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Trustees debate SAFER staffing plan as board weighs 3-person addition for 2027
Summary
The SAFER oversight board approved adding three staff for 2027, prompting trustees and the fire chief to debate whether that increment is operationally sufficient and to urge joint long-term planning with partner municipalities and union-negotiation considerations.
The board discussed an unfinished item from SAFER (South Area Fire & Emergency Response) regarding staffing: the SAFER board has approved adding three staff positions for 2027. Trustees and the fire chief said tonight that while three positions would help, they would not materially change operational capacity or the community’s ISO rating without a larger, phased staffing plan.
The fire chief described how staffing functions operate in grouped crews and said that adding three firefighter/paramedics would not be sufficient to add another vehicle or materially change response capacity; the chief argued leaders need at least larger increments to change operational posture. Several trustees recommended joint planning meetings with partner municipalities (Rib Mountain and others) to create a multi-year staffing schedule tied to budget cycles.
Trustees noted union negotiations scheduled for 2027 and signaled that proposed staffing changes and contract terms need to be coordinated with collective-bargaining discussions and budget planning. The board directed staff and the SAFER representatives to include a longer-term staffing plan in fall budget deliberations and to coordinate a joint meeting among partner municipalities to develop a shared timeline for potential future hires.
No final board vote changed the SAFER board’s action; trustees acknowledged the SAFER decision and planned further joint planning during the budget cycle.
