John Gaccione

Date: 04/21/2021

Subject: The search for solutions

From: The Ad Hoc Design Committee

This month the Fire Board voted to move ahead with their remodeling plan for the public safety building. Their plan doesn’t include space for the police department. Now the Kensington Police Protection Community Service District has to find a new home for the police department

Some folks are suggesting the solution to the problem is the notion of “consolidation”. They suggest blending the Fire District and the Police District together to create one larger district. Supporters claim it will provide better governance, be cost effective and benefit the entire community. 

Blending districts would require the KPPCSD to force the dissolution of the Fire District and take over fire protection services, eliminating the Fire District. The technical term is reorganization rather than consolidation. The question would have to be put up for a vote and receive the approval of LAFCO. It would most likely be a long, expensive and involved process and could take years to complete. 

Taking the path to consolidation would further complicate each district’s ability to solve their current problems of remodeling the existing public safety building and finding a new home for the police department. Right now, consolidation certainly looks a lot like a red herring.  

The fire station needs to be close to the center of our community. In order to maintain response times, remodeling the existing building for use by the fire department makes sense. But why not use this opportunity to relocate the police department in an area less prone to major earthquake and wild fire damage?

Wouldn’t it be a prudent investment to locate our police department away from the earthquake fault zone and the likely path of a wild fire? All of the southwest portion of Kensington is outside of the Alquist-Priolo Fault Zone. Office space is also available.

Separating the two department facilities would provide a greater margin of safety in case of a major disaster. In earthquake country it is always wise to avoid concentrating all of the resources in one area. As per the old proverb, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. 

”One is always a long way from solving a problem until one actually has the answer.” (Stephen Hawking)

Note: All information deemed reliable, almost satire free, but not guaranteed.