Last week, Napa County Volunteer Fire Chief Gary Green removed his sweat-stained baseball cap as a reminder to the Napa County Board of Supervisors of his service to Napa Valley.

This week, Green removed his cap again, this time as a signal of gratitude for what he hailed as a thoughtful response by the board to a recent report on the Napa County Fire Department.

Tuesday, after weeks of deliberation, the supervisors adopted a response to the Napa County grand jury’s recent report on the Napa County Fire Department. In it, the board challenges various recommendations by the grand jury, including several that would provide additional services to volunteer firefighters at the expense of their independence from the department.

The response passed in a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Harold Moskowite voting against it.

Supervisors Diane Dillon and Mark Luce served on a committee to draft the document.

Among the recommendations challenged by the board is the grand jury’s suggestion that the volunteer fire departments receive greater support from the county and, in return, relinquish some of their long-held independence. The Napa County Fire Department includes nine community-based volunteer companies authorized for up to 250 volunteers.

The grand jury also recommends the amendment of a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, between Napa County and volunteer departments to grant the county fire chief authority over training and procedures.

Volunteer fire chiefs pleaded with the board to oppose the recommendations, hailing their independence as both a benefit and attraction for prospective volunteers.

Luce said he wished to honor the volunteers while still maintaining a system of integrity.

Ultimately, the board determined that, “Without further review, which will occur in the next six months, the board of supervisors cannot support the organization of this authority under the county fire chief at this time.”

Though the board rejected the recommendation that volunteers surrender authority to the Napa County fire chief, the board does support “an integrated department consisting of paid and volunteer firefighters in the existing organizational structure.”

Supervisors said that their response to the grand jury is only the beginning of negotiations, as actions are currently being taken to revise the present MOU between the supervisors and the volunteer fire departments.

The fire chief in the response to the grand jury wrote that the MOU will ensure that volunteer departments “maintain their strong community identities.”

In addition to its dealings with volunteer firefighters, the Board of Supervisors also recognized the grand jury’s recommendation to build a new fire station in Browns Valley, committing only to exploring the option.

The city of Napa has been studying a possible Browns Valley station for the past year after residents cited poor response times as the main reason for opposing two housing subdivisions in 2006.

Response times to Browns Valley for fire and medical calls are among the longest in the city, according to the grand jury.