Request for Proposal (RFP)
Ross Valley Fire Department Future Governance Leadership Study
The Ross Valley Fire Department, through this Request for Proposals (“RFP”), seeks a qualified contractor(s) to provide professional services for the “Ross Valley Fire Department Future Governance Leadership Study.” The highest-ranked Proposer, based on the written response to the RFP and any interviews, if scheduled, will be invited to negotiate a contract with the RVFD. The target start date for the proposed services is [July 11, 2022], subject to the negotiation of a final agreement. The contract is structured as a one-year contract (through June 2023).
Important Dates and Instructions
Note: A Proposer’s responsibility is to review the entire RFP to submit a complete and responsive proposal. The highest-ranked Proposer, based on the written response to the RFP and any interviews, if scheduled, will be invited to negotiate a contract with the RVFD.
Proposal Dateline: June 13, 2022, by 05:00 pm
Proposals received late will not be opened or given any consideration for the proposed services unless doing so is deemed to be in the best interest of the RVFD, as determined in the sole discretion of the RVFD. All proposals will be date/time stamped upon receipt.
Submit Responses: The subject header and/or back of the envelope(s) shall be labeled “Proposal - Ross Valley Fire Department Future Governance Leadership Study.”
Mariana Gonzalez
mgonzalez@rossvalleyfire.org
415-258-4686 ext 10
A hard copy may be submitted by mail or hand to the following address: 777 San Anselmo Ave. San Anselmo, CA 94960
Pre-proposal Conference:
This meeting aims to review the project requirements, RFP response requirements, evaluation criteria, and project overview and answer any questions from prospective Proposers.
Date: May 19, 2022, at 03:00 pm
Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84991209119
Questions and Response Process
Submit all questions relating to this RFP to the following email address:
E-mail to: mgonzalez@rossvalleyfire.org
Subject Line: Question – RFP Ross Valley Fire Department Future Governance Leadership Study
All questions must be received no later than May 27, 2022, at 05:00 pm
RVFD Board of Directors
Ross | San Anselmo | Sleepy Hollow FPD | Fairfax
Representing the Town of Ross
Julie McMillan |
Julie McMillan has been a dedicated Ross resident since 1992, with a long record of public service and community leadership. A graduate of UCLA and Stanford Law School, she practiced law before turning her focus to civic involvement, including extensive service with the Ross School Board, Ross Parks and Recreation, and multiple Marin County nonprofits. Julie has played key roles in local education, wildfire preparedness, and community advocacy, including co-founding the Barber-Winship Firewise Neighborhood Group and writing for the Marin IJ as a UC Marin Master Gardener. She was appointed to the Ross Town Council in 2017, elected in 2018 and 2022, and served as Mayor from 2020 to 2021. She currently chairs the Community Protection Committee, sits on the Finance Committee and Safe Routes to School Task Force, and serves as Board President of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (2023–24).
Director McMillan can be reached at:
P.O. Box 320
Ross, CA 94957
Beach Kuhl
Director Kuhl has lived in Ross since 1974. He is largely retired from his practices as a trial lawyer. After a term on the Marin County Grand Jury, he was elected to the Ross Town Council in 2012 . Director Kuhl currently also serves as a commissioner of the Transportation Authority of Marin. He joined the board of directors of the Ross Valley Fire Department in 2015.
Director Kuhl can be reached at:
Phone: 415-627-1411
Email: beachkuhl35@gmail.com
Representing the Town of San Anselmo
Ford Greene |
Director Greene grew up in next-door Ross as a fourth generation Ross Valley native (where Natalie Coffin Greene Park at Phoenix Lake is named for his grandmother). Ford attended local public schools. A sole practitioner, for over 30 years Greene has litigated redress for wrongful treatment of individual constitutional liberties. This includes criminal defense to civil tort litigation against global religious corporate entities. The National Lawyers for Public Justice gave Greene national recognition when it awarded him its running Trial Lawyer of the Year award for his successful work against the Church of Scientology.
Director Greene can be reached at:
Email: fordgreene@comcast.net
Steve Burdo |
Bio coming soon!
Representing Sleepy Hollow FPD
Thomas Finn | 2013 - Present
Director Finn is a Ross Valley native. He completed his undergraduate schooling at the University of California at Davis and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He has served on the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District Board of Directors since 1999. His service on the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority Board began in 2006, and included a term as president of the Board from 2009- 2011. He has served on the Ross Valley Fire Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors since 2013.
Director Finn can be reached at:
Email: tfinn@well.com
Richard Shortall| 2010 - Present
Director Shortall promoted through the ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department starting as a Firefighter and retiring as Assistant Deputy Chief. He also served as the San Francisco Fire Emergency Medical Services Chief, was Deputy Director of the San Francisco Office of Emergency Services, and General Manager of the Bay Area Super Urban Area Security Initiative Homeland Security program. He is employed now as the full time Executive Coordinator for FIRESafe MARIN, and serves as President of the Board of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District, Director of the Ross Valley Fire Department and member of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Operations Committee. He and his wife Diana are 40-year residents of Sleepy Hollow.
Director Shortall can be reached at:
Email: rich_shortall@att.net
Representing the Town of Fairfax
Renee Goddard
Bio coming soon!
Stephanie Hellman
Bio coming soon!
Director Hellman can be reached at:
Fire Board
Ross | San Anselmo | Sleepy Hollow FPD | Fairfax
Representing the Town of Ross
Elizabeth Brekhus |
Director Brekhus was elected to 4-year terms on the Ross Town Council in 2012, 2016, 2020. She served as Ross Town Mayor in 2014-15 and 2019-20. She has served on the Ross Valley Fire Board since 2016, and President of the Board in 2018-19. Director Brekhus’ law practice, Brekhus Law Partners, specializes in real property litigation and municipal law. She has represented individuals and businesses in Marin County since 1997. She served on the Board of Directors of the Marin County Bar Association for over a decade, and was elected President in 2014-15. Director Brekhus obtained her B.A at Kenyon College in 1993. She graduated from the University of San Francisco, School of Law in 1997. She resides in Ross with her three children.
Director Brekhus can be reached at:
Email: elizabethb@brekhus.com
Beach Kuhl
Director Kuhl has lived in Ross since 1974. He is largely retired from his practices as a trial lawyer. After a term on the Marin County Grand Jury, he was elected to the Ross Town Council in 2012 . Director Kuhl currently also serves as a commissioner of the Transportation Authority of Marin. He joined the board of directors of the Ross Valley Fire Department in 2015.
Director Kuhl can be reached at:
Phone: 415-627-1411
Email: beachkuhl35@gmail.com
Representing the Town of San Anselmo
Ford Greene |
Director Greene grew up in next-door Ross as a fourth generation Ross Valley native (where Natalie Coffin Greene Park at Phoenix Lake is named for his grandmother). Ford attended local public schools. A sole practitioner, for over 30 years Greene has litigated redress for wrongful treatment of individual constitutional liberties. This includes criminal defense to civil tort litigation against global religious corporate entities. The National Lawyers for Public Justice gave Greene national recognition when it awarded him its running Trial Lawyer of the Year award for his successful work against the Church of Scientology.
Director Greene can be reached at:
Email: fordgreene@comcast.net
Steve Burdo |
Bio coming soon!
Representing Sleepy Hollow FPD
Thomas Finn | 2013 - Present
Director Finn is a Ross Valley native. He completed his undergraduate schooling at the University of California at Davis and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He has served on the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District Board of Directors since 1999. His service on the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority Board began in 2006, and included a term as president of the Board from 2009- 2011. He has served on the Ross Valley Fire Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors since 2013.
Director Finn can be reached at:
Email: tfinn@well.com
Richard Shortall| 2010 - Present
Director Shortall promoted through the ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department starting as a Firefighter and retiring as Assistant Deputy Chief. He also served as the San Francisco Fire Emergency Medical Services Chief, was Deputy Director of the San Francisco Office of Emergency Services, and General Manager of the Bay Area Super Urban Area Security Initiative Homeland Security program. He is employed now as the full time Executive Coordinator for FIRESafe MARIN, and serves as President of the Board of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District, Director of the Ross Valley Fire Department and member of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Operations Committee. He and his wife Diana are 40-year residents of Sleepy Hollow.
Director Shortall can be reached at:
Email: rich_shortall@att.net
Representing the Town of Fairfax
Renee Goddard
Bio coming soon!
Stephanie Hellman
Bio coming soon!
Director Hellman can be reached at:
Fire Board
Ross | San Anselmo | Sleepy Hollow FPD | Fairfax
Representing the Town of Ross
Elizabeth Brekhus |
Director Brekhus was elected to 4-year terms on the Ross Town Council in 2012, 2016, 2020. She served as Ross Town Mayor in 2014-15 and 2019-20. She has served on the Ross Valley Fire Board since 2016, and President of the Board in 2018-19. Director Brekhus’ law practice, Brekhus Law Partners, specializes in real property litigation and municipal law. She has represented individuals and businesses in Marin County since 1997. She served on the Board of Directors of the Marin County Bar Association for over a decade, and was elected President in 2014-15. Director Brekhus obtained her B.A at Kenyon College in 1993. She graduated from the University of San Francisco, School of Law in 1997. She resides in Ross with her three children.
Director Brekhus can be reached at:
Email: elizabethb@brekhus.com
Beach Kuhl
Director Kuhl has lived in Ross since 1974. He is largely retired from his practices as a trial lawyer. After a term on the Marin County Grand Jury, he was elected to the Ross Town Council in 2012 . Director Kuhl currently also serves as a commissioner of the Transportation Authority of Marin. He joined the board of directors of the Ross Valley Fire Department in 2015.
Director Kuhl can be reached at:
Phone: 415-627-1411
Email: beachkuhl35@gmail.com
Representing the Town of San Anselmo
Ford Greene |
Director Greene grew up in next-door Ross as a fourth generation Ross Valley native (where Natalie Coffin Greene Park at Phoenix Lake is named for his grandmother). Ford attended local public schools. A sole practitioner, for over 30 years Greene has litigated redress for wrongful treatment of individual constitutional liberties. This includes criminal defense to civil tort litigation against global religious corporate entities. The National Lawyers for Public Justice gave Greene national recognition when it awarded him its running Trial Lawyer of the Year award for his successful work against the Church of Scientology.
Director Greene can be reached at:
Email: fordgreene@comcast.net
Steve Burdo |
Bio coming soon!
Representing Sleepy Hollow FPD
Thomas Finn | 2013 - Present
Director Finn is a Ross Valley native. He completed his undergraduate schooling at the University of California at Davis and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He has served on the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District Board of Directors since 1999. His service on the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority Board began in 2006, and included a term as president of the Board from 2009- 2011. He has served on the Ross Valley Fire Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors since 2013.
Director Finn can be reached at:
Email: tfinn@well.com
Richard Shortall| 2010 - Present
Director Shortall promoted through the ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department starting as a Firefighter and retiring as Assistant Deputy Chief. He also served as the San Francisco Fire Emergency Medical Services Chief, was Deputy Director of the San Francisco Office of Emergency Services, and General Manager of the Bay Area Super Urban Area Security Initiative Homeland Security program. He is employed now as the full time Executive Coordinator for FIRESafe MARIN, and serves as President of the Board of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District, Director of the Ross Valley Fire Department and member of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Operations Committee. He and his wife Diana are 40-year residents of Sleepy Hollow.
Director Shortall can be reached at:
Email: rich_shortall@att.net
Representing the Town of Fairfax
Renee Goddard
Bio coming soon!
Stephanie Hellman
Bio coming soon!
Director Hellman can be reached at:
