REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 25, 2025
FROM
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Introduction of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Proposed Annual San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Fee Ordinance
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
1. Conduct a public hearing on the proposed ordinance repealing Ordinance No. FPD 24-01 and establishing fees for the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District as shown on the attached Fiscal Year 2025-26 Fee Schedule (Attachment A).
2. Make alterations, if necessary, to the proposed ordinance.
3. Approve introduction of proposed ordinance.
• An ordinance of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District to repeal Ordinance No. FPD 24-01 and to establish fire service fees, fire suppression, emergency response and cost recovery fees, ambulance service and subscription fees.
4. SCHEDULE ORDINANCE FOR FINAL ADOPTION ON TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2025, on the Consent Calendar.
(Presenter: Dan Munsey, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, 387-5779)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of these actions will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD) fees, as listed on the attached fee schedule (Attachment A), are projected to generate approximately $15.1 million in revenue for 2025-26 to recover the cost of providing services. Revenue related to the fees will be included in the 2025-26 recommended budget for SBCFPD. Net impact on revenue from the various recommended changes included in the proposed Fee Ordinance is expected to be negligible.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The SBCFPD Fee Ordinance is submitted annually to the Board of Directors (Board) for approval. The proposed Fee Ordinance for 2025-26 includes several recommended changes. The following is a summary of the recommended fee changes for 2025-26:
Community Safety:
• Revision of 243 Community Safety fees with increases ranging between 0.8 - 8.3%, to reflect negotiated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) increases, changes in regulatory oversight and reporting requirements, as required by the State, and other factors that have changed since the previous review.
Hazardous Materials:
• Revision of 65 Hazardous Materials fees with increases ranging between 1.0 - 8.0%.
• Addition of two new Hazardous Substance Underground Storage Tank Program Permit fees to provide full cost recovery for services provided pursuant to California Health and Safety Code 25288.
Administrative Services:
• Revision of four Administrative fees to provide clarification of the recovered costs. The revised fees reflect staff time required to perform the respective services and an updated administrative overhead rate to ensure full cost recovery.
o Administrative Fee was revised from Actual Cost to $44.00.
o Revenue Recovery Fee was revised from Actual Cost to $118.00.
o Payment Plan Fee was revised from $263.00 to $118.00. SBCFPD conducted a time study and recommends this fee reduction to reflect updated staff time to provide the service.
o Fiscal Administrative Fee was revised from 16.5% of Actual Cost to 22.3% and was renamed to Fire Administrative Fee.
• Deletion of the Subsequent Returned Check fee as it does not represent a cost to SBCFPD and has not been utilized in several years.
Cost Recovery:
• Revision of 14 existing Employee Classification Hourly Rate fees ranging from a decrease of 6.1% to an increase of 9.5% to reflect negotiated MOU increases and changes in the annual productive hours calculated by the County’s Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector and SBCFPD.
• Addition of seven Employee Classification Hourly Rate fees to allow for full cost recovery for emergency and incident cost recovery services: Assistant Chief, Division Chief, Deputy Fire Marshall - Community Safety, Fire Marshal, Fire Suppression Aide II, Fire Suppression Aide III, and Heavy Equipment Operator.
• Deletion of two cost recovery fees.
o Employee Classification Hourly Rate fee for the Fire Investigation I classification, which no longer exists.
o Administrative Overhead fee as this fee is not utilized by SBCFPD.
Additionally, new language is proposed to provide further clarification. Two hourly rate fees are revised to reflect technical title changes for the Fire Investigator and Fire Plans Examiner classifications. Administrative Fees are proposed to be renamed to Delinquent Fees to provide clarity.
SBCFPD ensures that the recommended fee amounts comply with Proposition 26. Proposition 26 generally requires fees not to be higher than the cost of the activity and/or service provided unless an exception applies as indicated in the proposition.
The proposed ordinance will take effect on July 1, 2025.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Rick Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 20, 2025; Finance (Ivan Ramirez and Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analysts, 387-4020) on March 7, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Valerie Clay and Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officers, 387-5423) on March 12, 2025.