This letter is in response to statements in the April 17, 2014 edition of the Idyllwild Town Crier about the March 18 meeting at the Riverside County Fire Department attended by board members and standing committee members of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District.
Contrary to the allegations by Crumrine and Clark, the March 18 meeting did not constitute a meeting subject to the Brown Act. There were no discussions, deliberations or any actions taken by IFPD board members or by members of the standing Finance Committee at that meeting. The board and standing Finance Committee members made no collective decisions to make a positive or negative decision on any matter, nor were any collective commitments or promises made to make a positive or negative decision on any matter, nor were any votes taken upon a motion, proposal, resolution, order or ordinance.
The meeting consisted of an explanation by the Riverside County Fire Department of the costs of operating the Perris Emergency Command Center, an explanation of how those costs are allocated to the users and a tour of the Emergency Command Center. Approximately 60 pages of written material about the costs and allocations were provided to the attendees. Only questions of clarification about specific costs and allocations were allowed; only a few of those were asked, and there were no other questions or discussions. There was nothing for the board and committee members to discuss, deliberate on or take action on.
Nothing concerning the IFPD was discussed by the three standing Finance Committee members when they carpooled to and from the meeting in Perris; the three of us talked about previous employment experiences, vacations, family affairs and road directions to the meeting, and we were conscious of the need to avoid any discussion of or deliberation on any matters concerning IFPD during that roundtrip.
The only discussion by the IFPD board and committee members about the material presented by the Riverside County Fire Department took place at the April 8 IFPD board meeting, in response to a question asked by Chief Reitz.
Preparation of this letter has not been discussed with, and the letter has not been shown to, any of the IFPD board members or other standing Finance Committee members. The only other person who has seen it is my wife, who provided editorial guidance.
Calvin Gogerty
Idyllwild
