Dry Creek Tribe to Enhance Fire Services in North Sonoma County

and the Geyserville Fire Protection District have reached an intergovernmental agreement to enhance existing fire services on the Rancheria and in the surrounding community.

The announcement was made Monday by Fourth District Sonoma County whose district includes North Sonoma County.

As a result of the agreement  a new tribal fire station will be constructed on the Rancheria, McGuire said.

Fire staffing will be provided by Geyserville Fire employees and supported by the Tribal Fire Chief and Tribal Fire reserves. 

This new agreement was negotiated by the Geyserville Fire District, Dry Creek Rancheria Board of Directors and with support by McGuire.

“This new agreement builds upon the existing successful model of shared services and will provide enhanced fire and emergency services for both the Geyserville and Alexander Valley communities and the Rancheria," McGuire said.

This agreement came about because of the great work of Tribal Chair Harvey Hopkins and members of the Tribe’s Board of Directors as well as Geyserville Fire District Chief Paul Pigoni and the Fire District Board. 

The Tribe will build a new Fire Station on the Rancheria, and continue funding the Geyserville District to staff the stations. This represents a huge win for the North County, River Rock Casino and the Rancheria.

“This new contract assures that we protect our residents, patrons, and the lives and property of the community," said Dry Creek Rancheria Chair Harvey Hopkins. "That is our top priority.

"Working in partnership with the Geyserville Fire District, we will continue to maintain the quality professional staffing provided by the District as well as construct a new Tribal fire station on the Rancheria," Hopkins added.

"In addition, qualified Tribal members will be encouraged to participate in joint fire training with Geyserville Fire, opening new job opportunities for our members," Hopkins said. " I want to thank the Geyserville Fire District Board, Chief Pigoni and Supervisor McGuire for their efforts.”

The Tribe has paid Geyserville Fire Protection District $28,000 each month in an agreement made for fire services since Dec. 31, 2003.

In June 2012, Dry Creek requested the expired nine-year-old agreement be reviewed.

Through collaborative government-to-government discussions with the Tribe’s Board of Directors, Chief Pigoni, Geyserville Fire Board Members and the County of Sonoma, an intergovernmental agreement was reached not only to continue the $28,000 per month payments but also to extend and enhance fire services.

“The residents and visitors to the North County will directly benefit from this agreement, said Geyserville Fire District Chief Paul Pigoni. "We will have increased response capacity, new facilities and stronger training programs for our volunteers, which supplemented by our paid staff, guarantees excellent fire services.

"This is a victory for all involved and I want to thank the Tribe and the County for their hard work on this important issue," Pigoni said.

 Over the next 90 days, the two entities will move through a transitional period. During the transition, the Tribal Fire Chief will work to secure volunteer fire fighters to support the operation of the Tribal Station. 

If Geyserville needs to provide additional employee coverage at the Tribal Fire Station, the Tribe has agreed to support these extra costs if needed. 

The Tribe has already hired their Fire Chief and purchased three fire trucks for their new Fire Station which should be completed early November 2012. The Tribe’s first class of volunteer fire fighters will graduate from state-certified training on Sept.8.