Saline Passes Resolution to Join Fire Authority

The City of Saline formalized plans to join an authority with Saline, Lodi and York townships in providing fire and emergency services.

City council voted 6-0 to approve a resolution to join a fire authority at Monday's meeting of Saline City Council.

Among other things, the authority has more ability to  raise property taxes to increase operational and capital revenues for the growing Saline Fire Department.

The resolution came after a Saline Area Fire Board meeting that included representatives from all four governments last week. The SAFB was established in 1976 by an intergovernmental agreement.

In recent years, costs have increased significantly as the number of firefighters has increased. Additionally, plans are in place for at least one more fire station in the near future.

Saline Chief Jason Sperle, with the approval of the fire board, worked for years with state legislators to amend the law allowing authorities to more freedom to set the boundaries of an authority.. State Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) passed HB 4350. changing the law. This allows Saline to have an authority covering only about half of York Township, mirroring what currently exists with the fire board. The other part of the township is covered the Milan Area Fire Department..

In the City of Saline, fire department expenses have risen quickly. it wasn't long ago that the city covered its share of the fire department expenses out of its general fund - not even using the voter-approved special assessment. Now the city uses the entire 1-mill assessment - and that only covers part of the city's expenses.

Earlier this year, the city spent $80,000 on a study of fire and emergency services by the Center for Public Safety Management. The study looked at an authority, a city-owned fire department (the city called this regional partnership in its scoring), outsourcing fire and emergency services, and continuing to operate under the fire board. The study looked at governance, cost, emergency response time and other factors. The authority model was ranked as the top choice.

Chuch Lesch, the city council's liaison to the fire board, was absent, but provided a statement.

"After careful study of the CPSM report, the other members of the City’s Fire Service
Evaluation Group and myself met and used collaborative scoring to assess each of the four
governance models spelled out in the CPSM report, using the categories listed in the
evaluation matrix. This entailed the use of both quantitative and qualitative information
provided from the report as well as interactions with the Saline Fire Board. I believe the end
result provides a thoughtful analysis of the potential options available to the City of Saline
for continued fire and EMS services, as well as for growth and excellence for the future," Lesch said.

Laurie Champion also represents the city on the fire board.

"Following review of the CPSM report, and with understanding of the options available to the
City of Saline, the City’s fire service evaluation group considered the four (4) options
detailed in the consultant’s report. We used an evaluation matrix to assess both
quantitative and qualitative information from the report, which included benchmark and
'good/best practice' comparisons. As a team, we believe the assessment that we
submitted to the City Council provides a fair and unbiased comparison of the options with
focus on the highest value option for the City," Champion said.

This is very preliminary. Negotiating the details of the authority may be lengthy. Mayor Brian Marl said he was looking forward to moving to an authority.

"I do have great faith and confidence in the city manager and in Council Member Lesch and Ms. Champion will be our advocates and representatives on the fire board as they begin in earnesty negotiations and conversation," Marl said.

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