I was appointed as an alternate to the Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) by the Cities Selection Committee for 2025-28, representing all cities in Santa Clara County. I supported the action taken in January by the Board of Supervisors to dissolve the South Santa Clara County Fire District and annex its territories into the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District, and I supported the same LAFCO Staff and Commission action on April 2.
LAFCO is a state mandated independent local agency established to oversee the boundaries of cities and special districts in Santa Clara County. By order of the state, LAFCOs are charged with stewarding the future of their counties.
In Santa Clara County, LAFCO has curbed the loss of agricultural lands, encouraged the densification and walkability of our cities, increased regional climate resilience and promoted the cost-effective delivery of services that are funded by taxpayers.
The City of Gilroy has been impacted by operational decisions over the years by the South Santa Clara County Fire District. Engine 69 or Treehaven Station at Gilroy Gardens, through the drop borders agreement, provides first due responses to areas within the City of Gilroy like Eagle Ridge and Heartland neighborhoods. On any given day that station could be downgraded from providing Advanced Life Saving (ALS) to Basic Life Saving (BLS) services, staffing two on the fire engine as opposed to three, moving up into the City of Morgan Hill to provide coverage while leaving our district empty, or not staffing E69 for the day and close it.
Any time this occurs adds to the structural failure and impending insolvency of the South County Fire District and those impacted residents. South Santa Clara County Fire District has been underfunded and underserved in terms of fire protection services.
The county fire chief and county executive reaffirmed their commitment to working with the City of Gilroy on any drop border agreements. Santa Clara County Fire Department will continue hosting office hours through April 18 at the Sig Sanchez Government Center in San Martin, as the department looks forward to building relationships within the community—including with city staff and electeds—and making their staff available to address questions regarding the upcoming transition.
County Fire will take over service beginning July 1, and assume the lease for the Treehaven Gilroy Gardens Fire Station with the City of Gilroy.
Now is the best time to continue that exploration of consolidation of the Gilroy Fire Department (as mentioned in our current MOU with Gilroy Firefighters Local 2805) with our county partners who have continued to provide the much needed safety net in services that include the expansion of the County owned Saint Louise Regional Hospital, Santa Clara Family Health Plan Community Resource Center, South County Youth Task Force, Re-Entry Services, millions of dollars in grant funds from Public Health, the Eighth Street Alexander Affordable Housing project and much more.
Lastly, I’ll never forget the partnership between Gilroy Fire and County Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic when our firefighters went door to door in our rescue ambulance and set up clinics at the senior center, providing vaccinations for the most vulnerable and isolated. It was such a successful model that nearby cities in South County were asking for our services.
When we needed to provide services during the pandemic, the county was our partner—and remains our partner.
Consolidation not only increases service levels but will also create a more balanced and sustainable budget, allowing our dedicated Gilroy firefighters to switch into retirement that matches the region while ensuring that our community is better protected in the future.
Zach Hilton
Gilroy City Councilmember
