Townships cite concerns over cost of fire protection

Sept. 09--LUVERNE -- More than two dozen people gathered inside the Luverne Fire Hall Thursday evening after township officials learned the Luverne Fire Department wants to spend more than $900,000 in the next five years on capital improvements.

The fire department, in addition to providing protection for the city of Luverne, is contracted to serve 112 sections in portions of Magnolia, Kanaranzi, Clinton, Mound, Vienna and Springwater townships. Those townships currently pay $642 per section for fire protection, and LFD is proposing a 1 percent increase to $649 per section in 2018.

That fee wasn't the cause for concern among township representatives. Rather, they were vocal about the nearly $22,000 they pay into LFD's equipment revolving fund each year.

In 2010, the department purchased a pumper for rural use, which was to be paid off over a period of 10 years by the townships. With extra payments and income from insurance fees, the pumper was paid off in less than eight years. Township officials said they thought that meant their payments would be reduced.

Luverne City Administrator John Call explained Thursday, though, that the $21,700 from each township will continue to be collected to build up the reserves for the purchase of a 2018 pumper-rescue vehicle for the fire department. The truck, slated for purchase in 2019 at a cost of $700,000, would serve as the second pumper for rural calls. A second pumper is a requirement of the National Fire Protection Association, noted Luverne Fire Chief Dave Van Batavia.

Call said the new truck is needed to replace a 25-year-old truck in the department, and will go out on all city and rural fires. Of the total cost of the truck, $245,000 will be assessed to the townships contracted with LFD.

Van Batavia said some of the money budgeted for the truck is for new SCBAs and custom equipment that is outdated on the current rescue truck.

Some township officials questioned buying a brand new truck when they could save hundreds of thousands of dollars buying a used model.

"I know there's a lot of wants, but we've got to slow our spending down," said Steve Top, a Clinton Township official.

Van Batavia said buying new means the truck will last the department another 25 years. He said about a dozen men have been working on the new truck's design for the past six months to ensure it meets the department's needs. One side of the truck is set up for fire calls and the other for response to crashes.

"Do we need that truck right now in 2019 or can we wait a few years?" asked Keith Schmuck of Mound Township. "Maybe things will level out a little more.

"The way the price of corn is right now, it's not going to be a good deal," he said.

"The township fire budget is probably 40 percent of our budget," Top said. He wanted to make sure Luverne wasn't going to raise the township's costs for equipment -- especially at a time when farmers are squeezed by low commodity prices.

"Everyone is for fire protection, but the people want roads, too," Top said. "Other fire departments are (providing service) for less money."

Gravel for township roads is the biggest expense in Clinton Township's budget, followed by fire protection.

Teresa Kramer, of Springwater Township, said the township pays five different fire departments, but Luverne is the only one it has to pay for equipment.

Aside from the cost of the new truck, the cost for the radios was also questioned.

Van Batavia said the radios are "dropping like flies" and the Rock County sheriff had suggested the department replace radios every six or seven years. The radios currently cost $3,200 apiece.

"I just got two small grants and I asked for radios," Van Batavia said, adding that he ordered four new ones. "I have four in the drawer that they want $600 to fix."

Hearing that some grant money was received for radios, Schmuck asked if there was such funding to help pay for the new rescue/pumper truck.

Call said grants for fire trucks for cities the size of Luverne are uncommon.

Luverne Mayor Pat Baustian said trucks and radios both aren't cheap. He suggested the fire department increase its insurance fee from $750 to $1,000, as most insurance companies will pay up to $1,000 for a fire call.

"It makes a lot of sense for everyone in the county to go to $1,000," Baustian said. Call added that it was doable.

None of the township officials complained about fire service. In fact, they said LFD does a good job. Van Batavia said the department has 37 volunteer firefighters.

Townships can opt out of their annual fire service contract with the LFD if they choose, and those at the meeting said they will discuss the issue further.

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