MONROE — After months of deliberation and back-and-forth offers between the City of Monroe and the Towns of Monroe and Clarno, the Monroe Common Council approved Sept. 21 a rural fire protection services agreement to be submitted to the Rural Fire District. 

The RFD, defined in the proposal, includes “all territory lying within the Town of Monroe and the Town of Clarno.”

During the five-year contract, which would begin at 12 a.m. Jan. 1, 2021 and end 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31, 2025, the city agrees to provide space for RFD firefighting vehicles and fire protection services to the district using both city firefighting equipment and district firefighting vehicles.

It will remain the responsibility of the towns to maintain upkeep and repair of district vehicles. 

As part of the agreement, the RFD would compensate the city for its services through a yearly readiness fee and response fee. 

After the most recent long-term contract between the city and the district ended in 2019, there have been two six-month extensions allowing the Monroe Fire Department to continue to provide protection to the district.

The new proposal was approved unanimously by the council but still needs consideration from the RFD. If it is accepted by the RFD, the proposal will be in place until the December 2025 expiration unless there is written agreement of termination by both parties. 

In other matters, the council:

●  Voted unanimously to set the Nov. 3 polling place at Fire Station Number 1, 1803 12th Street. The location change will allow for more space.

●  Voted to approve the certified survey map for land division for the Alice Place Project. It was also voted on to change the location’s zoning to allow for the development. Bauman abstained on both votes.

●  Heard a request from alderperson Donna Douglas for the council to return to in-person meetings with protective shields separating them.