Many officials prefer dealing with a single entity with a single chief
By Erin Richards
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MUSKEGO, Wis. — Two volunteer fire departments that contract with the city — known in the past for harboring Hatfields vs. McCoys-style feuds — have made some progress toward greater unity, but should nonetheless become a single department to increase efficiency, the mayor and several aldermen said.
Fire department administrators from Muskego and Tess Corners have submitted final reports on how they would implement changes recommended in a $60,000 study presented to the city in March.
The study, compiled by Virginia-based System Planning Corp., called the departments dysfunctional and suggested the creation of a single agency and a head of fire service and rescue to minimize overlapping services.
Months of discussion at the fire department level followed, but the two agencies ultimately skirted the two biggest recommendations and called them unnecessary.
Historically, the Muskego Fire Department contracts for fire calls on the west side of the city while the Tess Corners Fire Department contracts for east-side fire calls and ambulance service. In many fire calls, both agencies arrive on the scene, said Andy Mack, chief of the Muskego department.
“I look at this as a line; on one end is where we are now and on the other end is probably years down the road with a full-time, fully staffed, career department,” said Mayor John Johnson, who favors using one department’s contract and dissolving the other. “The study took us to somewhere between that. I think the council now has to pick a place on that growth line and figure out where we want to be.”
Aldermen Bob Melcher, Neil Borgman, Keith Werner, Noah Fiedler and Tina Schaefer favor a single fire department to streamline budgets, command structures and communication with the city.
“There’s no question that they’re providing a great service to the city,” Fiedler said. “But if these two contractors were in competition (in another industry), that would make it more efficient; because they’re not, we have duplication of equipment, service and personnel.”
Aldermen Dan Pavelko and Tracy Snead said they weren’t opposed to creation of a single fire department, but that such a move could increase internal conflicts.
“I’m cautious because we have two very proud groups,” Snead said. “They’re very territorial over their stuff: their firehouses, their belongings, their jobs. If we do this, I’m afraid of the ramifications.”
Jeff Verburgt, president of the board of the Tess Corners department, said he and his volunteers did not believe joining the two departments was needed, especially because personnel changes since the study had cooled tempers on both sides.
“We’re performing as expected, and we’ve had joint training exercises and opened up lines of communication,” Verburgt said. “Personnel attitudes have improved.”
Mack said the city is mistaken in thinking that a merger will increase efficiency. The budget will be the same because equipment needs will be the same, he said, adding that he didn’t see it as hard for the city to deal with a contact person for each department. Mack added that no residents were complaining, and response times were above adequate.
Copyright 2007 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News