Spring Green, Wisconsin
Thursday, August 8, 2024 | Vol. 5, No. 16 FREE, Single-Copy
Inside this edition
Arena joint fire/EMS agreement temporarily lapses
Katie Green: Saying farewell to a hero, David Giffey
Wandering the Driftless: Prairie Explosion
Pages 1, 4, 5
Page 2
Page 11
Village, Town of Arena hold special meetings to extend Fire and EMS agreement amid ongoing contract discussions
Joint Fire and EMS agreement lapsed for 17 hours Aug. 1 as Village changes timeline Luukas Palm-Leis, Reporter In the midst of on-going discussion and restructuring of public emergency services in Arena, both the Village of Arena and the Town of Arena boards held separate special meetings to discuss extending an existing joint fire and EMS services agreement, which was set to expire July 31 at midnight. The Village of Arena board met July 30 for discussion and action on the proposed extension, ultimately deciding to decline the original proposed extension date and instead proposed an alternative date. The Town of Arena Board met Aug. 1 to discuss and accept the alternative extension option.
Village of Arena July 30 meeting
The Arena Fire and EMS Department is a joint venture between the Town and Village of Arena. The current fire protection and EMS service agreement that forms the joint department was originally signed in 2007 and was written to automatically renew on August 1 of each year, unless otherwise indicated by either party. In recent years, a full time EMT agreement was added as an addendum to ensure the department could continue to provide EMS by bringing on two full time EMTs to complement the volunteer squad. The 2007 agreement primarily funds the fire and EMS department through equalized value funding, delineating the financial responsibilities of each municipality, basing their contributions on the equalized value of property improvements as determined by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. This agreement was set to lapse on August 1,
Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The Town of Arena Board of Supervisors is pictured at their emergency special meeting August 1. The board met to take up an extension of their joint fire/EMS agreement with the Village. as the Village decided to not renew the agreement at its April 22 special meeting. The action initiated by the Village to terminate the current agreement has led to a flurry of meetings on both sides
as they hash out an extension and a new agreement. The two municipalities are currently undergoing negotiations to create a new agreement(s) to replace the original INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE VILLAGE OF ARENA AND THE TOWN OF ARENA FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ARENA FIRE DISTRICT WHEREAS, the Village of Arena, a Wisconsin municipal corporation, and the Town of Arena, a Wisconsin body corporate and politic, all located in Iowa County, Wisconsin, (together, the “Municipalities”), through their respective governing bodies, desire to address common needs to provide fire protection and rescue services; and WHEREAS, the Municipalities have the power and authority under the laws of the State of Wisconsin to enter into an agreement for fire protection and rescue services in the hereinafter described area and for the purchase, acquisition and maintenance of fire and rescue vehicles, and all necessary equipment therefore, and for the payment for the same in the manner hereinafter set forth; and, WHEREAS, the Municipalities deem it necessary, advantageous and efficient to provide fire protection and rescue service jointly for the Municipalities; and, WHEREAS, in consideration of the mutual promises herein set forth the Municipalities agree to cooperate for the public good as set forth herein; NOW THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows: 1.
Purpose. The purpose of the Arena Fire Department is to provide fire protection and rescue services to the public, residents, businesses, and nonprofit entities of the participating Municipalities.
2.
Definitions. A. Fire Commission. The inter-municipal body appointed to govern the affairs of the Fire District. B.
Fire District. The basic territory to be furnished with fire protection services under this Agreement shall be known as the Arena Fire District (the “District”). (The territory is identified in Section 4 of this Agreement.)
C.
AFD. Arena Fire Department.
D.
Contract Municipality. A neighboring municipality that may receive fire protection services as a customer of the Fire District by signing a contract with the AFD and paying a fee for services, but does not have a seat/position on the Fire Commission.
Documents via the Village of Arena At left, the 2007 Arena fire protection and EMS service agreement, with current full time EMT agreement addendum. At right, the proposed two agreements that would replace the former. 7/5/24 Version
2007 fire protection and EMS service agreement. The Village has drafted two separate agreements to govern the fire and EMS department separately after discussing concerns with accounting discrepancies and fiduciary responsibility in the original agreement. The Village has sent these proposed agreements for the Town to review. The municipalities decided they will proceed with negotiations through attorneys. Because of this ongoing process, the municipalities were not expected to reach agreement prior to the current contract’s expiration date, prompting the need for an extension. The Town of Arena originally proposed extending the agreement to May 2025, however the municipalities ultimately agreed on extending through November 8, 2024.
Opposing May 1, 2025 proposal
At the July 30 meeting, Village Trustee Melissa Bandell was opposed to extending the agreement to May 2025 and instead proposed the board should shorten the extension date so that it can have new agreements approved by November before entering the 2025 budgetary process. Trustee BeccaRaven Uminowicz questioned why some members of the board were against extending the agreement to 2025. Village President Kate Reimann echoed Bandell’s sentiment of needing the Village’s budgets by November. Village Trustee Matthew Schroeder voiced concerns that the village may lose EMS and fire service coverage if the agreement expires. Village President Kate Reimann and Trustees Kathy Stoltz and Bandell all stated — without elaboration or citing any sources — that the fire and EMS district has obligations to provide ser-
continued on page 4