Calif. Chief Covers Two Communities Simultaneously

After a year of covering two cities simultaneously as fire chief, Ed Tubbs said he's still up to the challenge.

The Piedmont City Council will consider a possible two-year extension of the arrangement at an April meeting. Albany's City Council voted in January to support continuing the program.

Tubbs spends two days in Albany, two days in Piedmont and one day split between the two.

"Tuesdays are the craziest days, with department head meetings in both cities," says Tubbs.

Albany's fire Chief Marc McGinn retired last year. A pilot program was started last April in which both cities realized they could save money if Tubbs agreed to cover both. Day-to-day operations are handled by the fire captains in each city. Piedmont would save about $111,000, while Albany would save about $85,000 with the job-sharing. Albany pays Piedmont their share of Tubbs' salary; Tubbs is a Piedmont employee.

The job is not without its challenges.

"While the two cities are similar in size, they are very different in other aspects," Tubbs said.

"Albany has a commercial district, a racetrack, freeways, high-rise buildings. Piedmont is a mainly residential community." Tubbs carries an iPad to constantly check his email from both cities, has a hands-free cell phone for calls in his car and a calendar updated daily "so I won't forget anything," he said. The cities have different software for tracking finances, so Tubbs has had to master both.

Piedmont City Administrator Geoff Grote admits the chief gets stretched thin at times.

"Some times are busier than others. It's always nice to have the chief in Piedmont when things come up," Grote said, "but that's not always possible." A benefit of the job-sharing is that the two departments have better buying power through the consolidation.

"We get a better price for turnouts because both departments use the same ones," Tubbs said. "We also put in for a joint grant for new breathing apparatus." Tubbs gets a salary differential for serving two cities, for a total of about $266,750 in salary and benefits.

"There are many great aspects to the arrangement, with benefits for supplies and training," Grote said. "There are lots of consolidations going on -- Union City/Newark, Pleasanton/Livermore. There is a lot of change." Tubbs is not averse to a new, two-year agreement and enjoys his interactions with the crews in both cities.

"I always will be learning as long as I do this. They are two great groups of people to deal with. I'm always on the lookout for innovations."

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