Big Bear, Ca, June 9, 2011, 12:oopm – On June 7th the Big Bear City Community Services District and Big Bear Lake City Council met in a joint meeting to create a strategic alliance between CSD Fire and the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District, with the objective of providing equal or better service through collaboration in order to save taxpayer money. For several years, the BBL Fire Protection District has had a budget shortfall, and is in need of finding ways to save money in an effort to not sacrifice service to the citizens of Big Bear Lake. Recently the CSD has also identified a budget shortfall, which will affect their budget as early as next year. In order to meet both departments’ objectives the possibility of collaborating was presented again. Previously there have been attempts to work together or merge departments, but the attempts have failed in large part to political, territorial, or labor obstacles. The outcome of this meeting was that the Big Bear City and Big Bear Lake Fire Departments were directed to compile a memorandum of understanding between the two departments about how they will move forward with phase 1 which will integrate the administrations. The next meeting of the two agencies will be next Monday, June 13th.
