Title
Yellowhead County Fire Services Cost Share
Proposed Motion(s)
1)That Council approves the cost sharing in the Amount of $447,500 for a rescue engine and supporting equipment for the Evansburg Fire Station with funding to be included in the 2016 Municipal Budget
2) That Council approves cost sharing in the amount of $125,000 for the site surveys and conceptual design for a new Fire Station in Evansburg, with funding to be included in the 2016 Municipal budget
3) That Council support Yellowhead County in applying for an Alberta Community Partnership Grant
Body
Administration Recommendation(s)
Administration supports the proposed approach where Parkland County would cost share on the purchase of a new apparatus and the design of a new Fire Station in Evansburg, while negotiating an appropriate cost share for the construction of a new Fire Station in Evansburg.
Purpose
Yellowhead County has recently sent a request for cost sharing on a new Rescue engine, equipment for the rescue engine, as well as surveys and conceptual plans for a new fire Station in Evansburg. Yellowhead County is requesting that Parkland County consider this request in the 2016 budget.
Parkland County currently has a Fire Services Agreement with Yellowhead County. This Fire Services Agreement shares the cost of fire apparatus on a 50/50 basis. The current agreement for capital cost share for facilities is silent, as when the agreement was signed there was no new facilities contemplated. A new agreement is currently being worked on and it is suggested that the wording for capital cost share follow other cost share agreements and be at the discretion of Council and can be either approved or not approved at Council's discretion.
The total request is for cost sharing on $1,145,000. A 50% cost share on this amount would constitute a contribution of $572,500. Yellowhead County is proposing that the sale of the current fire engine could net $150,000 and are also proposing the possibility of a municipal partnership grant in the amount of $350,000 which could potentially decrease the total funding required for the project by $500,000.
The current apparatus in Evansburg includes an engine, a tanker, a rescue truck and a squad unit. The rationale for a combined engine tanker is to reduce the number of personnel required to bring fire apparatus to the scene is limited to the numbers of fire fighters in Evansburg. Having a dual purpose truck would mean requiring less personnel to get the required equipment to a scene.
The current fire station in Evansburg is old and showing its age. Yellowhead County has looked at the potential of rehabilitating the current Station and has decided to go forward with plans for a new Fire Station. Parkland County does have a history of cost sharing on the construction of these types of facilities with our partners. The most recent example is the cost share on the Stony Plain Fire Station back in 2006. In this particular case Parkland County contributed $1,000,000 on project cost of approximately $3,500,000.
The proposed approach for this request is that Parkland County approve the request for cost sharing in 2016. Parkland County would support the grant application and notify Yellowhead County of the funding approval in the 2016 budget. The rationale for this approach is to continue the current relationship with Yellowhead County where expenses for the station are shared on a 50/50 basis is beneficial for the County. The Fire Station in Evansburg is not a very busy station receiving less than 50 calls on an annual basis, with less than 20 being in Parkland County. This low call volume does not eliminate the need to provide Fire and Rescue Services to this area of the County, but simply makes the provision of these services a unique challenge.
In order to deal with the potential capital cost share on a new Fire Station it is recommended that Parkland County communicate with Yellowhead County that cost sharing on this portion of the project in no way commits Parkland County to cost share in any manner on the potential new Fire Station in Evansburg.
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications
Governance: Form strong and meaningful partnerships
Deliver quality services in an efficient and economical manner that enables development and growth
Financial Impact:
Cost: $572,500
Source of Funding: 2016 Municipal Budget
Other