After months of negotiations and numerous special meetings, the City of Clearwater and Clearwater and Lynden Twps. finally have a fire contract.
Issues arose after the townships had received significant increases over the past three years, with Lynden Twp.’s doubling in that time period and Clearwater Twp.’s nearly that. Because of this, last year they asked that the contract be looked at, including the formula that determines what percentage each of the three entities is responsible.
The original fire contract stated that the first 33% of expenditures would be divided equally between the three entities, and the remaining 67% would be divided by the call report (which areas the fire calls originated from).
The Clearwater Fire Dept.’s purchase of a new $770,000 fire truck also became an issue, as the townships didn’t feel they had any say in the way the money was being spent and weren’t in favor of the expenditure.
“We don’t have any animosity toward the city or fire department,” said Clearwater Twp. Supervisor Scott Miller. “We’ve got a really great fire department, and everyone is happy with them. We’re all partners, but we have no say in spending or budgeting. We need more communication and transparency.”
The three entities did agree to forming a fire commission that will meet to discuss spending and budgeting. At the time, Fire Chief Ryan Pridgeon expressed concern with the process, stating the fire department shouldn’t be told what to do by people who weren’t part of it. The townships emphasized that wasn’t their goal.
“We’re not there to tell the chief how to run his department,” said Lynden Twp. Supervisor Tom Plaggerman. “We just want an understanding of what’s going on and to be able to answer to our constituents.”
The most recent contract the townships sent over to the city to review asked for a quarterly call report, to allow two of the three entities involved to call a special meeting, and to agree to a 10% cap on their 2022 budget. The city agreed to the first request but not the final two and refused any further negotiations.
Both Clearwater and Lynden Twps. signed the contract at their October meetings.
“It’s been quite a journey,” said Clearwater City Administrator Annita Smythe. “And I understand there are parts that the townships aren’t happy with. A lot of this is about trust, not the contract at all.”
She explained the reasons the city wouldn’t agree to the final two requests.
“From the council’s perspective it was more about the way the contract was worded,” she said. “With the price cap, we don’t know what’s going to happen in a year, especially with COVID. We’re afraid if we lock ourselves into a cap, we’ve locked ourselves out of responding to a potential city emergency.”
Smythe said a big increase wasn’t expected next year.
“As for the contract itself, nobody got their way,” said Plaggerman. “I still think there’s room for improvement, but maybe I’m wrong. That’s the purpose of the new fire commission; hopefully it will be productive. Because of the lack of trust I doubt it will the first year, but in the end, it will be a good thing.”
The townships have been conducting a feasibility study to determine if they would be able to begin their own fire department if they continue to be hit with large fire budget increases.
“There is no eminent danger of the townships leaving the city,” said Miller. “We don’t want to build our own fire department; we all feel strongly that we should try to work together. But we need a Plan B. If increases in the budget continue at the pace they have for the last three years we have no choice. We have to answer to our constituents.”
“We’re all partners and should be treated as equals,” he added. “With the townships paying 60% of the bill we need more communication and cooperation between the three entities.”
“Hopefully between the new city administrator and the new committee being formed we’ll be heading more toward a future where we all work together,” said Plaggerman.
