Working to find a solution.

Daniel de Graaf mentioned Tuesday that the Ripon City Council will continue working with the Ripon Consolidated Fire District following last week’s defeat of Proposition 218 Assessment election.

The Vice Mayor requested the item be placed on the agenda in the aftermath of property owners within the Fire District’s 56 square mile service area voting 1,075-942 against Prop. 218 on Aug. 8.

Required were the 50 percent votes plus one for enactment.

Nearly two dozen showed up at the monthly session in search of solutions in helping out the Ripon Consolidated Fire District.

“We’ve had two-by-two meetings (since 2020) with the fire district to try to find a solution – we’ve committed but we have to work within the legal frame work,” de Graaf said.

Included were attorneys from both sides that specialized in municipal finance talking about options to increase the Fire District’s operating revenue. The Prop. 218 Assessment was the preferred option.

Those who spoke asked if the City of Ripon had the means to help support the fire district.

Mayor Leo Zuber responded, saying: “The City of Ripon cannot extend services beyond the city limits. The rural areas would have to find their own solution. But right now, we’re not ready to think that (given the election was held four days earlier).”

Prop. 218, if passed, would have helped with staffing issues, including adding personnel to the unmanned Station 3 at North Ripon Road along with ambulance services. One speaker was deeply concerned about losing the services of the latter.

As an independent, self-governing special district established in 1921, RCFD was around prior to the incorporation of the city of Ripon.

“The fire district relies primarily upon property taxes, special assessments, fees for services, and development mitigation fees to provide fire suppression and emergency medical services,” said City Administrator Kevin Werner in his council report.

He added that RCFD board of directors communicated to the public that additional revenue is needed to continue to provide the level of service that historically has been provided to the properties within their service area.

“Property tax revenue is the largest source of revenue to the fire district and has been impacted by two actions,” Werner said.

For starters, Proposition 13 was passed in 1978, capping the property tax of a property to 1 percent of the assessed value.

“This has resulted in RCFD receiving 5-6 percent of the 1 percent of the assessed property value as compared to other nearby fire districts that collect 10-11 percent,” Werner said.

He pointed out that the 1985 property tax assessment was approved by voters within the Fire District service area but was not indexed.

“As inflation has increased since 1985, the value of the assessment has eroded – if this assessment was indexed when approved to keep up with inflation, the amount collected in 2024 would be sufficient to continue to operate the RCFD without additional assessment,” said Werner.

 Elected leaders supported the Prop. 218 assessment process, approving a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the fire district – the City of Ripon and RCFD would have shared in the expense of the assessment if Prop. 218 had passed.

“I was surprised and disappointed,” said Councilman Gary Barton on the outcome.

He initially had not received his ballot in the mail and had to request one, and questioned if that happened to others within RCFD’s service area.

Barton also questioned the low participation numbers.

“This is an issue that close to all of us,” he said. “I believe there’s a solution. I just don’t know what?”