City finalizes 10-year fire/EMS agreements with five townships to stabilize shared costs

The Fort Atkinson City Council on Sept. 16 approved long-term contracts with five surrounding townships to provide fire and emergency medical services. City staff said negotiations began in April 2025 and concluded in late August; as of the meeting all five townships had signed. The agreements combine fire protection and EMS services into a single contract with a 10-year term and a five-year cost reallocation schedule. Under the new structure, operating costs are based on good-faith budget estimates rather than a CPI-plus formula; capital equipment costs remain the property of the city but are amortized and cost-shared among users. Cost-sharing criteria for different cost areas use assessed value, population and incident responses. The agreements also align inspection and fire-protection activities across the city and townships for consistency and include a three-year notification requirement for any changes to service boundaries. City staff recommended and council approved separate motions for each township agreement; Councilman and members voted in favor by voice vote. Staff said the contracts provide long-term stability for fire and EMS services across a roughly 104-square-mile coverage area serving about 18,000 people. City staff acknowledged and thanked department leadership and township partners for completing the agreements; the city manager and fire chief participated in multiple township meetings during the negotiation process.