Leavenworth County votes to contract with Lansing for Fire District No. 1 protection while High Prairie explores autonomy

Leavenworth County commissioners voted 4–0 to contract with the City of Lansing to provide fire protection to Fire District No. 1 beginning Jan. 1, 2025, while allowing constituent entities a statutory process to withdraw or alter the district later.

The agreement, brought to the board after meetings with township and city officials, is intended to preserve the current level of fire protection and insurance ratings for residents while the parties resolve longer-term governance and boundary questions. County Counsel David Van Perris told the board the proposed contract contains termination and notice clauses and that petitions to alter or dissolve a fire district are governed by state statute and time windows for filing.

“Any decision about altering the boundaries will still follow the statutory petition process,” Van Perris said in the discussion, noting withdrawal or dissolution requires specified petitions and procedural steps. He and staff emphasized the county’s goal is to ensure uninterrupted fire protection coverage at midnight on Jan. 1.

Public speakers representing High Prairie Township urged the board to allow the township time to operate its own volunteer department. Kathleen Williams, treasurer of High Prairie Township, said High Prairie has a state fire marshal number and recruits volunteers and asked the commission to give the township “at least one year” to demonstrate it can provide services.

Commissioners acknowledged those requests and said the one-year contract provides time for High Prairie to develop and present a plan. Staff and legal counsel warned that taxation and funding timing matter: if a township chooses not to contribute levied funds for fire protection, the county may issue a no-fund warrant and later assess it against the applicable jurisdiction, depending on petition timing and statutory deadlines.

The board also reported it is awaiting guidance from the Kansas insurance commission about whether current members would lose any FRA (firefighter retirement/benefit) protections under a change. Van Perris said staff will continue discussions with the insurance commission; a follow-up meeting was scheduled the next morning.

The motion to contract with Lansing (Option 2) passed on a 4–0 roll-call vote. Commissioners said the plan preserves public safety coverage and buys time for local stakeholders to pursue alternative arrangements if they can meet statutory and operational requirements.

The board instructed staff to prepare the agreement and place it on the next Monday agenda for formal approval and execution.