Ross Valley

Early estimates indicated it would cost about $28.4 million to reconstruct all of the buildings in the complex. The cost

would be cut nearly in half if the town doesn’t include a fire station at the new center.

After the town surveyed residents on whether they would be willing to pay for the construction, the council approved a plan to rebuild only the administrative

offices, police station and ambulance center — nixing the fire station.

“It is a hard decision,” said Ross Town Councilwoman Elizabeth Brekhus, who is one of the town’s representatives on the fire department’s board of directors. “Very well understanding what the dilemma is, Chief Weber has the knowledge and experience to guide our agency and town to look through options.”

Without a fire station in Ross, firefighters responding to the town’s service calls would come from the San Anselmo station, which is 1.1 miles from Ross Town Hall, or from the Kentfield station, which is 0.7 miles away, Weber said. It would take firefighters an average of two extra minutes to reach a residence in the town, a recent department study found. That would bring the average response time for service calls up from just under eight minutes to just under 10 minutes.

Weber said most calls for service in Ross are for paramedics. With the ambulance staying at the Ross headquarters, there would be no change in the level of service.

Moving the Station 18 engine into the San Anselmo station would require a substantial remodel to accommodate the additional staff and engine, Weber said during a presentation to the San Anselmo Town Council Tuesday. But it would allow two independent engines to serve incidents

at the same time, he said.

If officials chose the second option, to move only the crew to other stations, it could turn into a costsavings of approximately $300,000 through attrition, Weber said. Fire captains and engineers from the Ross station would eventually be replaced, after retirement or other exit, by firefighter paramedics, who earn a lower salary.

The move would also allow Fairfax and San Anselmo stations to operate with three fire personnel per shift, as opposed to two on duty as they operate now.

“There’s been a lot of focus on staffing our engines,” said Fairfax Councilwoman Renee Goddard, one of the town’s representatives on the fire board.

Based on preliminary discussions, Goddard said the second option seems to be the better plan.

San Anselmo Councilman Ford Greene, who serves as president of the fire board, agreed.

“I’m confident we will be able to come to an agreement and work it out,” Greene said. “It is challenging.”

Weber will be presenting options for consideration to the Fairfax Town Council on Wednesday and to the Ross Town Council on Thursday. The San Anselmo Town Council will receive the same presentation Sept. 9, the day before the fire board of directors is scheduled to make its recommendation, Weber said.