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Fire District No. 1 to end automatic/mutual aid agreements with five nearby cities, board votes
Summary
The Sedgwick County Fire District No. 1 board approved 90‑day notices to terminate several long-standing automatic/mutual aid agreements, citing safety, staffing and taxing-equity concerns; the district invited the cities to negotiate new terms or join the district.
The governing body of Sedgwick County Fire District No. 1 voted May 6 to send 90‑day termination notices for automatic and mutual aid agreements with five neighboring municipalities after a lengthy discussion about safety, staffing and funding equity. The motion passed unanimously.
Fire Chief Doug Williams told the board that older agreements — some dating back decades — now expose county crews to safety and operational risks because volunteer turnout in those cities has declined and incident commanders sometimes have to assume command without known local staffing. The chief cited a recent response that required extensive county resources to stabilize and resulted in two firefighter injuries and equipment losses.
Board members and staff described a taxing‑equity problem: Fire District No. 1 taxpayers underwrite a professional 24/7 response while some adjacent municipalities receive assistance but do not pay district taxes. Commissioners reiterated an open invitation for cities to join the district, noting that inclusion would spread the tax base and could reduce the mill levy for all participants.
The chief and board discussed possible alternatives: updating and modernizing agreements, requiring minimum training and staffing standards, co‑training, or negotiating new cost-sharing agreements. County leadership said staff will send notices and continue discussions with affected cities over the 90‑day period to explore replacements or revised agreements.
The board authorized staff to send the termination letters and directed the fire department to develop individualized transition plans for coverage should cities wish to negotiate new arrangements. The termination motion carried 5–0.
