ITEM 1 Shared Fire Service Study 1
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Lori Johnson, City Administrator
DATE: June 7, 2016
SUBJECT: Shared Fire Services Study
Nick Dragisich and Mark Nagel of Springsted, Inc., will present the draft Shared Fire Services Study at
Monday’s meeting. The Albertville Council reviewed the draft study on June 6 but did not schedule a
joint meeting for June 20 as was tentatively discussed, which was an aggressive schedule. Delaying until
the final document is released and both Councils have more time to digest the information will result in
a more productive joint meeting in the future. The final document, however, will be submitted to the
State Fire Marshal’s Office by the June 30 deadline as required by the grant.
The study mainly addresses the components and terms of a potential joint powers agreement between
the two cities. It takes into account the input both Councils provided at previous meetings on this topic.
In addition, page 12 of the study includes a section titled Alternatives for Shared Services. The final
paragraph of that section states that a JPA between the two cities “will strengthen the fire protections
their citizens receive.”
Clearly, providing highly trained firefighters in a fully equipped department that can get to the scene
quickly is important to residents and businesses. The City is responsible for ensuring that adequate
public safety/fire service is in place to respond to emergencies within the City and within a reasonable
response time. As the City grows, new businesses, more rooftops, evolving growth patterns, and
enhanced transportation corridors may require changes in the way that service is provided; the study
recognizes Otsego’s future growth and recommends a JPA as a way to “strengthen” fire service in
Otsego and Albertville.
One component of the Shared Fire Services Study that the Council asked to be removed from the study
scope was the fire station location study. Similar to the study the Elk River Fire Department is
conducting later this summer this study would have covered only the area within the department’s fire
service district. The Council agreed that it is important that the entire city is included in a fire station
location study to ensure that the best station locations for the entire city are determined, not just the
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best location for the Albertville, Elk River, or Rogers fire districts as they currently exist. Based on
growth projections in the comprehensive plan, it is expected that Otsego will have multiple fire stations
at full buildout. The stations will be added over time, and it is important the the first station be built in
the location that serves the greatest population and property value without regard to fire service
boundary lines that may change in the future. The service boundary lines can be changed, but fire
stations once built won’t move.
Finally, no decisions are expected from the Council at this meeting. The Albertville Otsego Joint Fire
Advisory Committee meets on June 29, and I anticipate that future steps in this process will be discussed
at that meeting including timing of a joint meeting of the Albertville and Otsego Councils.