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Discussion on two hot-button issues in Menlo Park involving sprinklers has been pushed to the Jan. 26 City Council agenda.
The ordinances — governing fire sprinklers in residential and commercial buildings, and water-efficient landscaping — had previously been scheduled for the Jan. 12 agenda.
The New York Times profiled the proposed landscaping ordinance and Councilman John Boyle in a Jan. 9 story.
The council will not meet on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Residential sprinklers saves lives ! Water efficient landscaping is just is important, but not life saving..The council should pass the ordinance hands down & move forward the landscaping issues !! When
was the last time a spirinkled yard saved a life !!!!!
Sadly, you will probably get your wish.
Good. Push it back indefinitely. We don’t need residential firesprinklers or the enormous, expensive bureaucracy it takes to enforce and monitor their installation.
Has anyone looked at the new fire district headquarters on Middlefield Road and the number of people on the payroll there? They aren’t fighting fires. But most of them retire between 50 and 55.
The fire sprinkler and alarm companies are also swamped with business protecting us from ourselves. As one of the earlier writers commented, this is a fire district/industrial complex.
For a little perspective, the Fire district budget is over $30 million per year, of which about three quarters goes to salary and compensation. in a typical year, we have about 1/2 to 1 million in fire damage, probably an overestimate for insurance purposes. Seems like a good deal, $30 million for a glorified EMS service.
Also, on average, towns and counties covered by Fire district get their protection at about twice the cost as jurisdiction covered by Fire departments. It’s simple, departments have to compete for budget dollars with police, streets and libraries, districts do not.
The Fire District was established before and serves the communities of Menlo Park, Atherton and East Palo Alto (plus some unincorporated areas of San Mateo County).
Please explain how having three separate fire departments would be less expensive than one?
ever noticed states:
“Also, on average, towns and counties covered by Fire district get their protection at about twice the cost as jurisdiction covered by Fire departments.”
Data and sources please – I think you are very wrong.