Saline Council Passes Preliminary Fire Authority Agreement

After being presented a detailed report on options for local EMS and fire services at their last meeting, Saline City Council passed a resolution with intent to join Lodi and York Townships in creating a Fire Authority for the area at their Oct. 6 meeting. 

“Four options were considered and evaluated: continuing the status quo, contracting out for fire services, strengthening the regional partnerships, and forming the Fire Authority,” City Manager Dan Swallow said. “This analysis is based on the results of a comprehensive study by the Center for Public Safety Management and reviewed by numerous factors, including fiscal sustainability, response times, equity and cost sharing, ease of transition and governance clarity. Results of this analysis concluded that the Fire Authority was the best option for the city of Saline and its partners going forward.”

According to the report given to Council, the creation of a Fire Authority will relieve “pressure on the City’s General Fund by shifting fire costs to a dedicated millage, creating predictable funding for stations, trucks, and staffing while ensuring all taxpayers pay only their appropriate portion.” The Fire Authority also ranked the highest between the four options in response time and capital planning.

“I think that as a not only a community member, but a council member, this is probably the most important thing that’s come in front of me in the 10 years since I’ve lived in the city of Saline,” councilmember Nicole Rice said. “Nothing is more important than the safety and wellness of our community. I am so glad that we got to a point where we can vote on this and we can move forward with the Fire Authority.”

Swallow emphasized that the passing of this resolution did not create the Fire Authority nor the board that would govern it and only expressed intent to begin the process. The articles of incorporation will have to come before Saline City Council after further discussion with the involved townships.

The resolution passed unanimously, with one absent council member.