BRODHEAD - Votes to approve a Brodhead Fire Protection District will be coming up in the next few weeks, as the city, surrounding townships and Rural Fire Association meet independently to determine what is best for their citizens.
But not all members of the parties involved believe the proposed agreement, as written, is the best way to go.
The formation of a Brodhead Fire District has been under construction for more than a year, with the city and rural fire association representatives negotiating to pull together a district agreement.
The agreement is between the City of Brodhead and the Brodhead Rural Fire Association. The Brodhead Rural Fire Association covers sections of towns served by the fire department outside the city: Avon, Spring Valley and Magnolia in Rock County and Decatur and Spring Grove in Green County. Town officials are association members.
John Bernstein, a Brodhead alderman, said the city will be considering the agreement at its next council meeting in February.
"Hopefully, we're in the final stages," Bernstein said Monday. "The rural association has wanted a district for a long time."
The city has had "inter-government agreements" with rural areas "for a long time," Bernstein said. The new district and agreement are meant to give rural areas "a say in the day-to-day operation," he added.
The Brodhead firefighters got to see a draft of the agreement only in late December, and it brought some concerns to their minds, including who ultimately is in charge of the day-to-day operations.
The Brodhead Rural Fire Association disagrees. In a letter by its attorney, Timothy Lindau, dated Jan. 4, the fire association contends the agreement "only affects the governance and ultimate funding of the Fire District," not the day-to-day operations, and thus, took issue with many of the firefighters' proposed revisions to the agreement.
Also coming down against the agreement are some elected township board officials.
Arthur Riese, chairman of Town of Decatur Board, said he believes the fire district will only add to the taxes in his township. The only benefit to Decatur, he said, is to "have some say in the fire department."
"I don't think there's anything wrong (with having a fire district)," he said, "but it's not a good thing to put on the taxpayers of Decatur township."
Riese said he is looking at the new fire district adding to the many financial hardships already on Decatur township citizens: Senior citizens with fixed Social Security income; the return of full payroll withholdings; the local Brodhead school district "running behind" on its money; and a county landfill "on its last legs" that may result in the township looking at higher prices for hauling its garbage. He also said there will be less state funding to fix roads.
Maybe sometime in the future, Riese said, the fire district could be considered. "All the work and research on it would still be usable," he said.
The Town of Decatur board is scheduled to meet Wednesday at Decatur Townhall. The Brodhead Rural Fire Association is expected to meet Jan. 30 at the Decatur Townhall. The City of Brodhead Council is expected to meet Feb. 11.
But not all members of the parties involved believe the proposed agreement, as written, is the best way to go.
The formation of a Brodhead Fire District has been under construction for more than a year, with the city and rural fire association representatives negotiating to pull together a district agreement.
The agreement is between the City of Brodhead and the Brodhead Rural Fire Association. The Brodhead Rural Fire Association covers sections of towns served by the fire department outside the city: Avon, Spring Valley and Magnolia in Rock County and Decatur and Spring Grove in Green County. Town officials are association members.
John Bernstein, a Brodhead alderman, said the city will be considering the agreement at its next council meeting in February.
"Hopefully, we're in the final stages," Bernstein said Monday. "The rural association has wanted a district for a long time."
The city has had "inter-government agreements" with rural areas "for a long time," Bernstein said. The new district and agreement are meant to give rural areas "a say in the day-to-day operation," he added.
The Brodhead firefighters got to see a draft of the agreement only in late December, and it brought some concerns to their minds, including who ultimately is in charge of the day-to-day operations.
The Brodhead Rural Fire Association disagrees. In a letter by its attorney, Timothy Lindau, dated Jan. 4, the fire association contends the agreement "only affects the governance and ultimate funding of the Fire District," not the day-to-day operations, and thus, took issue with many of the firefighters' proposed revisions to the agreement.
Also coming down against the agreement are some elected township board officials.
Arthur Riese, chairman of Town of Decatur Board, said he believes the fire district will only add to the taxes in his township. The only benefit to Decatur, he said, is to "have some say in the fire department."
"I don't think there's anything wrong (with having a fire district)," he said, "but it's not a good thing to put on the taxpayers of Decatur township."
Riese said he is looking at the new fire district adding to the many financial hardships already on Decatur township citizens: Senior citizens with fixed Social Security income; the return of full payroll withholdings; the local Brodhead school district "running behind" on its money; and a county landfill "on its last legs" that may result in the township looking at higher prices for hauling its garbage. He also said there will be less state funding to fix roads.
Maybe sometime in the future, Riese said, the fire district could be considered. "All the work and research on it would still be usable," he said.
The Town of Decatur board is scheduled to meet Wednesday at Decatur Townhall. The Brodhead Rural Fire Association is expected to meet Jan. 30 at the Decatur Townhall. The City of Brodhead Council is expected to meet Feb. 11.