Movement to blend S. Tahoe, Lake Valley fire departments

Lake Valley Fire Protection District is officially taking over fire marshal duties for South Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe will pay for a financial study to determine the economic gain-loss for taxpayers for each jurisdiction if consolidation of the departments were to occur. Lake Valley’s board will take up the issue tonight.

Request for proposals will be sent out for the study, with the City Council likely reviewing them in October.

Brian Uhler, left, and Gareth Harris, fire chiefs of South Lake Tahoe and Lake Valley, respectively, with arson dog Simmie, talk to the City Council Aug. 8. Photo/Kathryn Reed

No exchange of money is proposed at this time for Lake Valley’s fire marshal services because the city will be picking up the expense of the financial study.

Talks are under way with Lake Tahoe Community College to have a training station there that would tie into the fire academy and possibly mean Station 2 in the city would not need to be remodeled.

— Kathryn Reed