Members of the East Fork Genoa Peak Fire & Fuels Team pose for a photo with Chief Tod Carlini in front of Station 15, which started life as a real estate office a half-century ago.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
A debate over a six-month contract extending the employment of East Fork Fire Deputy Chief of Operations Scott Gorgon revealed that 2024 is going to be a year of personnel transitions.
Gorgon has served in the critical position since the beginning of 2021, and the contract is written so after six months it can be renewed on a month-to-month basis without having to go back to the board.
“Our goal would be to fill that position or a similar position with a full-time employee and move the district forward and away from the consulting venture that I think has been extremely successful over the time that Scott has been in the position,” East Fork Chief Tod Carlini said at a Dec. 19, 2023, meeting.
Trustee Barbara Griffin said she was concerned by the prospect of searching for a new chief of operations with Carlini’s impending retirement at the end of 2024.
“This is really tight,” she said. “I’m a little concerned with the transition.”
Griffin said she would like to see Gorgon’s contract continue through the year.
Trustee Mike Sommers disagreed, arguing that the entire contract should be month-to-month to give the district more flexibility but couldn’t get any traction.
“The timing of all this couldn’t be more difficult,” Board President Jacques Etchegoyhen said. “I’ve been around government long enough to where I know we’re not going to get anybody in six months. The logistics just won’t make it possible.”
Carlini said the goal is to search for a new chief of operations starting in March, so that by the new fiscal year starting on July 1 there could be a new hire if successful.
Trustee John Bellona floated the idea of waiting to hire a new operations chief until after a new district chief was on board.
The month-to-month after June 30, 2024, would be to account for the transition to a staff person.
East Fork Firefighters Association President Kevin May said the union had no objection to the extension but urged the chief and board to expedite the new hire.
“It’s important the board keeps their foot on the pedal and not slow down on this,” he said.
But before any of that can happen, the district will have to replace Finance Director Kathy Lewis, who has been named chief financial officer for Douglas County.
Lewis discussed a $4.4 million budget augmentation at her last meeting on Tuesday.
Most of that came from a $3 million loan the district approved this year, while another $1 million came from fire billings to other agencies from last summer.
The budget augmentation authorizes the district to spend money that comes in.
Carlini said he was concerned that someone who read the agenda might think the district had some sort of windfall, when in fact most of it is borrowed money.
District staff and trustees thanked Lewis for her three years service to the district.
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