Soledad council approves one‑year Cal Fire contract as city phases toward 3‑person engine staffing

The Soledad City Council unanimously approved a one‑year contract with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to provide fire and emergency services through June 30, 2026.
The contract before the council is a not‑to‑exceed agreement of roughly $2.64 million for the 2025–26 fiscal year. Finance Director Mike Howard and Cal Fire leaders said the increase from the prior year reflects salary and benefit changes and one additional full‑time position to begin phasing toward a three‑person engine standard.
“This is a one year agreement. It is a 22.55% increase over the previous year, but that is because we are increasing one full time position,” Finance Director Mike Howard said when presenting the contract. Cal Fire’s presentation described the department’s plan to incrementally move from two‑person engine staffing toward an industry standard that factors three personnel per position to cover training, sick leave and vacation.
Council members pressed for clarity about how the service is funded and how the city will maintain levels of service. Howard said Cal Fire remains, for now, the most cost‑effective option for Soledad compared with operating an independent municipal department, citing training, recruitment and administrative costs as significant drivers.
Council members and staff also discussed complementary funding strategies: the city has applied for federal SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grants that, if awarded, would temporarily subsidize personnel costs but would not provide a long‑term solution. City Manager Megan Hunter told the council staff will continue pursuing grants while exploring a local revenue option to provide permanent support.
The council passed the resolution approving the Cal Fire agreement by voice vote with no dissent.
The contract authorizes Cal Fire to provide full dispatch, apparatus staffing and maintenance services, and staff noted the city budget already included the draft amount when it adopted the 2025–26 budget earlier in the summer. City officials said they expect to return next year with funding‑strategy recommendations that consider grants, Measure Y revenues and other sources.