Assessment Recommends Fire Authority for Saline Fire and EMS service

Saline City Council could soon take a step towards recommending a new governance model for fire and EMS services.

After reviewing the city-commissioned study on the matter and then assessing the results with city fire board members Chuck Lesch and Laurie Champion, Deputy City Manager Elle Cole went over a report that recommended the city join a fire authority to provide fire services. The Saline Area Fire Department is currently governed by the Saline Area Fire Board, which includes two members from the city and two members each from Saline, Lodi and York townships. Each community decides how it will pay its share of the costs.

The city once paid its share of the fire cost with its general fund. Today, the city uses the voter approved special assessment and it must dip into the general fund. An authority could fund a general tax to fund operations and capital improvements and equipment.

The $70,000 fire was conducted by the Center for Public Safety Manager in 2024. Cole said the study looked at work load, staffing, response times, capital needs and more.

"The goal was to ensure a sustainable, equitable and high-quality fire and EMS service," Cole said.

Other things looked at were response time, governance clarity, equity in cost sharing, collaboration, ease of transition, operational excellence, community impact and capital planning.

They considered creating the new authority, the status quo, joining a regional authority or contracting out services.

Here's how Cole, Championion and Lesch scored the options:

"The matrix clearly shows the fire authority is the best path forward," Cole said.

It has high marks for capital planning, funding stability, governance, response time and most of the considerations. However, the drawback is that it will take 12-18 months, Cole said.

City Manager Dan Swallow said he hopes city council will make a decision on a model at the Oct. 6 meeting. Swallow said it's expected the city pass a formal resolution.

Lesch said the process has been good considering options for the fire service.

"This route will hopefully be a turning point," he said.

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