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Janesville approves $400 increase to firefighters' relief contribution
Summary
After a presentation from Jeremy Earl of the Firefighters Relief Association, the council approved raising the city’s annual contribution from $2,400 to $2,800 for fiscal year 2026, citing investment returns and recruitment concerns. Members debated alternatives, including an annual cost-of-living adjustment.
The Janesville City Council voted to increase the municipal contribution to the Janesville Firefighters Relief Association from $2,400 to $2,800 for fiscal year 2026.
Jeremy Earl, president of the relief association, told the council the association provides “essential benefits and financial security to our dedicated volunteer firefighters upon retirement, disabilities or death,” and asked for a $400 annual increase (about 16.7%). He cited rising administrative costs, changes in state fire aid, and the association’s historical investment returns as reasons to raise the contribution to maintain benefits and help with retention and recruitment.
Council members debated options. One proposal would have raised the contribution to $2,600 for fiscal 2026 and then applied a 5% annual cost-of-living adjustment thereafter; another motion, which carried, approved the $2,800 contribution for fiscal 2026. Members discussed the budget impact and the association’s track record of investment returns; staff said the state auditor’s figures and recent returns suggested the increase would not immediately require additional city outlays at certain contribution levels.
The council instructed staff to reflect the increase in fiscal-year budgeting and to expect the relief association to provide reports in future meetings if requested.
