that is unfair.

“I just want to treat people the same in Sunset Beach as in Huntington Beach,” Councilman Ralph Bauer said.

Council members said they are otherwise supportive of the county’s mutual aid plan for emergency service, which benefits all local cities.