Peoria Standard

City of Chillicothe Committee of the Whole met July 16.

Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:

Chairman White called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Chairman White stated the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the proposed

Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Chillicothe Community Fire Protection District.

Chairman White gave a recap of the previous meeting that was held in regards to the pros and cons of joining the Fire District.

Reasons discussed for not joining the Fire District were:

1. City would lose control of the Fire Department

2. City would lose their choice of the Fire Chief

3. Joining the District would cost the city taxpayers money

4. Joining the District is not financial good for the city

5. The Fire District has not been successful

Reasons discussed for joining the Fire District were:

1. To have a unified department

2. Rising cost of maintaining a City Fire Department

Chairman White informed the committee that the process, now that the Fire District has been formed in the rural area, would be through annexation. The Fire District would petition to annex the City Fire Department into the district. Chairman White explained that 10% of the City’s registered voters would need to sign the petition before it would be placed on the November ballot. The approximate number of signatures needed would be 40. Fire District Trustee Kevin Peterson acknowledged that the District is planning on petitioning.

Chairman White told the committee that the goal of this meeting was to discuss the terms of the proposed IGA for council approval on July 23, 2018. He reminded the committee that the agreement did not mean that the council was in favor of the annexation. The agreement was for the benefit of the City and the Fire District if the Referendum would pass. Chairman White informed the committee that a Resolution in favor or against the District would be presented and voted on by the council in October.

A brief discussion was held on appointed or elected Trustees to the Fire District.

Attorney Seghetti then reviewed the proposed agreement with the committee. The following items as outlined in the proposed IGA were discussed:

If the City is annexed the City would no longer provide fire protection to the City

The City will transfer to Fire Protection Funds to the District

The City will transfer ownership of the fire station facilities to the District

The City will transfer all equipment and real property to the District.

Alderman Sharp stated he was not in favor of transferring the real property to the district.

Discussion was held. The consensus was that any real property which is not used for fire protection purposes for a period of in excess of six months will revert back to the City.

The City will not charge the District fire hydrant rental 

All City Fire Department members in good standing will become members of the Fire

District Officers of the City Fire Department will be eligible to become officers of the Fire

District 

If the City is annexed and the district took over ambulance service the city would terminate its contract with AMT

He explained that the City would otherwise continue its contract with AMT as written.

The IGA only takes effect if the referendum passes 

The District agrees to take reasonable steps to cause at least two trustees on the District

Board be residents of the City

Alderman Sharp asked that the District take definite steps to assure the City had representation on the Fire District Board.

The District would agree to appoint an Officer of the Fire District to act a fire marshal for the City as outlined in exhibit A of the IGA-

A brief discussion was held in regards to the City’s debt of the Aerial truck and how the Fire District would assume the debt.

Alderman Sharp asked Trustee Peterson how the residents of the City will be informed and educated about the referendum.

It was reviewed the following changes would be made to the IGA before presenting:

The City shall transfer ownership to the District of the fire station facilities it owns and uses currently for its fire department and emergency service operations and the property on which they sit (the “Real Property”). Ownership of a parcel of the Real Property which is not used for fire protection purposes for a period of in excess of six (6) months shall revert to the City.

The District agrees to take definite steps to cause at least two (2) trustees on the District Board of Trustees to be residents of the City.

There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 5:18 p.m.

http://www.cityofchillicotheil.com/07.16.18.pdf