MONROE — The Monroe Common Council approved offering a one-year contract extension for 2021 to the rural fire district for a 10% increase at a special meeting June 29.

That offer will be taken up by the RFD for consideration at a later date.

Rural Fire District Chairman Tracy Signer had no comment on the move other than to say it would be taken up by the eight-member board of the rural fire district.

The measure didn’t come without considerable debate between members of the Monroe council.

The city’s position when negotiations began prior to 2020 for a new five-year contract was that it wanted rural property owners to pay a rate based on equalized property value. City of Monroe residents pay rate based on equalized property value. This position was pitched to the RFD multiple times by Monroe Mayor Louis Armstrong, City Attorney Dan Bartholf and Alderman Michael Boyce.

Signer told the Times in the past that the RFD and its residents couldn’t sustain such an increase.

Alder Kelly Hermanson made a motion to have a 10% increase implemented for 2021 after a lengthy discussion. While the council has considered many different possible incremental changes in the rate, the exact amount the 10% increase would equal wasn’t included in the motion.

The measure passed with only Boyce voting against.

Boyce said a 10% increase for the towns of Monroe and Clarno, which make up the RFD along with the City of Monroe, would not equal the same rate as paid by city residents.

Hermanson said the motion was a positive change in the rate structure for the RFD. The city had approved two six-month contract extensions to provide fire protection to the towns. The duration of the contract, however, was not five years, as had been all past contract extensions between the city and RFD in modern history.

Prior to its most recent six-month extension for fire protection, the RFD had investigated putting together its own fire department. It already owns several pieces of fire equipment, which are used in conjunction with the Monroe Fire Department, and it had accepted equipment donations from other communities. It was on the way to having its own functioning fire department. The towns have investigated entering into fire protection contracts with municipalities other than Monroe.

Members of the council and RFD have both said they hold hope a long-term contract extension for fire protection can be accepted between all parties.