Fairfield trustees press for analysis as county weighs moving emergency management; board discusses ladder truck funding

Trustee Shannon Harkenmeyer said the county should lay out what problems it would solve before any move to replace Butler County Emergency Management proceeds and urged a fact-based comparison between current operations and proposed alternatives.

The Fairfield Township Board of Trustees discussed a recent Emergency Management Agency (EMA) meeting and a possible county-led reorganization during its Jan. 7 regular meeting, with no formal board action taken. Trustees were told county commissioners have expressed an interest in studying whether EMA services should remain under the current structure; the commissioners would need to provide 90 days’ notice to terminate existing arrangements, a timeline trustees described as putting a decision into the September range.

Trustee Shannon Harkenmeyer said the EMA board is planning a response and that local officials should receive a public report before any change. “What problems are we trying to fix with this change?” Harkenmeyer asked, calling for a decision matrix that compares costs, services, staffing and impacts on volunteer participation. “These questions need to be answered before any moves can be made,” she added.

Why it matters: Trustees said the EMA provides countywide emergency coordination and that any structural change could affect staffing, volunteer deployment and where equipment is held. Several trustees and local officials said they support a thorough, public analysis before the county proceeds.

The board heard that TC Rogers and Administrator Boyko attended the EMA meeting and that EMA members and local fire chiefs planned to prepare letters opposing an abrupt transfer of responsibilities. Trustee comments focused on the need for a comparative analysis of current costs and services versus any proposed new entity, the likely effects on fire-department volunteers who make up much of the deployment capacity, and where equipment and grants would be managed under a new arrangement.

Separately, Fairfield trustees discussed a proposed plan to fund a new ladder truck for the fire department. Administrator or staff recommended using the township’s Seward Road TIF fund (fund code referenced as 2906) to accumulate the purchase price over the next three to four years rather than issuing debt. Staff estimated the township’s final out-of-pocket cost would likely be in the $800,000–$900,000 range after expected grant support; a pending competitive grant could provide funds for up to roughly $1,000,000 in awards nationwide, with award notices anticipated by April 30.

Assistant Administrator Goins explained the proposal to set aside TIF funds now that several bond payments have ended and that the township could reserve money from contingencies this year if the board chooses to start the plan immediately. “We could reserve for this year out of contingencies, and that would be my recommendation,” Goins said. The board asked staff to reprice the truck to reflect recent price increases and to return to the board in February or March with updated cost figures and a financing recommendation; staff also said they would hold off formal commitments until after the grant announcement to avoid jeopardizing grant eligibility.

Discussion vs. decision: Trustees did not vote to allocate funds at the meeting. The board directed staff to (1) reprice the ladder truck to reflect current market conditions, (2) map a 3–5 year capital plan showing how the TIF or general fund might be used, (3) bring back a recommendation in February or March, and (4) await the April grant announcement before taking final action.

Context and next steps: Trustee Harkenmeyer recommended that any county report be public and include a comparison matrix (option A vs. option B), costs, service levels and impacts on volunteers. Trustees said they expect the county’s data-gathering and that they will review any report before consenting to changes. Staff noted a 90-day notice requirement by the commissioners to alter contract arrangements, a procedural step trustees said effectively sets a decision window later in the year.

Ending: No formal votes were taken on the EMA reorganization or the ladder truck purchase. Trustees set follow-up steps for staff and asked that staff return with updated pricing and a proposed capital plan for board consideration in the coming months.