Urbandale approves expanded 28E agreements with Clive and an apparatus exchange to increase shared fire capacity

The Urbandale City Council on May 20 approved a suite of intergovernmental agreements with the City of Clive to expand closest-unit fire response, align fleet maintenance, and exchange fire apparatus to increase reserve capacity for both departments.

Chief Cardwell introduced the agreements and said the items are the product of years of cooperation. The expanded closest-unit response arrangement will align operational practices, training plans and shared reserve apparatus so both departments operate more cohesively at larger incidents. A separate agreement will move Clive’s fleet maintenance to Urbandale’s shop and add fleet management services; staff said that reduces downtime and centralizes maintenance costs.

A negotiated apparatus exchange will transfer Clive’s 2013 aerial ladder truck to Urbandale as a reserve ladder and transfer Urbandale’s reserve engine to Clive. Chief Cardwell said the exchange defers a previously budgeted ladder replacement: an item that the CIP had listed at roughly $1.8 million (now estimated above $2.1 million) can be pushed off eight to ten years, yielding significant savings. He described the exchange as “doubling our actual engine reserve capacity” because crews from both departments will be trained on the apparatus in common.

Clive officials — including their city manager (present at the meeting) and Fire Chief Clay Garcia — joined the discussion and will take similar authorizing actions on their schedule. Councilmember comments praised the intergovernmental work as a model of cooperation. The council passed the resolutions authorizing the 28E agreements and the apparatus exchange.

City staff said Clive will consider corresponding approvals at its next council meeting; once both cities complete their actions the agreements will be finalized and executed.