Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, the city of Stewart and the five townships that contract with it for fire protection will have a new deal.
At a joint meeting Wednesday, July 22, the Stewart City Council agreed that the costs of running the fire department and emergency medical responders unit will be split 50-50 — the city will pay 50 percent of the fire department and emergency medical responders budgets, while the five townships will chip in for the other 50 percent.
In the past, the townships jointly contributed 60 percent of the budgets while the city paid 40 percent.
The City Council also clarified some things in the six-page fire service contract, starting with ownership of vehicles.
Because the townships contribute toward the purchase of vehicles, the City Council had thought — according to the agreement — that the townships also wanted ownership in the vehicles.
However, the townships are asking that when an older vehicle is sold, that they share in some of the revenue that is generated from the sale.
For more see the July 29 print edition of The Chronicle.
