BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Bakersfield, CA. - The Kern County Board of Supervisors discussed in a meeting Tuesday about increasing the cost of fire services in cities who do not have their own fire department.
In the meeting, officials approved to raise the cost of fire services in the cities of McFarland, Taft, Delano, Shafter, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi and a few others.
County supervisors agreed that the contract between these cities and county fire did not offer a fair price for the department's services. According to officials, a new contract will require cities to pay hundreds of thousands of more dollars to make up for the 'revenue issue.'
The Kern County Fire Department says they're facing an income shortage of $10.3 million.
County officials say money needs to taken away from other departments in order to pay for county fire services in cities that don't have their own department.
This new contract is not finalized, and can be changed to fit the specific needs of each city.
