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Delafield council reviews Lake Country Fire & Rescue amendment to fund full‑time staffing; no final vote
Summary
Council members discussed an amendment to the Lake Country Fire & Rescue intermunicipal agreement that would fund 12 new full‑time firefighters over four years, retool the cost‑share formula and preserve a two‑year withdrawal option; staff were asked to correct contract language and return with a revised draft.
The City of Delafield Common Council on Sept. 15 reviewed a proposed amendment to the Lake Country Fire & Rescue (LCFR) intermunicipal agreement intended to fund a transition to a largely full‑time fire department by hiring 12 firefighters over four years. Mayor Eicher and city staff outlined the staffing plan and changes to the funding formula; no final approval was taken.
The amendment presented to the council would fund 12 hires (three per year over four years) and shift the city’s cost share down by about 10 percent of the current relative burden by changing how costs are allocated among partner municipalities. City staff described the new formula as based on three factors—property value, population and call volume—and said the change is meant to make the formula simpler and more explainable to taxpayers.
Why it matters: Council members said the change targets a staffing shortage LCFR has faced for years and aims to reduce “brownouts” (periods when the local station is understaffed and unable to respond). The amendment, if adopted, would commit the partner municipalities to a hiring plan and to embedding those budget commitments in the coming municipal budget cycles.
Key details: Administrator Heffner and city staff told the council the amendment supports an actionable budget to add six firefighters in the next two years. Staff estimated the residential fire fee would rise from $466 in 2025 to roughly $482 next year (about a 4% increase) to help pay for the first wave of hires, and might increase to about $512 (roughly 7% from the 2025 level) the following year if the second wave is funded as proposed. The council and staff repeatedly emphasized those numbers are estimates and that actual budget outcomes depend on hiring timing, turnover and retirements.
Several council members asked for clarifications about governance language in the amendment. City staff and the chief noted draft language incorrectly described the withdrawal timeline; the draft distributed in advance referenced a withdrawal schedule that extended to 2031 even though municipal leaders had agreed to a two‑year notice provision. Chief Fenning acknowledged the typo and said staff would correct the withdrawal paragraph and return a corrected draft by 10 a.m. the following day.
Council direction and next steps: Rather than vote on the draft amendment, council members sought additional time to review the corrected contract language, the missing exhibits (including equipment allocation), and a proposal expected from an alternative provider, Western Lakes. Several alderpersons said they support the hiring plan in principle but wanted more time to evaluate whether the revised funding formula and governance changes provide fair long‑term protections for Delafield taxpayers. City staff said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) accompanying the amendment is intended to record that the budget will cover the hiring plan while leaving detailed budget approvals to the regular municipal budget process.
What was not decided: The council did not adopt the amendment or MOU at the Sept. 15 meeting. Members asked staff to correct the withdrawal language and the missing exhibit, to circulate a corrected draft, and to continue evaluating Western Lakes’ proposal when it is received.
Quoted: “This amendment satisfies the budget necessary to get these new people hired and turn into a full time department,” Mayor Eicher said in overview. Chief Fenning acknowledged a drafting error and said staff would get the withdrawal paragraph updated by 10 a.m. the next day.
Context: The discussion followed multi‑year work with partner municipalities and the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Council members repeatedly referenced a prior citizen referendum that supported hiring additional firefighters. The proposed change also modifies board governance rules so a quorum could be met with representatives of six of the seven municipalities; council members requested clarity and protections tied to budget approvals.
Outlook: The council signaled support for the overall goal of increasing LCFR staffing but did not vote. Staff will return a corrected draft and additional materials for further review in a subsequent meeting.
