2025 FC meeting 10-16

Town of Wheatland 34315 Geneva Rd. New Munster, WI 53105 Clerk Katie Sweatman Fire House Committee Meeting At Wheatland Volunteer Firehouse 34011 Geneva Rd, New Munster, WI 53152 Thursday, October 16, 2025 – 6:30 P.M. Page 1 of 2 pledge of allegiance Present Kelly Wilson Donut Mc Elmury Jerry Griel Ben Herda Chairman Butler Lou Denko Ann Iverson Josh Fischer Mary Petersen Kyle Matson Ed Applebee Elizabeth Suftig 1. Agenda was posted... 2. Lou has power point presentation, firehouse history and it was built in 1976 and the need for a New Firehouse and Equipment 3. Discussion on how many calls we have had this year and projected to exceed 370, compared growth from previous years 4. Discussion on mission, focus and execution 5. Discussion on needs - equipment cost, future paid staff, education pieces and requirements, 6. Volunteers - the decline, percentage of age ranges, how to attract/recruit and retain qualified individuals, difficulties with finding those who want to volunteer 7. Stay independent, discussion to combine firehouse and town hall 8. Paid staffing 9. Have the right data collection software to track incidents, hours and etc . 10. Some challenges with building- outdated for today's situations, ventilation, layout challenges, no storage, tight vehicle accommodations, lack of gear & staff space, create more community involvement, paid staffing in near future 11. Discussion on the importance of recruitment, retention and maintaining staff 12. Currently the workload 24 on/48 off, our volunteers are responding to almost as much as paid stations per year 13. Expenses are volunteer expenses 14. Community involvement & recruiting ideas for firehouse - workout facility can be open to community members and staff, workout room would have glass windows looking out seeing the interior of the firehouse, meeting room, having a daycare will recruit those who have want to be involved and those with the career path in mind & but day care is an issues. Parents and children benefit from having close proximity to one another. 15. The layout for the firehouse - enough bedrooms and bathrooms (gender neutral) single bedrooms, hot & cold zons, creating a home like atmosphere/environment (we spend a 1/3 of our time at work) quality of sleep is important, flow and access of the building, meeting room, kitchen, drying room, good ventilation, laundry facilities, day care area w/window to look out at the interior of the firehouse, building properly ventilated 16. Discuss on toxic material - what is the process to keep a safe environment and have the correct layout to prevent cross contaminations. The laundry room is the most toxic, alternative w/transport and contaminated gear. The need to have the right builder who knows all the rules and codes. 17. Bedroom layout and environment - when there is a call only the staff who attends the call are woken up not the entire firehouse. 4-6 bedrooms, 1 bath per 2 bedrooms, 3 lockers per bedroom, extra bays 18. Current staffing needs - 2 interns, 2-24hrs, 19. Staff needs - home-like environment, healthy environment, quality of life, quality of sleep 20. Current no cost to town because we have volunteers now, but the need is here and the need to begin paid per call, cost of doing nothing as prices increase, rise in materials cost, the public demand and raise in call volume, car volume in the 1000' s pass through Hwy 50 & 83, use funds for the project from the battery storage payment 21. Battery storage - company talking to county and Wheatland to have public hearing Town of Wheatland 34315 Geneva Rd. New Munster, WI 53105 Clerk Katie Sweatman Fire House Committee Meeting At Wheatland Volunteer Firehouse 34011 Geneva Rd, New Munster, WI 53152 Thursday, October 16, 2025 – 6:30 P.M. Page 2 of 2 22. What would the impact fee be, request treasurer to provide estimate by next meeting 23. costs, expenses, future town/community emergency needs, 24. interviewing Companies/builders beginning November 5,12, and 19 2025, basic needs assessment. First meeting November 5, 2025 committee to meet at 6pm and begin general meeting at 630pm. 25. Lou to coordinate & schedule dates with Companies - We need a proposal, cost ranges for firehouse & firehouse town hall combination, examples projects have they built, what services do they provide 26. Committee should consider visiting complete company projects.