Tracy Press

The agency overseeing Tracy-area fire protection could welcome Lathrop’s firefighters into the mix, but hurdles remain before a union can be completed.

The South County Fire Authority is exploring bringing the Lathrop-Manteca Fire Protection District under its wing, where it would join the Tracy Fire Department and the Tracy Rural Fire Protection District. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

Plans to merge the South County Fire Authority and the Lathrop-Manteca Fire Protection District are still a go, Tracy fire Chief Chris Bosch said Wednesday, but the shift is still in the early stages.

"It’s still preliminary," he said. "No decision has formally been made other than that we should go ahead and continue to talk."

In April, south county officials received a letter from officials in the Lathrop-Manteca district — which serves the city of Lathrop and the rural areas surrounding Manteca — indicating that they were interested in joining the SCFA. That authority governs the Tracy Fire Department and the Tracy Rural Fire Protection District as well as Mountain House firefighting services.

Bosch said that the merger could mean better service and lower response times.

"We see some benefit in that it would allow us to consolidate some services across the district lines and provide better service for everyone in both areas," he said. "There’s just some details we need to work out."

One of the biggest "details" is answering a simple but important question: Who’s in charge?

The process for making changes to local fire protection policy is already burdened by bureaucracy, according to a Standards of Response Coverage Report issued earlier this year for the SCFA.

The Tracy City Council, Tracy Rural board of directors, Mountain House Community Services District and SCFA all must sign off on changes, a process the report called "duplicative" and "time consuming."

Steve Abercrombie, a Tracy councilman who also sits on the four-member SCFA board, said adding Lathrop to the mix without a significant overhaul would only exacerbate the problem.

"Now you put another city into play," he cautioned, "that could be really cumbersome to get something approved."

Another question is what to do about differing benefits and pay scales between the multiple agencies.

Abercrombie explained that a consultant could be hired to help work out how salaries and benefits will be structured after the possible merger.

Bosch added that the Tracy Fire Department and Tracy Rural have already made clear that they would not take on debt of any agencies joining the SCFA.

According to Bosch, more progress should be made by the end of July. Though the process is cautious, he said, the results could be big for both firefighters and the people they protect.

"It would be good for the whole system."

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written by DeSoto , July 18, 2008

It would make more sense for Lathrop-Manteca fire to merge with Manteca City fire. Steve Abercrombie is right on target with his comments. The SCFA has a full plate now. Adding another department will not make things any easier. One also has to wonder why does MLFD want to merge with Tracy when they surround the city of Manteca? Something isn't right with this picture.

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written by sleepy , July 18, 2008

Lathrop wants to merge because of money...the pay is higher in Tracy and to be 'fair' Lathrop firefighters will need their pay raised at least 20% for equity.

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written by Mike D , July 18, 2008

I really don't see how this is making much sense. The fire department was woefully behind its own in its response times, had debt from a merger, and was understaffed according to its own report! Now it wants to take on a department across the river? Why?

How would taking on a department 15 miles away make response times better and provide better service? Sure is sounds fancy, but it just doesn't hold water. Manteca who is right next door to Lathrop said, thanks but no thanks. Why was it not good for Manteca who is geographically closer but its good for Tracy. Here's what Manteca FD said;. http://www.mantecabulletin.com...onID=&S=21

Should Tracy Police take on the Sheriff department or Lathrop PD? No, it doesn't make sense, nor does the fire idea.

It looks like there is more to this story. What is really driving this, bigger is better, money, egos? I hope Steve Abercrombie keeps asking the right questions, this sounds like a real bad idea for Tracy!

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written by eyeswideopen2 , July 19, 2008

Think back to the election, fire union supported Ives in a big way, union supports Ives and Abercrombie now - small town politics, they are not good at hiding who supports them. Lathrop wants in with Tracy to increase pay and benefits. Tracy fire people want more union members = more political power. Ives and Abercrombie = political payback while Lathrop pays for it this time. Tracy Press - please report the real story.

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written by Mike D , July 19, 2008

I agree, still too many questions. There is a whole other story. Strangely there has been little on this blog. When there was the fire truck crash the blogs were on fire. I guess the firefighters either don't care, secretly want it or are being pushed in that direction by the political forces and chief.

Of course the other firefighters want the pay raise. My question still remains the same, how will this help our town and our safety? I keep paying more taxes and seem to be getting less and less each year.

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written by maybenotdumBcommenT , July 20, 2008

I don't get this. What is Bosch up to now? This makes no sense to me. Tracy fire we need to work on internal stuff with fire concerns. Not add more to it. Fire fighters work together anyway.

Bosch said that the merger could mean better service and lower response times.

HOW?

Are the salaries going to be lowered for our fire dept.? Can't you hire more fire fighters and another engine or two to help response time. This is a stupid idea, IMO.

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written by kchapman , July 20, 2008

Fire and Police unions always get what they want
The City and County leaderships are always afraid that the Unions will go to the Public and say that Public saftey will be lowered if they do not get X
And that is Political suicide to most City and County elected officials.
I know , I have seen it over and over since I have been involved in a public service union and what happens is Fire and Police get what they want and leave next to nothing in the budgets for other employees and you end up with the same service and
a bigger retirement budget. And the same elected officals get there jobs and the cycle goes on as it has for years.


that's all