HMB Fire District outlines shortcomings of referendum petitions

The Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District has issued a press release explaining why it and the Point Montara district have declined to take any action on the referendum petitions submitted by the firefighters. The districts say their decision is based on the advice of their legal counsel, citing five deficiencies in the petitions:

• The full text of the CDF contact was not attached to the petitions, as required by the election code.
• The petition contains "improper argument" in favor of the referendum.
• The contract with Cal-Fire was missing from the referendum.
• The referendum contains "opinion and mischaracterization of the facts" concerning the boards decision.
• The Point Montara board maintains that the contract between the Half Moon Bay district was not a legislative act of Point Montara and is not subject to referendum in the district.

You can download a copy of the agreement between the district and Cal-Fire (CDF)—summarizing the services to be provided under the contract—from Coastsider.