DATE: October 21, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Budget Resolution for County Service Area No. 50 - Auberry Volunteer Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Adopt Budget Resolution increasing FY 2025-26 appropriations for County Service Area 50 - Auberry Volunteer Fire and Emergency Medical Services Org 9248 in the amount of $25,000 for increased operational costs (4/5 vote).
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action increases FY 2025-26 appropriations by $25,000 for County Service Area 50 - Auberry Volunteer Fire and Emergency Medical Services (CSA 50), Org 9248. This item pertain to a location in District 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the Board rejects the recommended action, remaining appropriations for CSA 50 will be exhausted before the end of FY 2025-26, and the district will be unable to cover its operational expenditures.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Services are funded by CSA 50 through fund balance, interest income, and annual assessments levied on benefitted property owners. The proposed budget resolution will increase appropriations using CSA 50 Fund 0875 general reserves by $25,000 in CSA 50 Org 9248 in the FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
CSA 50 was established in 2003 to provide essential fire protection and emergency medical services for the Auberry community. The Auberry Volunteer Fire Department (AVFD), a California non-profit corporation, has provided these services since 1957. CSA 50 was formed to create a stable revenue stream to support these services, reducing reliance on financial donations from the community. AVFD continues to provide fire protection and emergency medical services at cost.
CSA 50’s budget includes some administrative costs but primarily consists of appropriations to reimburse AVFD under Agreement No. 21-227. This agreement, approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 22, 2021, originally provided for an annual base reimbursement of $72,000, with the potential for up to a 10% increase ($79,200) based on actual costs and available funds.
In late FY 2024-25, rising operational costs, including the purchase of a new water tender and essential equipment upgrades, caused AVFD’s actual service costs to exceed the reimbursement cap under Agreement No. 21-227. To address this, on May 20, 2025, the Board approved Amendment No. 1, increasing the annual maximum compensation to $104,200 for both FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26, for a total contract increase of $50,000. At the same meeting, the Board adopted a budget resolution adding $25,000 to FY 2024-25 appropriations to align with the amended agreement.
The proposed FY 2025-26 budget resolution provides the same $25,000 appropriation increase for CSA 50, utilizing available fund balance to maintain alignment with the amended compensation terms and ensure funding is sufficient to meet operational, maintenance, and administrative needs.
For the reasons outlined above, staff recommends increasing the district’s appropriations for FY 2025-26 to ensure continued service delivery and financial stability.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI # 14, May 20, 2025
BAI # 62, June 22, 2021
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Exhibit A - Agreement 21-227
Exhibit B - Amendment I to Agreement 21-227
On file with Clerk - Resolution (Org. 9248)
CAO ANALYST:
Maria Valencia