Fire Meeting – Towns Powerpoint- 030326

JOINT TOWN FIRE/EMS INFORMATIONAL MEETING Presented by the Towns of Ahnapee, Lincoln, & Pierce WELCOMEHello, we are the Chairman of Ahnapee, Lincoln, & Pierce.•Tom Stoller Town of Ahnapee•Jesse Jerabek Town of Lincoln•Brian Paplham Town of Pierce PURPOSE: TO INFORM OUR RESIDENTS OF WHERE WE ARE AT AND WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD IN TERMS OF COSTS AND SERVICES RELATED TO FIRE AND EMS SERVICE FROM THE CITY OF ALGOMA AND ALGOMA FIRE & RESCUE. ALGOMA WAS EMAILED A PROPOSED INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT JULY 23, 2025.WE RECEIVED A RESPONSE DATED AUGUST 14, 2025SUGGESTING WE NEGOTIATE THIS AGREEMENT AND EXTEND IT OVER 5 TO 10 YEARS. THERE WAS A MEETING WITH THE CITY ON AUGUST 28, 2025TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL.WHILE WE WERE AWAITING A FURTHER RESPONSE, WE HAD NOT HEARD FROM THEM UNTIL FEBRUARY 26, 2026.AT LAST THURSDAY’S MEETING THE CITY INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE INDEED BEGUN CONSIDERING THE AGREEMENT. WHILE WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALGOMA ON DEVELOPMENT OF IT WE ALSO FEEL THE NEED TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITIES 1- PERSONNEL EXPENSES NECESSITATED A NEW AMBULANCE CONTRACT IN 2023 IN WHICH THE TOWN’S COSTS TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE PROVIDED WENT UP. THIS AFFECTED EACH OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND WAS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN STAFFING LEVELS. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EXEMPLARY SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO OUR CITIZENS.2- AMBULANCE REPLACEMENT COSTS HAVE GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY, EXCEEDING INFLATION. THE NEXT REPLACEMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR 2028; IT MAY STRETCH INTO 2029 DUE TO LEAD TIME ISSUES AND IS ESTIMATED TO COST $260,000.00. THE VEHICLES ARE ON 10-YEAR LIFECYCLES MEANING REPLACEMENTS AT 5-YEAR INTERVALS. CURRENTLY THAT EQUATES TO $52,000.00 YEARLY DIVIDED UP BETWEEN THE FOUR COMMUNITIES.3- WE, KEWAUNEE COUNTY ALONG WITH THE THREE RESCUE SERVICES, HAVE BEGUN DISCUSSIONS TO ADDRESS EMS SERVICE COUNTYWIDE. THE PURPOSE IS TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE STAFFING ISSUES AND EXPLORE COST SAVING OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY EXIST AT THIS TIME. CONSOLIDATION IS NOT ON THE TABLE AS THIS MAY RESULT IN GREATER COSTS FOR EVERYONE. RESCUE COSTS HAVE INCREASED of ambulance calls 90 total for towns57 Ahnapee, 21 Pierce, & 12 Lincoln24 mutual aid calls, 457 calls in Algoma 1. ALGOMA PREVIOUSLY ASKED THE THREE TOWNS TO “CONTRIBUTE” $1,000,000.00 TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FIRE STATION. AFTER REVIEWING THE BUILDING NEEDS AND SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO IT, THIS AMOUNT WAS LOWERED TO $600,000.00. THE CITY HAS APPLIED FOR A $2,000,000.00 GRANT FROM THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, SHOULD THEY BE SUCCESSFUL THIS WOULD LIKELY AFFECT THE AMOUNT REQUESTED. PLEASE NOTE THAT “AS WE WOULD NOT OWN PART OF THE FACILITY “THIS PAYMENT WOULD, IF ACCEPTED, BE IN THE FORM OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT PAYMENT THE THREE OF US MAKE RELATIVE TO THE “READY-TO-SERVE” AGREEMENT.2. ALGOMA FIRE’S SQUAD 605 IS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT, THE ESTIMATED COST OF A NEW “FIRE VEHICLE” IS $700,000.00. DELIVERY IS ESTIMATED TO BE THREE YEARS OUT. THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT TAXPAYERS IN THE TOWNS AS WELL AS THE CITY WILL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THIS VEHICLE. FIRE SERVICE CONTRACT EXPENSES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE. of fire calls 20 total for towns11 Ahnapee, 8 Pierce, & 1 Lincoln11 mutual aid calls, 31 fire calls in Algoma Ryunosuke Satoro "INDIVIDUALLY, WE ARE ONE DROP. TOGETHER, WE ARE AN OCEAN." THE NEW INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WOULD, IF CONSUMMATED, BEGIN ON JANUARY1, 2027. THIS AGREEMENT WOULD PROVIDE THE TOWNS WITH INCREASED INVOLVEMENT ANDUNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS OF FIRE/EMS SERVICE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ALL WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY ALGOMA FIRE AND RESCUE HAVE BEEN GREAT AND WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN SERVING ALL OUR COMMUNITIES. ALGOMA FIRE/RESCUE TOWNS SERVICE COSTS2025 ACTUAL2024 ACTUAL2023 ACTUAL2022 ACTUAL2021 ACTUAL2020 ACTUALFire $Rescue $Fire Truck Pumper $16,868.35Fire $13,888.80 Rescue $27,007.48Fire Truck Pumper $16,868.35Fire $8,366.00 Rescue $18,336.04Fire Truck Pumper $16,868.35Tanker Tender Repaint Tank$8,347.00Fire $8,202.00 Rescue $Fire Truck Pumper $16,868.35New Ambulance$58,715.26Fire $8,041.00 Rescue $Fire Truck Pumper $16,868.35Fire $7,883.00Rescue $Fire Truck Pumper $16,868.35Town of AhnapeeFire $7,364.07Rescue $14,319.82Fire $12,472.41Rescue $0Fire $29,069.20Rescue Calls $696.31Fire $27,797.96Rescue Calls $1,861.38New Ambulance $26,133.11Fire $27,520.11Rescue Calls $1,868.67Fire $28,448.46Rescue Calls $898.97Town of Lincoln Fire $6,097.13Rescue $11,856.19Fire $8,028.55Rescue $0Total Fire & Rescue $40,166.06Total Fire & Rescue $39,378.50New Ambulance $31,306.79Total Fire & Rescue $38,606.36Town of Pierce*1/8/21-present paid additional $5,516.80 in calls WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Q & AThis presentation was intended to provide you with more information, after which the floor will be open for dialogue. We ask that your comments are respectful and courteous to those who may disagree. Please practice proper decorum and do not interrupt or argue with one another, you will be given an opportunity to discuss your views or ask questions. You may be limited to two minutes depending on available time. Please raise your hand and wait to be recognized, please provide your name and address for the record. Helen Keller “ALONE WE CAN DO SO LITTLE: TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH.” TOWNS RESIDENT ADVISEMENT POLLAfter the conversations have taken place, We will poll the audience to assess our residents’ opinions and to assist in guiding our boards moving forward. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ATTEND AND INVOLVE YOURSELVES IN THIS ISSUE.