Moraga-Orinda Fire Officials To Discuss Staffing Levels On Wednesday Night

Moraga-Orinda Fire District officials will discuss the possibility of reducing the number of firefighters available on a daily basis when it holds a public workshop on Wednesday evening.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Moraga Library Community Center, 1500 St. Mary's Road.

Interim Chief Stephen Healy will present staffing model options to the district's board of directors.

Among them is lowering the number of firefighters from 19 to 17 a day.

An announcement on the district website says the reduction may be necessary because of the ongoing deficit in the MOFD budget that has forced the district to use reserve funds the past three years.

The district's 2013-2014 general fund budget presented last month predicts $20.2 million in expenditures and $19.2 million in revenues. Expenses are up 4 percent from the previous year and revenues are up 6 percent. The deficit is about $1 million.

It notes there hasn't been a cost-of-living raise for district employees for four years and health benefits are frozen at 2010 levels.

The capital projects budget has projected revenues of $1 million and expenditures of $1.6 million. More than $1.3 million of that fund goes toward the land purchase and other preliminary expenses for the proposed Station 46 in Lafayette. Construction costs are not included because those are not expected to be needed this fiscal year.

Another workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 16, in Orinda. The time and location hasn't been decided yet.