Glen Ellen Fire to vote on consolidation with Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue

The Glen Ellen Fire Protection District board will vote Wednesday on a professional services contract with the Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority.

The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Glen Ellen Fire Station, 13345 Arnold Drive.

Under the proposed contract, Glen Ellen would receive one fire captain and one fire engineer, from Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And it would receive an ALS (advance life support) engine. The figure that was on the table in November was $729,873 yearly.

At a meeting back in November, the board tried to assure the more than two dozen residents that the proposed contract was in the best interests of the hamlet and the department.

The department is suffering from a lack of volunteers and that the ranks were down to about 10 firefighters.

The vote will be in open session, and the board will go into closed session later.