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Milwaukee Fire Department cleared to offer repair services to other municipalities under intergovernmental agreements
Summary
The committee approved a resolution allowing the Milwaukee Fire Department to enter intergovernmental agreements to repair emergency vehicles and equipment for other Wisconsin municipalities; officials said work would be voluntary, fee-for-service, and not required.
The Public Safety & Health Committee voted to authorize the Milwaukee Fire Department (MFD) to enter intergovernmental agreements permitting the department to provide repair and maintenance services for fire apparatus and emergency medical equipment to other Wisconsin municipalities.
MFD leaders told the committee the department operates a large repair facility that could provide paid services to neighboring jurisdictions when capacity allows. Deputy Chief Peter Burrows said the arrangement is voluntary for both sides: municipalities would not be required to send work to Milwaukee, and the city would retain the right to decline work if its own fleet needs priority. "This just allows for it to happen should both sides so desire," MFD leadership said in committee discussion.
The department said it plans to recover personnel time, parts and an overhead percentage and that the budget office has worked on fee structures. Jim Bull from the Office of Innovation told the committee that the state's new innovation grant program is unlikely to apply to this kind of reciprocal, on-demand agreement because the state program favors wholesale transfers of services rather than occasional shared-use arrangements.
Committee members asked about potential overtime or new full-time positions if work volume grew; department leaders said the city could staff the shop through voluntary overtime or add FTEs if demand justified it. Alder Taylor moved the resolution and the committee approved it with no objections.
