Attorney Decker presented an updated term sheet for a proposed joint fire department corporation between West Allis and Wauwatosa. The draft would create a limited-purpose municipal corporation to operate joint fire services; Decker emphasized that the entity would initially subcontract back to each city so day-to-day operations would remain unchanged until the joint entity hires employees.

Decker said the term sheet proposes a technical start date of April 27, 2026, to ensure the joint department is established in time to meet a state innovation-grant deadline before June 30, 2026. He said the city’s estimate of grant payments for West Allis from that program would be in the range of $4 million to $5 million for the first year if the legal and operational conditions are met. Decker described a 10-year initial term with automatic renewals unless terminated, a two-year separation notification period in the event of termination, and a cost-sharing and budget-cap framework with initial budget escalators (2.84% for the first five years) and later caps tied either to CPI or a fixed rate.

On operational details, Decker described a staffing-agency model in which each city’s current fire department would remain the day-to-day operator while the joint corporation handled governance, budgeting and joint services. Council members asked about termination for cause and the cure period; Decker said a material breach that could not be cured within 30 days could lead a non-breaching city to move for termination, after which the cities would be obligated to separate services in good faith while working to unwind joint operations.

No formal council vote on the joint-department term sheet occurred at the meeting; Decker said draft documents were posted and that staff expected additional feedback from both cities and committees before any final action.