1. Fire Department Funding and Management
Patrick Callahan
Handouts and presentations are available through the event app and at
#IowaLeague17

2. Overview of workshop Review of Issues and Concerns
Fire Department Funding
Fire Department Management
Combination Career & Volunteer Department
Comments and Observations

3. Background & Experience
Overall career – 43 years
City Manager/City Administrator – 21 years
Municipal Consultant – IPA & CMC – 22 years

4. Fire Department – Issues and Concerns
Recruit & Retain Volunteers
 Increasing number of calls
Annual funding issues - $8.10 – limit

5. Fire Department – Issues and Concerns
Cost of equipment & trucks
Training requirements
Communications – internal & external

6. Fire Department Funding
Annual operating expenses – general fund levy
FICA & IPERS – special levy
Trucks & equipment – debt service levy

7. Fire Department Funding
Township payments
Service fees – emerging trend
Donations & bequests

8. State Mandates – Fire Protection
Cities – Section – Code of Iowa
Each city shall provide fire protection 
Townships – Section – Code of Iowa
Each township shall provide fire protection
Emergency Medical Services – Optional

9. Township Payments– Fire Protection
“Vendor/Customer” relationship
Need 28 E Agreement
ISU Fire Service Institute Funding Formula

10. Township Payments– Fire Protection
Funding Formula – Three factors
Population, Taxable Value, & Fire Calls
Equal weight – Average %

11. Township Payments Formula
Share of Costs – Township 
% TV + % TC + % Pop – Total 
Divided by 3 = % of Budget

12. Property Taxes – Primary Source
General fund - $8.10 limit
Special levy – FICA costs
Insurance levy – Fire Department portion
Debt service levy – Trucks

13. Township Payments – Fire Protection
Section – Code of Iowa
Levy limit – cents/$1,000
Additional levy – cents/$1,000 
Township trustees set the levy

14. Service Fees Tax revenues no longer adequate
Fee structure – fire & rescue calls
Base Costs – (Taxes) & Call Costs (User fees)
Analogies – User fees for other services

15. Fire Department Management
Ordinance – emergency services
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Manual 
Nonprofit Corporation – Volunteers 
Bylaws for nonprofit corporation

16. Fire Department Management
5. Township – 28 E Agreement
6. City /Township Cost Sharing Plan
7. Mutual Aid Agreements
8. Capital Improvement Plan – Fire Department

17. Fire Department Management
9. Equipment/Truck Replacement Plan 
10. Budget preparation process 
11. Annual financial report
12. Model resolutions for above items

18. Combination Career & Volunteer Department
Similar & unique issues 
Strategic planning process – CMC
Recommendations – CMC

19. Issues and Concerns Substantial increase in calls
Full time fire fighters’ expectations
Volunteers’ expectations 
“Disconnects” and “burnout”

20. Issues and Concerns Communications – both directions
Recruiting and retaining volunteers
Generation “disconnect” concerns 
Volunteers’ perception – not valued

21. CMC Recommendations Completion of SOP Improved communications
Job descriptions 
Organizational chart & roster

22. CMC Recommendations 5. Volunteer appreciation
6. Training costs paid by City
7. Volunteer retention & recruitment 
8. Volunteer remuneration or stipend

23. CMC Recommendations 9. Department Information Book
10. Fire Department Staffing Plan 
11. Fire Station upgrades & expansion 
12. “State of the Department” report

24. CMC Recommendations 13. Review ambulances coverage area
Action plans for items 
Note – Each city is unique!

25. Group Discussion Fire and EMS issues Funding options
Recent enhancements & programs

26. Available Resources – Fire Protection
Cityscape Articles
IPA’s Policy Leaders Handbook 
ILC Special Report – City Collaboration 
ILC Resources – Website

27. Available Resources – Fire Protection
5. Response 202 Manual Edition 6. George Oster & Associates, LLC 7. ILC Special Report – Fire Protection (Available in 2018)

28. Final Comments Observations
Patrick Callahan Callahan Municipal Consultants, LLC or