By Kellen Olshefski
Correspondent
The City of Elkhorn Common Council voted 5-0 in favor of approving a $1.66 million referendum question recently that will appear on the Nov. 3 election ballot to ensure full-time staffing levels for Elkhorn’s fire and EMS services.
Staffing levels at the volunteer-based department have long been a concern, with the city contracting services with Paratech in recent years to provide full-time EMS coverage. That has been referred to as only a “Band-Aid” to the growing problem. The referendum aims to fix staffing needs by providing the funds required to staff the department at all times.
City Administrator Jim Heilman said the Fire Department Steering Committee has been discussing the topic of staffing and a potential referendum for the past year. Now that the council approved the question, the focus will be about providing the public information on the referendum and the need for it in the community.
“There really is a huge need to continue to provide the services for both EMS and fire, and to make sure when the whistle goes off, we can respond,” Heilman said.
He said the City of Elkhorn is in a tough position right now in regards to fire and rescue staffing concerns and that’s not due to lack of effort on the part of the department’s members.
“We need to let the public know that … this department, I think, like they always have, they do everything in their power to respond to every call,” Heilman said. “What we’re saying is that we’re getting to the point that it’s getting harder and harder to do. So, that’s what this referendum is all about.”
According to Fire Chief Rod Smith, it’s important for people to understand that over the past 10 years the department’s call volume has increased significantly. At the same time, staffing levels have fallen significantly.
“So, the call volume’s up… we just don’t have the people available,” Smith said.
According to Heilman, the $1.66 million represents the cost to transition to a full-time fire department, with the cost to be split between residents of the City of Elkhorn and surrounding towns served by the department.
The city is waiting to receive direction from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue on the allowable levy limit increase for 2021, and that information is expected to come from the state in August. Until that information is received, it’s difficult to determine what level of tax increase the referendum would result in for the average homeowner. However, Heilman said, the city is preparing ways to get that information to the public as soon as it becomes available.
“We’re not building a big shiny building or a (buying) a big fire truck. We’re trying to save peoples’ lives… We need personnel to do that. We’re not in too good of shape right now, and there’s not much we can do about it other than ask for this solution,” Heilman said.
“But it’s a real solution for once. It’s not a Band-Aid,” he added.
Aldermen approved the resolution 5-0, with Alderman Tom Myrin absent from the July 6 meeting.
See future editions of the Elkhorn Independent for more in-depth coverage on the fire department referendum as additional information becomes available.
