To: Board of Directors
From: Internal Operations Committee
Report Title: Establishment of the Measure O Committee and Approve committee bylaws and ethics policy
☐Recommendation of the County Administrator ☒ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ESTABLISH the Measure O Committee and APPROVE its composition, bylaws, and ethics policy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No Fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
In 2016, Measure O, a supplemental revenue initiative for the Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District (RHFPD) was successfully passed by the residents of that Fire District, i.e., City of Hercules, unincorporated Town of Rodeo and surrounding unincorporated areas (“RHFPD Area”) (see Attachment A). The supplemental revenue provided approximately $2.725M in additional funding to the district for FY 24-25.
The ordinance (Attachment A) to establish the supplemental revenues included a requirement that the RHFPD establish a 2016 Special Tax Funding Replacement Measure Independent Oversight Committee (“Measure O Committee”). The Measure O Committee shall actively review and publicly report on the collection and proper expenditure of the taxpayers’ monies within the RHFPD Area alone, in accordance with the stated purposes of the Measure O Parcel Tax as detailed in Section 4 of the Ordinance enacted by Measure O:
The proceeds of the special tax funding replacement measure imposed by this ordinance shall be placed in a special account or fund to be used solely for any lawful purpose permissible to Fire Districts pursuant to California Health and Safety Code §13800 et seq., including but not limited to enhancing the level of fire prevention, emergency fire protection and paramedic response services through increasing staffing levels to operate and maintain the [RHFPD’s] fire stations, maintaining and when necessary replacing fire protection and lifesaving equipment and apparatus to optimal levels of function and performance, and to fund capital improvements.
RHFPD established the Measure O Committee with five members and retained that membership up to the date of its dissolution and annexation with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (CCCFPD). RHFPD established bylaws for the Measure O Committee. These bylaws allowed for the committee to be comprised of no less than three seated members, all of whom must be residents of the RHFPD Area, and one must be a registered voter and resident of Hercules and one must be a registered voter and resident of Rodeo.
The recommended Measure O Committee bylaws (Attachment B) are similar to those enacted by RHFPD, and establish a committee of no less than three members, no more than five members appointed by the Board. The Board may elect to appoint more than five members provided an odd appointments result in an off number of active members serving at any time. All members must be residents or property owners of the RHFPD area and registered to vote. The Committee shall also include at least:
1. One member who is a resident or property owner in Hercules and a registered voter; and
2. One member who is a resident or property owner in Rodeo and a registered voter
The Measure O Committee members do not receive compensation for their service. Committee members are appointed by the Board for a term of two years or three years, with the initial committee membership and subsequent terms outlined in the proposed bylaws.
Committee meetings are convened, at a minimum, twice per year and are planned to be held at Fire Station 76 in Hercules, which is the location used by the former RHFPD.
At its February 17, 2026 meeting, the Internal Operations Committee (IO) (Chair Burgis and Vice Chair Andersen) supported the establishment of the committee, approval of the bylaws and ethics policy, and agreed to screen nominations to the Measure O Committee. However, the IO chose to delegate the recruitment and screening of applicants to the Fire District, which is instructed to send the nominations to the IO for consideration. The IO encourages the Fire District to seek input from the Advisory Fire Commission in recruiting and vetting applicants to fill vacancies.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The Measure O Committee will not be established, and the Fire District will not be in compliance with the existing ordinance.