By MEERA PAL
Contra Costa Times (California)
The Moraga-Orinda Fire District, one of the smallest in Contra Costa County, is offering its new chief a salary of $180,000 — putting it in the upper tier of fire chiefs in the county.
That’s just $14,500 less than the salary of the Contra Costa County Fire chief — the 14th largest district in the state.
“We’ve had one of the finest paramedic operations in Northern California for years ... Our training is second to none,” said Moraga-Orinda Fire board president Gordon Nathan. “Those are the kinds of things the community wants.
“People look for service, assurance and safety. And especially in the life-saving field, you want to have the very finest in management you can get.”
Moraga-Orinda Fire is an independent, board-run organization that was formed in 1997 when voters approved the merger of the Moraga and the Orinda fire departments. The district covers Moraga, Orinda, American Canyon and St. Mary’s College.
Some residents wonder if the district is taking all of its financial obligations into account.
“Has the district been as prudent as it might have been, in terms of the salaries and benefits it has paid? I think not,” said Moraga resident Dick Olsen, who sat on the Moraga Fire Commission before the merger.
The Moraga-Orinda Fire District recently issued $27.8 million in bonds to pay off its share of pension debt to the county’s retirement association.
Among fire departments searching for a new chief, Moraga-Orinda, which covers 63 square miles and 42,000 residents, is offering the highest compensation package.
The Richmond Fire Department, which covers 56 square miles and 101,373 residents, is offering its new chief $113,028-$146,940.
Before he retired at the end of March, Moraga-Orinda Fire Chief Jim Johnston was making roughly $175,000 annually. He was hired as interim fire chief at $91.80 an hour until the district fills the position.
According to Gary Rogers, senior consultant with Avery & Associates, which is helping Moraga-Orinda recruit a new chief, salary levels are determined through a survey of nearby agencies.
“The chief officer is like the CEO of the organization and we have a chief officer who is paid commensurate with his responsibilities,” Nathan said, adding that the district conducted a salary survey within the past two years, of Bay Area agencies.
According to the district’s Web site, the chief’s responsibilities include overseeing the budget, supervising management and working with the fire board, citizens groups, and other agencies.
Leslie Knight, Richmond’s assistant city manager and human resources director, said the salary range hasn’t increased in some time due to layoffs, but “we still find ourselves being very competitive.”
Nathan said that salary is determined by the quality of service that the community wants.
“I’m not saying that a fire chief in another area who makes less is less qualified,” Nathan said. “But (a higher salary) helps to maintain the quality that the community expects of its fire service.”
Richmond has received 37 applicants for the fire chief position.
The deadline to file for Moraga-Orinda Fire chief closes April 14. Twenty-four applications were received as of Friday.
WHAT THEY MAKE
In order of salary, here are what some fire chiefs earn, followed by number of employees they oversee, operating budget, number of stations and number of residents the district covers:
San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District: Chief Craig Bowen is expected to earn $219,000 this year. He oversees 168 personnel, a $41 million budget and 10 stations serving 140,000 residents.
Contra Costa County Fire Protection District: Chief Keith Richter made $194,636 last year. He oversees 406 personnel, a $86.2 million budget and 30 stations serving 1 million residents.
Moraga-Orinda Fire District: Offering $180,000. Seventy employees, $16.3 million budget, five stations serving 42,000 residents.
Richmond Fire Department: Offering $113,028 to $146,940. The chief oversees 79 employees, a $21.9 million budget and seven fire stations serving 101,373 residents.
East Contra Costa Fire Protection District: Chief Doug Dawson made $131,377 last year. He oversees 93 personnel, an $8 million budget and nine stations (with two on the way) serving 63,000 residents.