By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
The organizational structure of Whitewater’s fire and emergency medical services (EMS) agency could be tweaked in the near future.
Last year, a task force was convened to look into the city’s various options for fire and EMS providers. City Manager Cameron Clapper presented the Common Council with an update on the review at a meeting Feb. 18.
Clapper said the task force has been reviewing a number of issues, including the types of services the agency should provide to Whitewater residents. No firm recommendations are being made at this time, and Clapper said the examination is ongoing.
In his recent discussion with the council, Clapper laid out the city’s various options, which could include a jointly run municipal fire and EMS department, contracting for services from another municipality or contracting with a fire protection company. The city currently uses the latter scenario.
Clapper said an intergovernmental type of arrangement likely would not be advantageous to Whitewater because of where the city is situated. He said other communities with municipal run departments are too far from the city’s borders.
At this time, Clapper said the formation of an incorporated fire department, run as a separate entity from the city, appears the most viable and cost-effective option.
The city has a Police and Fire Commission in name only. The appointed body solely deliberates on police department matters. If an incorporated agency were formed, Clapper said a member of the PFC likely would serve on a separate board overseeing the fire department.
While a number of questions continue to loom, the council expressed satisfaction with the work the task force has made to date.
“It sounds like we’re making some real good progress with this,” council member Lynn Binnie said.
Council member Ken Kidd also lauded the work that has been underway and encouraged the task force to continue its review.
“I think we’re going to get to something that people are going to be happy with,” Kidd said.
