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Madison council adopts resolution to allow recouping extraordinary mutual-aid costs, adds report-back requirement
Summary
The council unanimously adopted a resolution (Item 73) creating procedures under state law to seek reimbursement for extraordinary mutual-aid costs and added an amendment requiring the police chief to report on interagency discussions in the second-quarter report of 2026; public speakers warned such a policy could chill mutual aid.
The Madison Common Council on Jan. 13 adopted a resolution (Legistar 90986) establishing a procedure for the city to seek reimbursement from other municipalities for "extraordinary" costs incurred when agencies provide mutual aid to the Madison Police Department.
Public commenters and neighboring officials urged caution. Kim Richmond, a representative of a local Good Neighbor project, and Bonnie Rowe warned that formalizing invoices for mutual aid could damage reciprocal regional relationships and introduce hesitation during emergency responses. "Mutual aid is built on a foundation of neighbor helping neighbor," Rowe said, urging partnership over penalties.
Patrick DePula, an…
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