Ed Gouzenne Appointed to the CFPD Board of Directors

On December 23, 2010 retired CFPD Volunteer Captain Ed Gouzenne was appointed to the Board of Directors for Copperopolis Fire Protection District. Ed fills the vacancy left by Walt Ball, longtime Director and community leader. Ed brings with him 30 years experience with CFPD and 4 years with CDF.  He hopes to “try to get the Department back in order…smooth things out.”

Immediately after being sworn in Ed was hit with some serious budget woes for the remainder of the fiscal year. The County has informed Chief Cantrell that the department faces a possible 10% reduction in revenue for the remainder of the fiscal year, that compounded with the 12.25% reduction for the first half of the fiscal year has left the Department with no other choice but to make more budget cuts. The Chief stated that if the Department maintained its course with the current budget plan for the remainder of the fiscal year the department would experience a shortfall of $252,900.00. Following that information the Chief proposed that 1. (the Board) needs to close the shortfall and 2. (the Board) needs to take measures to ensure adequate carryover for the coming fiscal year.

Multiple scenarios were bounced about the table including use of more per diem staffing, cuts in hours for administrative staff, enacting a cost recovery system for  non residents to reimburse CFPD for the cost of response (ie: vehicle accidents), contracting out admin positions, staffing grants, and an across the board pay cut of 10%. The bottom line was to make cuts that would ensure that the safety of the public was not affected and that service would not be interrupted or lessened. The 10% across the board pay cuts was called into question by the Chief due to the fact that some of the staff is currently working at barely above minimum wage and that a 10% pay cut would drop them beneath the state mandated minimum wage requirement.

The Board agreed to table the many ideas until the next meeting to be held January 13, 2011.

The Volunteer Association has offset the cost of many necessities within the department such as low angle rope rescue equipment, Paramedic dummies, and replenishing the stock off tools for the shop that left with the preceding Chief. However, Don Rollings, President of the Volunteer Association worried that the Department should not plan on such financial support from the Volunteer association due to the fact that their revenues are also “way down.”

At the time of the last Board meeting one employee was on administrative leave, two were on modified work schedules due to non compliance with licensing and certification requirements. To date, one employee remains on administrative leave and the two that were on modified work schedules have completed their obligations, are now compliant, and are back on regular shifts.

The CFPD Board members are Barbara Cheney President, John Maness Treasurer, Steve Marks Director, Jerry Andress Director, and Ed Gouzenne Director.

Update:
12.25% reduction in revenue is total reduction..not compounded.
Shortfall of $252,900.00 is for the 2011/2012 fiscal year.