Tess Corners will again come to the rescue

Muskego - As part of its contract renewal with the Tess Corners Volunteer Fire Department, Muskego city officials want to know how long it takes for firefighters and rescue personnel to respond to calls.

The new contract, approved by the Common Council last week, calls for the city paying the volunteers $448,040 next year, which is slightly less than the $451,040 it paid this year.

While money wasn't an issue compared to the previous contract, the need for more information on services was, from the city's perspective.

Getting response times will help the city be proactive, Alderman Dan Soltysiak said.

That's important in a growing city like Muskego, he said, noting that the data will improve planning by exposing problem areas.

Need for more information?

But the majority of the Common Council decided not to spend $4,800 for software to get additional information on how many firefighters arrive at calls.

Response times are important, which is why the city is requesting such information for the first time as part its contract with Tess Corners, but Alderman Neil Borgman said the city also needs to know the number of firefighters responding to be able to measure the city's fire protection against national standards.

The council was split on the value of such information, however, with Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti noting that it may be unfair to expect Muskego's volunteer department to meet standards for full-time departments.

Similarly, Alderman Noah Fiedler didn't see what use the city would make of the information.

It needs it to get a better handle on whether enough firefighters or too many are responding to calls, Alderman Kert Hardenda said. The city pays for each firefighter responding.

And if the number of responders is too small, the city can work with the fire department on better planning, said Soltysiak.

The $4,800 expenditure had been recommended on a split vote by the Public Safety Committee. The Common Council's vote on Dec. 13 was also split, 5-3. Voting to remove it were aldermen Fiedler, Neome Schaumberg, Keith Werner and Tracy Snead. Voting to keep it were Borgman, Harenda and Soltysiak.

Ambulance contract review

A separate contract involving ambulance service has not yet been approved, in part because the city is looking for more information tied to a rate hike.

Tess Corners is proposing 12 percent higher ambulance fees that are paid by patients or their insurance companies. Aldermen wanted more time to deal with that request.

Because of increased costs, the volunteers propose raising ambulance fees to a range of $435 to a maximum of $519, depending on how much medical help is needed. The current range is $388 to $463. Nonresidents pay more.

The proposed increase would still put Tess Corners in the middle of what other communities charge for ambulance service, said Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti. The last rate increase was in 2007.

Because the rate has not gone up in five years, Fiedler said he supports the proposed hike.

But after Soltysiak and Harenda called for more information, the council sent the proposal back to the Public Safety Committee for more data. The committee will meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 4.

NEXT STEP

WHAT: Public Safety Committee consideration of raising ambulance fees

WHEN: 6 p.m. Jan. 4

WHERE: Muskego City Hall, S8200 Racine Ave.