Ensuring that the Menlo Park Fire Protection District "has the necessary financial, leadership and property resources needed to provide superior services in the future" was unanimously chosen by the district's board as its top priority at the April 3 board meeting.
Director Peter Carpenter said he wants to make sure that the board, in addition to keeping the district financially secure, does other things -- including adding to budget reserves and acquiring property -- to ensure that "we don't leave future generations of boards of directors in the hole with respect to not paying our way as we went along."
The district, which provides fire and other emergency services to Menlo Park, Atherton, East Palo Alto and some adjoining unincorporated neighborhoods, approved a $54.6 million operating budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, with reserves of $65 million.
The special meeting to discuss the board's priorities and goals lasted a little over 90 minutes.