Fire chiefs begin to study options for consolidation

Plans to address withering emergency response services in Ozaukee County are slow moving so far, but some officials are starting to get the ball rolling.

During a Grafton Public Safety Committee meeting July 13, Fire Chief Bill Rice said he and Mequon Fire Chief David Bialk are beginning the long process of developing a framework for what a countywide fire and emergency service management department would cost each of the 12 municipalities in the county that have fire services.

The two chiefs also plan to look at how such a department could be staffed.

During the meeting, Rice said that given the limited number of staff members local departments have and the large amount of data that will have to be gathered from municipalities, it will be some time before the framework is drafted.

“That’s just not something that is going to come together quickly,” he said.

Municipal and fire officials have been discussing the prospect of joining forces for a shared department since receiving the results of a countywide emergency services study by the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

The study concluded what many departments have come to realize in recent years — that while paid on-call departments have served communities well, full-time staff members are needed to provide quality service.

With departments often unable to finance full-time staff positions alone, some municipal leaders are exploring ways to share costs, either by partnering with nearby departments or by creating a countywide department.

Rice said that while county department and municipal leaders have met to discuss the survey results and the future of county emergency services several times, few concrete plans have been made.

“There is little tangible movement, but I think good discussion,” he said.

Throughout meetings with other county departments, Rice said, he has urged them to begin developing a plan to address slipping services throughout the county, rather than waiting for other departments to hash out plans and join later.

Rice said departments will have to move quickly on a plan to maintain quality emergency response services.

The chief said he expects departments interested in joining forces to hash out plans through 2022 and that plans could come to fruition by 2023.

“I expect that 2023 could be the first year of a new organization,” he said.

Whether a countywide department is established or departments partner with neighbors, Rice said, it is assured referendums will be needed to finance full-time staff positions.

Rice added that while it will be challenging to educate voters on why the services are worth the additional expense, referendums are a valuable way for a community to make important decisions on the future of its services.

“It gives the community the chance to weigh in on fixing a problem,” he said.