Sandpoint mulls JPA with Sagle Fire

SANDPOINT — A council meeting this Wednesday could pave the way for the combination of Sandpoint Fire Department and Sagle Fire District.

At a meeting set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, council members will consider a proposal to enter into a joint powers agreement with Sagle Fire District. If approved, the agreement will effectively place management of fire and EMS services under a single entity.

“The mayor and the fire chief feel that it is in the best interest of the city of Sandpoint and its taxpayers to combine the city’s fire and EMS services with Sagle Fire District,” reads the proposed resolution.

Sandpoint Fire Department and Sagle Fire District have a long history of cooperation. For many years, the fire districts have participated in aid agreements guaranteeing support during emergency scenarios. Likewise, the city and Sagle Fire District approved an agreement this summer to split the time of Fire Chief Ron Stocking, resulting in him managing both fire protection entities and halving the cost of a fire chief’s salary and benefits for both parties. Local officials saw the arrangement as something of a test run for unified emergency response management.

According to Stocking and both Sandpoint and Sagle firefighters, the arrangement to split the chief’s time has gone very smoothly. They see approving a joint operation agreement as the logical next step to reduce costs and improve efficiencies across the board.

If approved, the new fire service system will be governed by board consisting of two elected or appointed members from each party and one citizen member approved by the board. The board will have the authority to adopt procedures, establish management standards and conduct the business and affairs of the new fire protection system. They’ll also propose a budget that must be approved by local officials.

The agreement will run until Sept. 30, 2015, at which point it can be renewed for one-year terms. According to Stocking, there’s a plan in place to ask the public for ideas in naming the new fire protection entity.