An agreement between the city of Oxford and Oxford Township is being reviewed due to budget constraints for the fire department.
A budget increase in the Oxford Fire Department is prompting a review of the department's services, which cover both the city of Oxford and Oxford Township.
The agreement, created in 1980 by the city of Oxford and Oxford Township, requires the city of Oxford to provide Oxford Township with fire and EMS services. The old provisions of the agreement call for reimbursement of direct labor costs by Oxford Township. With the addition of new personnel at the fire department, this reimbursement no longer covers enough of the total costs, said John Detherage, chief of the Oxford Fire Department.
"We want to make sure (this agreement) is fair to everybody," Detherage said. "Things have changed since the (1980s) and it's important to look at things like that every 20 or 30 years or so."
Doug Elliott, Oxford city manager, said in order to improve the response time of the fire department, additions had to be made to the work force.
"Last year we hired 15 part-time firefighters to provide shift coverage during the day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., since that was when we had the hardest time getting volunteers," Elliott said. "Before that (the fire department) was strictly made up of volunteers with a full-time fire chief."
This increase in personnel has caused the projected budget for the fire department to increase 145 percent since 2006, according to a report from the city of Oxford.
"If we continue to provide more part-time firefighters without any consideration from the township, it's really not a good deal for the taxpayers (in the city of Oxford)," Elliott said.
No date has been set for a meeting between the city and the township, but a work session of city council members will be held Tuesday.
According to Oxford Mayor Prue Dana, city council members will discuss possible options for changes in the agreement during this session.
"We're going to work with the EMS and fire departments and our own department to figure out how we can connect with the township," Dana said.
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According to a report issued in December 2008 by the Oxford Fire Department options are possible to help make payment for the fire department more proportionate. Options include dividing payments based on population, the number of runs made to the city and the township, or passing a levy to increase funds.
"The way (the agreement) is structured now, we're not receiving any reimbursement for the fact that we have firefighters to respond at the station any time of the day," Elliott said.
He said it was unlikely Oxford Township would drop the contract between the city and the township entirely.
"They have more to gain from staying together," Elliott said. "Starting their own (fire department) in the township wouldn't be cost effective. The goal is simply to update the agreement and find something we can move forward with, something that will be equitable for both the city and the township."
Although the township has not yet decided upon a date to meet with the city and discuss changes to the agreement, it is expected to do so soon, Elliott said.
"They realize the importance of providing top quality fire department services," Elliott said.
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