The council has before it a resolution approving a contract between the two cities for fire service effective Dec. 16 that resulted from three years of feasibility studies of a merger, according to Pacific Grove Fire Chief Andrew Miller.
Monterey, in general, pays more in salary for similar fire department work, he said, but Pacific Grove will save costs because fewer firefighters would be required at its station and the combined department would be able to draw resources from three fire stations in Monterey.
Should have happened years ago – about the time of the Pebble Beach fire on Huckleberry Hill.
This contract DOES NOT SAVE MONEY FOR THE CITY OF PACIFIC GROVE. It will most likely cost MORE but never less than is paid now. What it does is save the Fire Department employees PERS retirement package and their jobs unlike the rest of the city employees who will most likely loose their retirement and have lost or could loose their jobs.