Sunrise settles on contract with Harris Fire Dept.

By Danielle Strenke
After several meetings with the Harris Fire Department, the Sunrise Township Board voted Thursday to approve a new contract with the fire department for 2002.

In past years, Harris FD had been contracted to provide fire service protection to the northern portion of Sunrise Township. In 2000 and 2001, however, no formal contract had been made between the entities.

Without a contract, and with an unreliable system of accounting practices under the former Harris city clerk, Sunrise was never billed for the two years of fire protection.
When the situation was brought to light, Sunrise agreed to pay $6,000 for coverage in 2000 and 2001.

After coming up with a budget of roughly $52,000, the Harris FD approached Sunrise Township with a proposed contract of $10,000 for 2002.

At the township boardís regular meeting Thursday, it again met with Harris Fire Chief John Pelant, and department member Dwight Engler to discuss the contract.

Board members were unclear why the contract should show a 100 percent increase over 2001.

ìIn the previous years, we were just charging a flat fee and nothing came up about it because it was such a low price,î Pelant said. ìNow everything is costing moreñinsurance, training, equipment.î

Board members did not want to agree to the increase, without seeing figures to back it up. ìWe have a responsibility to our residents to provide coverage at a fair price,î supervisor Shane Stepp said.

He asked why the Harris Fire Department could not come up with a contract using the same formula as the Almelund Fire Department, which was discussed earlier in the meeting.

The formula uses taxable value amounts for properties within the coverage area to establish the fee.

Pelant said he didnít have a problem with re-working the contract to include charges based on the same formula. ìIf we go through this process and find out itís more, are you willing to pay it?î Engler asked.

ìWeíd be obligated to because itís fair,î Stepp said.
The board settled it by approving a preliminary contract with Harris FD for $5,000 for 2002, with the understanding that the contract will be revised later in the year.

ìAre you saying $5,000 now and then a correction after the formula is applied?î Harris Mayor Richard Hanson asked.
Stepp and the rest of the board said they would like to see a revised contract by August, and would accept any additional charges, should the calculations demonstrate the increase.

Pelant said he was concerned with rumors regarding the township looking to North Branch to provide fire protection.
Stepp said the board was simply reviewing all its options for coverage, but it would still look to Harris FD for coverage in the northern half of the township. ìWe havenít made any decisions. We have no idea if North Branch will be more or less than Harris,î Stepp said.

Members of the Almelund FD, which renewed its 2002-03 contract with Sunrise Township at the meeting, pointed out that the North Branch Fire Department may be too far away to have the desired response time when the new fire hall is completed later this year.

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