Fire District Ignores City's Offer and Plans, Pushing Forward on the Wrong Path

To Whom It May Concern,

In the military, one of the most important lessons we are taught is this: if you think you're going the wrong way, stop. Get your bearings. Correct your course. It’s far better to pause and reevaluate than to continue down a misguided path. Pushing forward blindly, hoping things will work out, only risks getting further lost and failing to complete the mission.

That lesson seems especially relevant now.

Acting City Manager Darin Gale recently reported to the Brentwood City Council that he had spoken with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District to explore whether they were open to discussing the previously proposed Sand Creek site for Fire Station 94. According to his report, the Fire District made it clear: they are not interested. They intend to push forward with their current plan — a plan that places the station on land dedicated for veterans’ use, a plan that does not conform to the Downtown Specific Plan, and a plan that has been met with strong, informed public opposition.

This is a textbook case of what happens when leadership refuses to correct course. Rather than reconsider viable alternatives, the Fire District appears determined to force their way forward, regardless of whether it’s the best decision for the community, the veterans, or the long-term development of Brentwood.

If the City Council upholds the Planning Commission’s denial, what then? Will the Fire District attempt to bully the City into submission, just as they have bulldozed past veterans’ concerns? Will the County continue to pressure Brentwood to abandon its planning standards in favor of expediency?

Councilmember Tony Oerlemans has rightly expressed concern over how the State has begun to override local planning decisions. And yet here we see the County engaging in the same behavior — dismissing local authority and threatening to undermine the community’s values and vision.

Let us be clear: this is not merely about where to place a fire station. It is about how we govern, how we honor commitments to our veterans, and whether we will allow larger entities to coerce smaller ones into submission. Brentwood deserves better. Our veterans deserve better.

The wise thing to do now — the disciplined and mission-oriented thing — is to stop, reassess, and do what is right. Return to the table. Revisit the Sand Creek option. Listen to the community. And above all, act with integrity.

Respectfully,

Mike Meyokovich 

Disabled Veteran