WHEN 50/50 IS ANYTHING BUT
Published in the November 15, 2025 issue.
Bishop City Council held a joint meeting with the Bishop Rural Fire Protection District Board prior to its regular council meeting on Monday.
And the meeting was infused with some urgency.
Because what is supposed to be a 50/50 cost-sharing relationship is becoming lopsided over time.
Exacerbated by the fact that some of the wealthiest neighborhoods receive fire protection services (Aspendell, Starlite, 40 Acres, Mustang Mesa) yet don’t pay a dime for the privilege.
In his presentation at the outset of the meeting, Bishop Fire Chief Bret Russell noted that his department serves approximately 12,500 residents, yet just 30% (or approx. 3,800) live within the city limits.
So off the bat, you realize 50/50 is 30/70.
According to the Inyo County Auditor’s Office, the Bishop Rural Fire Protection District receives 1% of the net taxable property value of its constituents. Last year, that amounted to $528,000.
Do a calculation of total net taxable value in the outlying communities listed above and that’s what’s not being collected.
Interestingly, Rovana pays a flat $30,000 annual fee to the District. And Southern California Edison also pays.
Unfortunately, revenues are not keeping pace with expenses and deferred maintenance.
Russell told The Sheet this week that the department needed a $2 million infrastructure investment 5 to 8 years ago.
His opinion is borne out by a 2023 “Bishop Fire Department Agency Evaluation” performed by Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI), which found that nearly 50% of the department’s apparatus fleet condition rated poor to critical (see accompanying graphic).
The department currently has just three full-time employees (ESCI recommended 5).
With five, Russell said that affords BFD to go to a shift schedule, which would guarantee a response to every call.
There have been a half-dozen instances over the past two years, he said, where volunteers have been stranded at the firehouse because an engine driver/operator wasn’t available.
As Bishop Councilman Stephen Muchovej said, in recent years, department needs have outgrown the agreement (between the City and the Rural FPD).
“The issue is level of service and who pays how much.”
We’re living off property taxes, and that funding [increase] is incremental, said Commissioner Gavin Delmas.
“You need a tax measure,” chimed in Councilmember Karen Schwartz.
But a tax measure doesn’t address the fundamental inequality of certain communities using services without paying.
Part of the motivation may be this: if you enlarge the district boundaries to include outlying communities, guaranteed fire coverage may have the unintended consequence of allowing large tracts of land within these communities (think Starlite) to be subdivided and developed.
Schwartz is correct in that a tax measure is still appropriate given skyrocketing costs since the pandemic.
The short-term fix discussed at Monday’s meeting would be having outlying districts contract with the City of Bishop for fire services. The Rovana model.
One bright spot. In the recent bill that reopened the federal government back up, there is an earmark for a new ladder truck for the Bishop Fire Department.
A parting gift from Congressman Kevin Kiley before he is redistricted.
A new 105’ ladder truck (to replace the current 75’ one) will cost approximately $1.7 million.
The earmark is for about 75% of that.
Pack Fire
Multiple residents reported the Pack Fire started Wednesday night, Nov. 12, in the vicinity of McGee Creek Campground. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) allegedly thought the fire had gone out, but the flames exploded due to heavy winds on Thursday morning, according to several residents.
Fire alert websites reported a five acre large vegetation fire at McGee Creek Road northwest of Crowley Lake at 11 a.m.. Fifteen minutes later, law enforcement began a full evacuation of the Crowley Lake and McGee communities, and Benton Crossing Road an hour later. Highway 395 was shut down north and south from Benton Crossing Road to Rock Creek Road.
When the fire jumped 395 at 12:41 p.m.and began burning north on the west side of Crowley Lake, the Highway’s closure extended from Tom’s Place to Benton Crossing Road. Drivers were forced to use Highway 6 as a detour. By 2 p.m., the fire was estimated to be 1,000 acres.
McGee Trailer Park began to burn at 2 p.m.. The Sheet has confirmed six residential home losses in McGee. Mammoth Lakes Middle School and the Tri-County Fairgrounds were designated as evacuation shelters.
Air tankers were called off due to heavy winds, reported to be 12-16 miles per hour from the south, with gusts up to 24 mph.
