HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Marin Emergency Radio Authority Reappointment____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: 08/06/2018
Disposition: Approved staff recommendation
Agenda Item No: _____4.b______
Meeting Date: August 6, 2018
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Department: City Clerk
Prepared by: Lindsay Lara,
City Clerk
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: MARIN EMERGENCY RADIO AUTHORITY (MERA) REAPPOINTMENT
SUBJECT: REAPPOINTMENT OF FIRE CHIEF CHRISTOPHER GRAY TO THE MERA
EXECUTIVE BOARD
RECOMMENDATION:
Reappoint Fire Chief Christopher Gray to the MERA Executive Board.
BACKGROUND:
The Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA) is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) formed in 1998 to plan,
finance, implement, manage, own, and operate a multijurisdictional and countywide public safety, public
service, and emergency radio system. The system helps unify public safety response and ensures
communication among individual agencies and departments.
Originally MERA was governed by a Governing Board comprised of representatives from the County of
Marin, all cities, towns, and fire districts in Marin, and other special districts such as the Marin Municipal
Water District. Effective June 20, 2012 the MERA Board of Directors adopted a new governance
structure, which included an Executive Board.
The new governance structure was made to the JPA which retains MERA Governing Board’s ultimate
control over the Authority while providing for the delegation of day-to-day operations to an Executive
Board in accordance with the Governing Board’s annual budget and work plan. The intention of the New
Governance Structure was to maintain final authority with the Governing Board while streamlining and
improving operations and eliminating redundancy of effort.
The Executive Board is responsible to the Governing Board for the administration and management of
Authority affairs and for the provision of assistance and advice to the Governing Board. The Executive
Board is comprised of nine voting members that consist of representatives from the County of Marin, City
of San Rafael, City of Novato, Fire Services, Police Departments, Ross Valley agencies, Southern Marin
cities and towns, County Sheriff and Special Districts. All members of the Executive Board serve two-
year terms and may be reappointed, except for the County Sheriff or his/her desig nee, who serves as a
voting member on an indefinite basis.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
Currently, Fire Chief Christopher Gray serves as the City of San Rafael's representative on the Executive
Board. However, his two-year term will expire on September 12, 2018. MERA has requested that the City
of San Rafael continue this representation and staff recommends the reappointment of Fire Chief
Christopher Gray to an additional two-year term on the MERA Executive Board. Chief Gray has indicated
that he wishes to continue serving on MERA’s Executive Board.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Reappoint Fire Chief Christopher Gray to the MERA Executive Board.