Marcia Holbrook

The Board of Directors meeting addressed several key operational and financial matters. The meeting included a demonstration of cardiac monitor technology and updates on financial reports, human resources staffing, and fire prevention activities. A mid-year budget review was conducted, resulting in the approval of expenditure adjustments and the establishment of a dedicated fund for fuel break maintenance. Additionally, the Board authorized contributions to OPEB and pension trusts, discussed potential future development of the Standards of Cover, and reviewed various committee reports. An information technology services agreement proposal was discussed and continued to a future meeting.

The Board agenda covered various closed session items, including real property negotiations, anticipated litigation, and labor negotiations. Regular business items featured a long-range financial forecast workshop, discussions on revising fee schedules for District services, and amendments to purchasing and contracting procedures. Additionally, the Board considered salary schedules for employee associations, an IT services agreement with Definitive Networks, Inc., and the establishment of a fuel break maintenance fund. Various committee reports were also presented, along with updates from the Fire Chief regarding finance, operations, and the Fire Marshal's office.

This Wildfire Action Plan, an appendix to the Contra Costa Countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan, aims to reduce wildfire risks for the Moraga-Orinda Fire District and its communities. The plan focuses on analyzing wildfire hazards in the wildland-urban interface and proposing mitigation strategies. Key priorities include enhancing community education and emergency preparedness, improving fire code adoption and structure survivability, and implementing fuel mitigation treatments on both private and public lands. It outlines actions based on seven lines of effort: external and internal fuel mitigation, wildfire preplanning, evacuation planning, building code updates, community outreach, and early detection and notification systems, to protect lives, property, and natural resources.

The key discussions centered on the second reading and adoption of two critical ordinances: Ordinance 26-01, adopting the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code with local amendments, and Ordinance 26-02, adopting the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code with local amendments. Both ordinances were adopted after public hearings where clarification was sought regarding definitions, enforcement, and jurisdictional boundaries, including the application of the codes to various facility types. The Board also reviewed departmental updates, including a Finance Report detailing strike team reimbursement receivables and Treasury Bill investments, and a Human Resources report on ongoing recruitments for paramedic and management positions. The Fire Marshal presented the 2025 Year-End Fire Prevention Report, noting compliance statistics and activities related to fire safety, property inspections, and the Home Hardening Grant Program. The Operations Report noted a transition of Medic 45 to a Single-Role Paramedic ambulance. Under the regular agenda, the Board discussed gathering preliminary information and cost estimates for potentially reestablishing the Reserve Firefighter Program as a recruitment pathway. The Board also directed staff to continue refining the draft 2025 Standards of Cover document and provide information on consultant options for its completion. Finally, the Consent Agenda, including the approval of minutes from prior special and regular meetings, incident reports, and financial reports for November and December 2025, was approved.

The Regular Meeting included a Closed Session to discuss anticipated litigation concerning one potential case each under Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4) and 54956.9(d)(2)/(3) and 54956.9(e)(1), as well as real property negotiations for three locations (51 Moraga Way, 1150 Moraga Way, and 4 Orinda Way). The Closed Session also involved labor negotiations with the Fire Chief. The Open Session featured the second reading and adoption of Ordinance 26-01, adopting the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code, and Ordinance 26-02, adopting the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, both with local amendments. Announcements included a demonstration of Lifepak 35 Cardiac Monitors and updates from the Fire Chief covering Finance, Human Resources, and Fire Marshal reports. The Finance Report noted estimated strike team reimbursement receivables and current investments. The Human Resources update detailed progress on hiring for various positions. The Consent Agenda included the approval and filing of January 2026 reports (Incident, Check/Voucher Register, Financial Report, Investment Report) and the adoption of Resolution 26-01 acknowledging the 2025 State Mandated Fire Inspection Report. The Regular Agenda involved discussions and deliberations on the 2025 Standards of Cover development, determining the Fiscal Year 2026 OPEB and Pension Trust contributions, and authorizing an Information Technology Services Agreement with Definitive Networks, Inc.