Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Edgerton council approves feasibility study to review fire-service options after county consolidation
Summary
Following Johnson County’s consolidation of two fire districts into JCCFD1, Edgerton’s City Council voted 4-0 to hire ESCI for a feasibility study (not to exceed $28,145) to examine remaining with the consolidated district, contracting for services, or forming a city fire department.
The Edgerton City Council on March 27 authorized a feasibility study to evaluate how the city will obtain fire protection after the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners consolidated Fire Districts 1 and 2 into Johnson County Consolidated Fire District No. 1 (JCCFD1).
City Administrator Beth Linn presented three options: remain with the new consolidated district, detach and contract for services (similar to the city’s current approach to policing), or detach and create a municipal fire department. Linn said staff solicited proposals from two consultants and recommended ESCI based on scope and cost; proposals ranged from $28,145 to $74,750 and staff recommended approving ESCI’s proposal not to exceed $28,145. The council approved the study 4-0.
Mayor Roberts and several councilmembers raised governance concerns about how the consolidation affects representation. Mayor Roberts noted that "not one member of the BOCC lives within the consolidated fire district boundaries," and said that could affect how local needs are seen by the governing body. City Attorney Todd Luckman observed that the county chose an advisory board structure rather than a governing board of trustees and that the statutes differ in their governance implications.
Councilmember Ron Conus, a former Fire Board member, said consolidation "makes sense financially" but adds "another layer of bureaucracy" and said the decision to study options was prudent. Councilmember Bill Malloy and others said the study will help the city understand long-term costs and governance implications. Linn told the council the study is expected to take roughly six months and staff recommended contracting with ESCI to proceed with feasibility analysis and statutory research.
The study’s scope will include operational and governance models and a legal review of detachment methods; council instructed staff to return with the consultant’s report and any recommended next steps. The motion to authorize the ESCI study passed unanimously.
