MONROE — A future Monroe Fire Department might eventually be a full-time one but it isn’t likely to involve any formal relationship with townships in the county, according to officials tasked with rethinking the structure and leadership of the volunteer department here.

That’s the initial findings of an effort by Monroe city officials to gauge interest among the 16 Green County townships in talks about working together. Discussed at the April 3 Ad-hoc Fire Committee Meeting, officials said they sent a letter to the townships to gauge their interest but reported receiving only one, non-committal response.

An Ad-Hoc Committee was formed earlier this year after a prolonged search for a new fire chief ended in failure and officials said they were increasingly frustrated and concerned about the department. They eventually agreed that before they could hire the right chief to do the job and lead the department forward, they had to weigh all the options for the volunteer department, which like others is struggling to recruit and retain firefighters and EMTs.

Meanwhile, they are taking what they can from 25 responses to 49 survey requests for input the committee sent to past and current firefighters.

The department has been rudderless, save for an acting chief, Al Rufer. Following a long search, Monroe’s most recent chief, William Erb of Iowa, abruptly resigned from his new post nearly one year ago — just three months and a day after taking the job. 

Potential changes could make the department into a fire district involving other communities, contracting or partnering with communities for fire service, combining fire and EMS into one department; or switching to a full-time fire department. 

The committee, created by the larger city council, includes Mayor Donna Douglas, and alders Mary Jane Grenzow, Heidi Treuthardt, Chris Schindler, and Tom Miller. Treuthardt chairs the committee.

The recent survey is helping to get things started and inform the decision-making process, said Treuthtardt. They are still looking at the results but some broad themes have emerged from that process.

“What I took away is that … everyone wants to help,” she said. “We really appreciate the time effort and thoughtfulness that you took to fill it out.. the insights and opinions were valuable and I learned a lot.

“Everyone is here for the right reason I believe,” said Schindler, acknowledging that change is needed.  “We’re not here pointing fingers.”

Tom Miller said the survey seemed to have consensus around building Monroe into a full-time fire department. An alternative process for handling the many lift assists firefighters are called to provide in the community, which has many seniors, also was a recurring theme. 

Several firefighters in attendance at the April 3 meeting also pressed the council to avoid assigning blame for the problems on current employees who are doing the best they can under the circumstances; and without a permanent chief.

Once a new chief is hired, it will be the seventh person in charge of the department over the past seven years.

Not everyone is happy, Miller said, but “we need to find a way to work together.” Officials especially said given the high stakes around the quality of the fire service in a community.

Said Committee member Mary Jane Grenzow: “We do want everyone to be safe but we’ll do it in a thoughtful, careful manner.”

While townships, counties, cities and rural fire districts may all operate separately in terms of governance and operations, most of them share critical emergency resources and manpower through the mutual aid (MABAS) system.