City, RM of North Battleford unable to reach agreement for fire services

The City of North Battleford and the Rural Municipality (RM) of North Battleford have been unable to reach an agreement for fire and rescue services within the RM.

The city said it has offered to provide on-call service to the RM until the end of February, after the five-year agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2018.

The city said this would give the RM additional time for discussions, or to provide alternative firefighting arrangements if an agreement isn’t ratified.

North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater said the new offer from the city was the same proportion of the total costs of the fire department.

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“In 2013, the contract was established so that the amount the RM paid represented 7.4 per cent of the total cost of the fire department. We were just wanting to continue that formula,” Bater said.

Bater said the previous agreement did not account for annual changes in the consumer price index or inflation.

“It was actually a win-win relationship from our point of view because both municipalities shared in the cost of operating a full-time professional firefighting service. We’re the only municipality in the region that does offer that, others offer volunteer services,” Bater said over the phone Wednesday.

“If we hear nothing before the end of February, then this agreement and that part of the relationship is over.”

The RM of North Battleford said it believed the negotiations were ongoing.

“A letter was sent to the mayor and council of the City of North Battleford outlining the RM’s concerns with the City’s most recent request for an increase in funding for firefighting services equaling $220,000 per year for five years with potential increases throughout,” the RM said in a press release.

“The RM cannot justify paying this increase when the previous agreement more than compensated the city for the costs incurred providing emergency services.”

According to the RM, the last five-year agreement paid a total of $775,000.

The RM said it hopes to come to an agreement with the city and has requested a six-month extension for the city to provide fire services.

“The RM is exploring all options that will be cost-effective and justifiable to their ratepayers,” the release read.