Laserfiche WebLink
openeditsinterimfirestationin2002,andthisdeclineshouldcontinueandperhapsacceleratewiththe <br />openingofthepermanentCityfirestationinmid-2005. <br />BothLaneRuralandSantaClaraFirehaveavolunteerfirefightercomponentsupportingfireprotection <br />services,andbothFireDistrictsassertthatvolunteersareessentialtoprovidingviablefireprotection <br />servicetothecommunity.TheCityofEugenecannotpermitCityvolunteerfirefightersbasedonits <br />currentcollectivebargainingagreementwiththefirefightersunion.Thisparticularprovisionhasbeenin <br />placeforapproximately15years.LaneRuralhasacollectivebargainingagreementwiththesameunion <br />buthasnonethelesscontinuedtosustainavolunteerservice.Recently,theEugeneFireChiefstatedthat <br />theremaybewaystoincludevolunteerfirefightersintheCityservicewereeitheroneofthetwoFire <br />Districtsceaseoperations. <br />Inthepast,LaneRuralandSantaClaraFirehaveconsideredthepossibilityofamerger,butthesetalks <br />didnotyieldsuchanoutcome.LaneRuralhasexpressedconcernthatamergerwithSantaClaraFire <br />couldeventually(ifthepaceofannexationcontinues)resultinahighertaxratefortheconsolidated <br />districtthanthetaxationlevelpresentlyenjoyedbythepropertyownerswithinLaneRural.This <br />circumstancecouldresultifÒout-of-UGBÓresidentialpropertiesareallthatremainfromtheoriginalSanta <br />ClaraFireDistrict.InrecentdiscussionswiththetwoFireDistrictsandwithEugeneCityFire,allagreed <br />thatamergerofLaneRuralandSantaClaraFirewouldnotsolvethecurrentfinancialchallenges <br />particularlyfacedbySantaClaraFire,andmayinfactworsenandaccceleraterevenueshortfalls. <br />TransitionandHeritageOptions <br />RiverRoad <br />InsofarastherearenofiredistrictsservicingtheRiverRoadcommunity,thequestionoftransitionand <br />heritagestrategiesinthisareaappearalmostmoot.Nonetheless,theissueofthecontinuedviabilityof <br />theRiverRoadWaterDistrict,whichbothmaintainslocalwaterlinesandretailswater(obtainedfromthe <br />EugeneWaterandElectricBoard)tonon-Cityproperties,andcontractsforCityfireprotectionforthose <br />samenon-Cityproperties,providesreasontoconsidersometransitionorheritageoptions.IftheWater <br />Districtweretogooutofbusiness,therewouldbenolocalcommunityinstitutionviawhichtheCitycould <br />pass-throughfireservicestonon-Cityproperties(excepttheoreticallytheRiverRoadParksand <br />RecreationDistrictÐwhichisanunlikelyprospect). <br />TransitionOptions <br />-TheCityandtheEugeneWaterandElectricBoard(EWEB) <br />OptionNo.1:EWEBContract <br />negotiateacontingencyagreementforRiverRoadfireprotectionservices,withEWEBassuming <br />thecurrentroleoftheWaterDistrict,iftheRiverRoadWaterDistrictweretoceaseoperations. <br />EWEBisafirmlyestablishedgovernmentalagency,andwouldnotfacea <br />Advantages: <br />shrinkingcustomerandtaxbasesuchastheRiverRoadWaterDistrictwill <br />experienceasincorporationcontinuesapace. <br />TheroleoffireservicecontractormaynotinterestEWEB <br />Challenges: <br />ÐTheCitycontractswithSantaClaraFireorLaneRuralto <br />OptionNo.2:FireDistrictContract <br />protectunincorporatedresidentsandbusinessesinRiverRoad(againonlyiftheRiverRoad <br />WaterDistrictweretoceaseoperations). <br />Mayhelptosustainlocalinstitutions(e.g.:thetwofiredistricts)alreadyinthe <br />Advantages: <br />businessoffireprotection <br />NeitherSantaClaraFirenorLaneRuralmayhavetheoperationalcapacityto <br />Challenges: <br />expandtoRiverRoad,northeabilitytodevelopneededphysicalinfrastructure; <br />EugeneFireisexpandinginthegeneralareaalready(e.g.:newSantaClaraCity <br />firestation) <br />RiverRoad/SantaClaraCommunityTransitionProject10 <br />TransitionandHeritageWhitePaperMay2006 <br /> <br />