By Pam Wight
Whittier Daily News (California)
MONTEBELLO, Calif. — Residents who want local voters to have a say in whether the city’s Fire Department should be folded into the county’s fire-response system have submitted more than enough petition signatures to place the question on the ballot, organizers said.
Now the question is whether the residents’ group, Save Our Paramedic, Fire & Police Services, collected sufficient signatures to trigger a special election. The group needs verified signatures from at least 15 percent of the city’s voters to force a special election.
It needs only 10 percent to get the issue placed on the regular ballot in June. But members are pushing for a special election because city and county officials already have taken the beginning steps toward consolidating the Montebello Fire Department into the county’s Fire Department.
On Thursday, City Council members received the county’s consolidation proposal, which included a cost analysis and a general overview of the pros and cons of a merger. The proposal, however, must still be approved by the county Board of Supervisors before city and county officials can open negotiations. Supervisors were expected to vote on the proposal this coming Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the petitions containing 5,400 signatures were submitted Wednesday to county election officials, who will verify that the signatures are of registered voters, City Manager Richard Torres said.
“It’s a race to the deadline,” said Councilwoman Rosie Vasquez, who spearheaded the petition drive with Councilman Bill Molinari. “The county has 30 days to verify the signatures. Meanwhile, the council could call a special meeting to rush it. But I’m hopeful the county will get back to us quickly.”
The two council members and the residents’ group began circulating the petition in early August, after the council voted to request a fire services proposal from the county.
Mayor Bob Bagwell and Council members Jeff Siccama and Norma Lopez-Reid believe the high costs associated with operating a city fire department is draining Montebello’s budget. They and city firefighters have said that spiraling overtime costs have led to cuts in service and dangerously low staffing levels.
“If we go bankrupt, we’d have to have county come in anyway to provide fire services,” Bagwell said.
After reviewing the county’s proposal, Bagwell said the county’s offer promises more service for less money and no future worries about overtime costs.
“We want to get the best fire services for the smallest cost,” he said.
But Vasquez said the fact that residents were able to quickly gather thousands of signatures shows strong community opposition to the move.
“I’m glad the community has spoken,” she said.