No one likes to lose an argument. It is frustrating. It is irritating. At its worst, it's depressing. Welcome to the wonderful world of governmental decision-making. You probably already know you are going to win some arguments and you are going to lose some. It's part of the process.

But let's get specific. Have you ever made a really good argument about a position you are advocating and then heard an adversary retort by stating, "on the other hand?" This usually is followed with a series of counter points that contradict every point you just made. It is enough to make you angry at times.

In the fire service, this scenario plays out every time a fire chief submits the department's budget. The chief knows that you cannot run a fire department without money and the money has to come from somewhere. Conversely, city councils have to make tough decisions regarding how to spend the public's money. Which perspective is going to prevail?

I don't know of a single fire chief who doesn't want to provide the best level of service possible. As a result, these chiefs normally approach the budget process with as many good ideas as possible for improving service delivery. Chiefs are not programmed to dismantle fire departments. They are expected to recommend how to get the job done as effectively and efficiently as possible. On the other hand — there's that phrase again — elected officials are responsible for deciding whether the community can afford what is being suggested. If both sides have a valid point, who is right? More importantly, who is wrong?

The answer to the first question is: both sides are right. The answer to the second question is: neither side is wrong. The role of the fire chief is to propose. The role of the elected body is to decide whether the community can afford it. Two roles. Two responsibilities. Two perspectives.

The calculus is very simple. Fire stations, fire apparatus, staffing, goals, objectives and programs have to be established and maintained. The fire chief's job is to develop a plan to deliver these elements and to recommend the funding sources needed to balance the budget. The city council has a dual role in that it not only funds the department, but it also oversees all of the human-resource decisions that impact the bottom line for providing that protection. The politicians grant the salaries. They provide the benefits. They impose taxes. They determine the fees. Their job is to fund the plan.

In today's economy, the authorities having jurisdiction have some tough decisions to make. No, let's make that, some really tough decisions. The conditions that currently exist in many communities are devastating to consider. But, let's look again at roles and expectations. As chief, your job is to have a plan. You must know more about what is at stake than anyone else. You must know the risks and be able to articulate them. You must know all the numbers. You must be the expert regarding everything that's on the table.

Elected official, your job is to make the decisions that the chief will have to implement. Your job is to know the revenue stream. You should know the public's needs. You need to be ready to make the hard decisions and be prepared to set the community's priorities — without making the fire chief the scapegoat.

Both parties really need to own these roles. An elected official who has overseen decades of labor negotiations that have resulted in increased personnel costs, but who blames the fire chief for the cost of fire protection, is being disingenuous to a fault. A fire chief who goes into the budget battle without having all of the facts readily available and doesn't have the ability to get them into the public record is going to continually be exploited.

There are no two ways about it.

Ronny J. Coleman has served as fire chief in Fullerton and San Clemente, Calif., and was the fire marshal of the state of California from 1992 to 1999. He is a certified fire chief and a master instructor in the California Fire Service Training and Education System.

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