Providing a “Letter of Commitment,” the volunteers of the West Liberty Fire Department hope to have a signed document to “agree to work in good faith to resolve current issues” concerning fire and emergency medical services at the Tuesday, June 7 meeting of the West Liberty City Council to be held at the West Liberty Community Center beginning at 7 p.m.
West Liberty Fire Chief Kirt Sickles said he is hoping for a lot of community support at the meeting to try to resolve the issues at hand between the city and the Rural Fire District officials as well as the fire department volunteers.
The volunteers extended the deadline to avoid a walkout by the volunteers of the fire department from June 3 to June 7 to accommodate the council and city officials, who were provided a proposed “Memorandum of Understanding” on April 18, a working document proposing a new 28E Agency agreement that would involve the city, the fire department and the Rural Fire District.
Sickles and volunteer first responders say they will end services should the Letter of Commitment fail to be agreed upon and signed by Mayor Katie McCullough and the city council, which told their side of the story in a work session on May 17.
The letter asks the parties work toward reaching an agreement to provide fire and EMS services that “best meet the needs of the parties, including the volunteers, including options such as a 28E Agreement, a 28E Agreement involving a new agency, advisory board and/or comparable entity.”
“The intent of these good faith negotiations is to reach an agreement that will improve services, re-establish needed relationships, increase communication and transparency and define the role and expectations of all parties,” the letter continued.
The letter ask that the three parties involved – the city of West Liberty, the West Liberty Rural Fire and EMS District and the West Liberty Fire and EMS Association and volunteers – commit on concluding negotiations and entering into an agreement to be extended no later than Oct. 1, 2022.
The letter concluded by saying during negotiations of the agreement, the volunteer fire and EMS personnel “will continue to provide fire and EMS as they have done historically.”
Sickels said there are still a lot of things that need to be ironed out, but hopes the city will make the commitment to keep his volunteers active in the department and be there for the community. “Once again, we’re extending our hand to get something done,” the chief said, pointing out the fire department would like nothing more than to end the ordeal after 2.5 years of battling with issues concerning the fire department.
The fire department has proposed to break away from the city to form a new agency that would involve all three parties, but details on property, equipments and leadership were all questioned at the most recent city council work session and meeting.