Sep 27, 2006

Merchants balk at fire evaluation

San Carlos businesses worried about increased fees

By Liz Harrelson

A proposed fire assessment needed to keep the newly formed Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department afloat has some members of the San Carlos business community on edge.

Some in the San Carlos business community worry they will be paying more for fire services than their Belmont counterparts, and that some of the smaller businesses won't be able to foot the average $300 bill for the 15-year duration of the proposed assessment, said Sally Mitchell, president-elect of the San Carlos Chamber of Commerce.

"San Carlos is bearing 53 percent of the burden. Belmont (is) paying 47 percent despite the virtually identical demographics of the community," said Mitchell, explaining the concerns of the San Carlos business community. "In looking at the schedule of charges, most of our members are small business people who are not in a position to make a significant commitment for a 15-year period."

The concerns were broached last week at a Chamber of Commerce board of directors meeting, which resulted in a near-split vote of the 18-member group, said Mitchell. The proposed assessment won the chamber's support, but merchants' concerns were reflected in a statement delivered to the San Carlos City Council Monday.

Chamber Chief Executive Officer Sheryl Pomerenck said the organization supported the assessment with "reservations." San Carlos City Council Member Bob Grassilli, who also sits on the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department Board of Directors, said the merchants' concerns were understandable.

"I can appreciate that," said Grassilli. "In the past it's always been fifty-fifty but we have a new Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department and this is the agreement."

Belmont and San Carlos have shared fire services since 1979 as the South County Fire Authority, but in December 2004 dissolved the partnership due to budget woes and the allegedly unfair allocation of resources. Belmont was said to be paying the same amount of money but had less of a demand for services.

It wasn't until July that the cities reached an agreement and the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department was formed. The continued success of the department hinges on the proposed assessment.

Ballots for the assessment are slated to be mailed out today to property owners in Belmont and San Carlos.

Many of the commercial property owners will pay between $250 and $350 a year, said Brian Moura, assistant city manager for the city of San Carlos. Homeowners will pay slightly less, around $99 a year, and apartment owners will pay about $62 per unit if a majority of the votes are cast in favor of the assessment.

E-mail Liz Harrelson at lharrelson@dailynewsgroup.com.