Discovery Bay Rejects County Pressure Over Fire Station 94

A Victory for Fairness and Local Autonomy:

At last night’s Discovery Bay Board of Directors meeting, something important happened—something that speaks to integrity, transparency, and standing up to bureaucratic overreach.

The Board was presented with proposed letters of support for placing Fire Station 94 in downtown Brentwood—letters encouraged by county officials. But instead of rubber-stamping the request, the Board voted to modify the letters. They agreed that while Brentwood does need a fire station, the specific location is not within their purview—only that any location should offer good response times.

Director Ashley Porter aptly captured the mood, noting that it felt “odd” and even inappropriate for the County to be asking Discovery Bay to send a letter to another city. She rightly called it an imposition. Other board members echoed similar concerns, pointing out that this issue was outside their jurisdiction and that they'd be upset if the County asked another agency to send them such a letter. And we agree—this was an attempt to misuse intergovernmental relationships for political gain.

During the public comment period, several concerned citizens also spoke out against the proposed letters. One attendee described the County and Supervisor Burgis’s outreach as “deceptive and underhanded,” nearly pulling Discovery Bay into a dispute they were not fully informed about.

The general sentiment was clear: the County Fire District, the City of Brentwood, and the Veterans—whose dedicated land is at the heart of this controversy—should meet together in open and transparent dialogue. Not behind closed doors. Not by pressuring neighboring communities.

We consider this a win. But it’s also yet another example of the County trying to exert pressure on Brentwood by enlisting other local governments in its campaign. It’s government by intimidation, and Discovery Bay wasn’t having it.

We thank the Discovery Bay Board of Directors for their thoughtfulness, discernment, and independence. Let this be a model for how other communities can stand up for proper process and mutual respect.

Stay informed. Stay involved. Say “yes” to a new station—but not at the cost of integrity, veterans’ rights, or local autonomy.