Two years to live for Stacy-Lent joint powers contract: Fire service not in jeopardy

Posted 6/13/01

Two years to live for Stacy-Lent joint powers contract: Fire service not in jeopardy

By Jason Sileo

Controversy is flaring in the Stacy-Lent Fire District and the districtís joint powers agreement is on the rocks.

A two-year clock is ticking on the joint powers agreement ó a contract for shared fire protection between Stacy and Lent Township for more than 25 years.

A new land deal and a proposal to build a brand new fire station by Lent has mixed controversy into the middle of a pool of self-declared good intentions.

Stacy and Lent have shared the financial burden of fire coverage with a 70/30 funds split, with the township picking up the 70 percent per land value assessments and population figures. While the current fire station in Stacy is owned by the city, the fire departmentís equipment is co-owned 70/30.

Lent Township recently purchased a 21-acre plot which abuts city property. Lent has proposed to build a brand new fire station and offer a contract for services to the city of Stacy.

Lent Township officials said they would like to build the structure, pay off Stacyís 30 percent ownership of equipment over a two to four year period by providing fire coverage, then offer the contract for fire coverage services. Stacy officials appear uninterested and instead plan to look for options other than contracting with Lent.

The joint powers agreement, in the meantime, will be dissolved over the course of a two-year grace period required by law. Lent plans to build a new fire station on their brand new acreage abutting the city; Stacy officials say they wonít have it.

ìWeíre baffled at why the city is fighting this,î said Lent Township Chair Monica Abress. ìFor them to contract for services with the township would be just an ideal situation for them. It would take a huge headache away.î

Stacy Mayor Kathi Lawrence said the city isnít interested in contracting for coverage because the cityís plan is to try to build its own fire station, or to merge with another area fire district for a new joint powers coverage agreement.

ìThe city will not allow (Lent) to build a fire hallî on the newly-purchased property, Mayor Lawrence said. ìNot if weíre going to proceed with our own station. They are not going to build a fire station in the city. Why would we even consider it? Itís a conflict of interest. Itís not part of the comprehensive plan.î

The property in question was owned by the late Reiger Olson who, according to Abress, stipulated that the 21 acres be used to benefit the community as a whole: ìHe did not want to see it developed into homes,î Abress said.

A new fire station to serve the entire community is right on par with what Olson had in mind, so the townshipís thinking goes.

The catalyst for the joint powers dissolution was the availability of the land ó Lent was ready to go on the purchase (the townshipís voters agreed to set money aside for such a purchase in last Novemberís election) at a price that couldnít be beat. Abress said the 21-acre plot was sold to the township at about a third the price some residential developers were offering for it.

ìThis was an incredible deal, and we had to act quickly,î Abress said.

When the land offer came to light, Abress said, the town board decided ìweíre not going to pass this up,î and moved forward on the purchase. Abress said the Township had to move quickly on the deal and offered to let Stacy in on a joint purchase deal.

The townshipís intent was to offer a co-ownership purchase agreement, 50/50, with the city, Abress said. Thatís when the issue of voting power came up on governing operations in the new facility.

In contrast to the 1:1 voting ratio currently in place, Lent proposed a 2:1 (roughly 70/30, per population and valuation considerations) joint powers voting board with two members of the township voting along with one from the city. The city declined the offer for a joint land purchase, Abress said, so Lent made the purchase alone.

As for a new fire station, the plans are already in the works at Lent: ìWe hope to break ground in the spring of 2002, and we hope to have the building done by fall, 2002,î Abress said. ìWe are really excited for the community.î

Without question, the community could use a new fire station. Abress said the station in place now is slowly crumbling, but an even larger issue is a lack of available space for storing firefightersí equipment and vehicles. She said a new fire station on the 21-acre plot could not really be better placed for service to the township, the city, and along the I-35 corridor where the department takes the majority of its calls.

ìWeíre really excited because weíre going to be able to give these firefighters a decent, safe building to work in that has room enough for all their equipment,î Abress said. ìRight now they canít get all their equipment in their building.î
Pending completion of a new fire station on the new land, Lent hopes to place three or four new athletic fields and a Lions concession stand area there. Abress said the townshipís plans for the acreage comprise what is ìthe best benefit for the community.î

The townshipís intent was to offer a co-ownership purchase agreement, 50/50, with the city, Abress said. Thatís when the issue of voting power came up on governing operations in the new facility.

Mayor Lawrence disagreed on about every front; the city, she said, was not ready to accept the terms of a 2:1 joint powers board. She said Lent had not offered Stacy a chance to be part of the land deal and reiterated that the city planned to stop any proposed construction by Lent.

ìWe werenít given a choice,î Lawrence said. ìIt was their choice to dissolve the relationship. It was their choice not to allow us to go in on the property that was purchased.î
Abress said the offer to partner in the purchase had been made to the city but the city had declined that offer, and the township went forward alone on the purchase.
The city, Lawrence said, ìhad agreed to go in on the property: they didnít accept our offer.î

ìA two-to-one vote is giving up your rights,î Mayor Lawrence said. She said the city council was looking to serve the citizens of Stacy ìin the best way possible and in the most economical way possible.î

ìWe have a fire department and we have a location,î Lawrence said. ìIf weíre going to have a fire department within the city limits then we should own it, or at least partner in it. I think itís ëcontrolí theyíre worried about. I think Stacyís been more than fair in talks over the last five months.î
While the situation is too open-ended at the moment, Lawrence said, Stacyís focus will be to build their own fire department ìunless Lent comes to their senses and realizes Stacy and Lent really should be working together.î

ìI thought the issue was to bring this community together,î Lawrence said. ìThat has not been the case.î

ìRealistically, I think Stacy is sitting in pretty good shape,î Mayor Lawrence said.

Stacy, she said, will ìforge forwardî from here: the city is exploring options for a new joint powers agreement with other surrounding townships and for a new fire station. The coverage area for the city, she said, is relatively small and could be covered satisfactorily by the time the joint powers agreement dissolves in full.

ìWe need more manpower, but we have two years to get that,î Lawrence said. ìWe have a lot of information to gather and collect.î

ìPersonally I would like to see the fire department stay one,î Lawrence said, ìThat is whatís in the best interest of both communities and in the interest of the firefighters.î
Abress said the same:

ìWhy is there a battle?î She asked. ìEverybodyís asking that question and nobody can figure that out.î

ìFor whatever reason, the city feels that weíre the big brother and weíve come in and put our foot down ó that weíre saying ëitís going to be this way or else,î Abress said. ìThatís not how weíre approaching this. Weíre approaching this looking at the benefit of the community.î

ìWe recognize that right now the city doesnít have the ability to give the community what it needs for fire protection,î Abress said. ìThe township saw this as a wonderful opportunity and we jumped at the chance. I canít understand why the city canít see that. Itís almost like the council is trying to look too deep... to examine our motives, and our motives are very pure.î

ìI think Lent will come to their senses,î the mayor said. ìThey just expected Stacy to roll over.î

ìThe wisest thing for the city to do is to contract for services with us,î Abress said. ìWe really believe weíre doing the right thing. Itís difficult because some people conceive a divide and conquer approach ó weíre not trying to do that at all. Our intention is not to divide the community. We truly believe this to be an incredible opportunity for our community.î

The township plans to close on their property in July, have a fire station building design in place by the fall and bid the project this winter, Abress said.

Lawrence said itís not too late for a sensible outcome and satisfactory agreement between the two.

ìIf we all sat down as adults and did some real planning we could bring it back together,î the mayor said. ìWe havenít gone too far. We really need to put the past behind us.î

What is agreed upon is, regardless of how this situation plays out, no one in either Stacy or Lent will be without fire coverage today or two years from now when the joint powers agreement dies. That question is not contained in the active list of issues between Stacy and Lent Township.