Fire district's future in doubt

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By ELIZABETH HOCHSTEDLER and MARK GUNDERMAN
elizabeth.hochstedler@lee.net
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 10:44 AM CST

The village of Lake Hallie is considering leaving the Chippewa Fire District over a dispute about buying a new fire truck to be placed in the town of Howard and other issues, according to Lake Hallie and town of LaFayette officials.

The departure of one of its two largest members could mean the ultimate dissolution of the fire district, leaving Lake Hallie and the townships of LaFayette, Wheaton, Howard and Hallie on their own in providing fire and emergency medical services to its citizens.

Lake Hallie’s possible departure has been twice openly discussed at LaFayette Town Board meetings, but has yet to appear on an agenda for the Village of Lake Hallie’s board.

A closed session meeting on the issue, however, is planned for Wednesday night. The village of Lake Hallie and the town of Hallie boards plan to discuss their future fire and EMS services at the closed meeting with the village’s legal counsel.

“I know we’re going to explore all options,” said Kathy Bernier, a Lake Hallie Village Board member.

The fire district was formed in the 1980s by the current members, plus the towns of Tilden and Eagle Point, which left the district in the mid-1990s over ambulance service issues.

Financially, the district is supported by revenues for its services, plus tax money from the member townships based on population and property values. That makes Lake Hallie and LaFayette the dominant members financially, though politically each member has equal representation on the governing board.

All equipment is purchased and owned by the district, with placement at the district stations.

The Lake Hallie Village Board has been expressing concerns with the district since September, said its president, Pete Lehmann, who also serves as the Lake Hallie representative on the Chippewa Fire District Board.

Recently the board approved a new fire truck for the town of Howard on a 3-2 vote, with Lehmann and Ron Steinmetz of the town of Hallie voting against it. According to Bernier, that truck cost more than $500,000.

Bernier and Lehmann cited that decision among many other issues as reasons for the village to begin discussions about its future involvement.

“We are in significant disagreement on a couple issues on the fire district,” Bernier said of the village board.

Although neither Lehmann or Bernier would specifically discuss the possibility of the village leaving the district, LaFayette Town Chairman Dave Staber has said Lehmann has indicated that as a possibility.

To Staber, the message was loud and clear: The village of Lake Hallie is considering leaving the Chippewa Fire District, partly over the issue of a new fire truck in the town of Howard. And LaFayette officials are most concerned about that possibility.

“They are thinking about leaving the fire district, which would put us in a real bind as far as providing for ambulance and fire service,” Staber said at Monday’s LaFayette Town Board meeting.

The village of Lake Hallie contributes to 40 percent of the fire district’s budget, while LaFayette gives 37.6 percent, Wheaton 17 percent, Howard 4.4 percent, and the town of Hallie 1 percent, according to recent budget estimates. Contributions to fire services are figured by equalized value, and EMS contributions are calculated per capita of the municipalities, Lehmann said.

Without Lake Hallie, LaFayette’s share would be about 63 percent, Staber said.

But even with the current situation, a large expenditure, such as a fire truck, could weigh heavily on the village or on the town of LaFayette. Lehmann said the village pays about $340,000 per year for fire and EMS services.

“Given the current economic times, the board has expressed concerns of large capital expenditures,” he said.

Although the village has not formally had the fire district issue on its agenda, board members do discuss the Fire Commission as well as all other village commissions, committees and departments at each bi-weekly meeting.

“It’s one of the department reports that we have, so it’s always there in front of the board because it’s such a large expenditure,” Lehmann said.

Individual members do have some ideas as to what their options are, Lehmann said.

“Obviously there is some intuitive discussions possible, but it’s too early to even put those positions in place already,” Lehmann said.

Bernier said if the village did decide to leave the district, she believes some of its options could include merging with a different area municipality or running its own fire department.

“There are a number of solutions. We haven’t crunched any numbers,” she said.

However, the village hasn’t looked at its options, nor at the possible benefits to the community.

“Until we meet with the full board and go through all the scenarios and situations, it’s putting the cart in front of the horse as to what it means to the village right now,” Lehmann said.

Meanwhile, the other towns in the district will also have to consider their options. Without a viable fire district, each township and the village would be on its own in providing fire and ambulance services.

“My biggest concern would be obtaining EMS services,” said Bruno Rahn, a LaFayette board member and firefighter who represents the town on the fire district board.

Providing 24-hour EMS service on its own would be difficult for LaFayette and would probably require an addition to the fire station, Rahn said.

The fire district status was on the agenda for the LaFayette meeting Monday, though there is not much the town can do at this point.

“Until (Lake) Hallie makes a decision on what they’re going to do, there isn’t a lot of discussion to have,” Staber said.

“It’s all up in the air right now. They can’t leave before the end of 2010,” Rahn said.

Dissolving the fire district, including timetables, is addressed in the bylaws of the district.