Kettle Moraine Fire District Board — Minutes

KETTLE MORAINE FIRE BOARD MEETING MINUTES Approved July 23, 2026 Call to Order: President D. Miresse called the meeting to order at 6:30pm on July 23, 2026, at the Eagle Municipal Building at 820 E. Main St, Eagle, WI. Roll Call: C. Mommaerts, J. Davis, W. Konichek, R. Spurrell, A. Shird, C. Wood, and D. Miresse were all present. Pledge of Allegiance: D. Miresse led the Pledge of Allegiance. Discussion/action as necessary to approve minutes from June 25, 2026: A. Shird noted a correction to the roll call vote to enter closed session; he was not listed. J. Davis noted a couple corrections on page two. The first correction was halfway down the page, where it states, “if the district is longer”, it should read “no longer”. The second correction was a few lines further down, where it states, “as a volunteer who serves on the this board”, it should read “on this board”. Motion by C. Wood to approve the minutes with the corrections so noted. Motion seconded by J. Davis. No further discussion. All in favor. Motion carried. Citizen comments/concerns: no action will be taken on any items brought forward: None Discussion/action as necessary to approve the financial report and monthly account payables: A. Shird inquired whether the memo field on the check detail report could be expanded to see the entire description that is noted. C. Cliffgard stated she would try, and if necessary, would list the descriptions before invoice numbers. Motion by C. Wood to approve the financial report and monthly account payables as presented. Motion seconded by W. Konichek. No further discussion. All in favor. Motion carried. Report from Administrative Assistant: C. Cliffgard reported that the audit process continues to move forward. The auditor, Jordan, has begun requesting reports for 2023 to finalize the 2022 audit. D. Miresse asked whether the audit would likely be completed by next month or if additional time would be required. C. Cliffgard responded that, based on the request for 2023 documentation, she believes the 2022 audit is close to being completed. J. Davis asked if Baker Tilly could provide a timeline for completion of the audit. W. Konichek requested an estimate of when the 2023 audit would be completed. C. Cliffgard stated she will contact Jordan to obtain a projected timeline. Chief’s Monthly Report: Chief S. Wilton summarized his written report. He stated that as of July 22nd, we are at 283 calls, Ambo 35’s battery charger issue has been repaired, Ambo 233 is still in the shop to get the air conditioning in the back fixed, and the AFG Grant application has been submitted. He reported that five new EMTs completed training in May and three members will begin AEMT classes in the fall. Chief Wilton mentioned he met with Doc and discussed our ongoing staffing issues. With all the new EMTs we now have available, they determined it would be best for the district to transition to Flex Service. He explained that under Flex Service, the department would operate as a basic service, allowing staffing flexibility while remaining compliant with state regulations. This change would permit two basic EMTs to staff shifts without requiring an AEMT on duty. J. Davis asked whether there were any disadvantages to this change and why it was not implemented sooner. Chief Wilton stated that Doc was reluctant to reduce the service level once elevated, but after further review, they both determined that transitioning to Flex Service will best serve the district’s long-term needs. A. Shird asked whether it was a newer designation or if it’s always been available. Chief Wilton replied that while it’s not in our operational plan, it has always been available as an option. C. Wood inquired whether any district policies, procedures, or previous orders need to be amended when we make the transition. Chief Wilton stated that operationally nothing is changing; the transition simply provides greater flexibility with state staffing requirements. He added that his responsibility is to inform both the Fire Board and the municipal boards of the district’s intent to implement the change. R. Spurrell asked when neighboring departments were needed to respond to our calls, approximately how often was it due to the lack of an available AEMT and how often was it due to not having staff available? Chief Wilton estimated that 25% was a result of lack of staff and approximately 75% of those situations occurred because no AEMT was available. Chief Wilton also requested clarification from the board if there was a policy in place regarding the Fire Chief not being able to contact legal counsel without first informing the board president. C. Mommaerts stated she has a copy of the policy and had just provided it to Lauren. She also noted that there is a Password Policy in place as well and that both policies were approved by the Fire Board. Chief Wilton asked the board for guidance regarding the future of the district and what information should be communicated to the department members. R. Spurrell suggested that the Chief assure the members that emergency services will continue within the district and encourage them to keep working, responding to calls and that the district will continue to need personnel regardless of the department’s name. C. Wood stated that he thinks the Fire Board members are still interested in keeping the fire district going. He noted that if a community is doing their due diligence and shopping around, maybe they will determine that continuing the Kettle Moraine Fire District is the most beneficial solution. D. Miresse stated that for months his argument has been whatever the percentage is, 33% of whatever the dollar amount is, will be a lot cheaper than 100% or even 50%. Lastly, Chief Wilton addressed some misinformation and speculations regarding ISO ratings. He met with Dan, the ISO representative, and gave him all KMFD’s training records, NFIRS reports, structural fires, smoke investigations, and response staffing information. According to Chief Wilton, a significant factor affecting ISO ratings is based on physical staffing at the station on a regular rotating shift. He stated that since the district operates out of two stations, maintaining full staffing at one station is sufficient for ISO purposes, regardless of which station is staffed. Upcoming Meeting: The next regular Fire Board meeting is Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 6:30pm at the North Prairie Municipal Building. R. Spurrell requested having a discussion regarding the budget be added to next month’s agenda. Motion to Adjourn: Motion by C. Wood to adjourn. Motion seconded by C. Mommaerts. All in favor. Motion carried. D. Miresse adjourned the meeting at 7:15pm.