CARSTAIRS - The Town of Carstairs and Mountain View County has signed a new fire services sub-agreement that includes splitting all operating expenses equally between the municipalities and allowing the town’s new full-time fire chief position to be funded retroactive to January 1, 2023.
Specifically regarding the fire chief position, the sub-agreement states the chief “shall have the authority, in any circumstances deemed necessary, to call upon mutual aid resources, to respond to an emergency in the Carstairs rural fire protection area” and will be responsible to “generally allocate and direct the necessary firefighting operations in the protection area.”
The sub-agreement was approved by the respective councils last week following a review by the municipalities’ intermunicipal cooperation committee (ICC).
The review was undertaken to “identify opportunities to increase clarity and administrative effectiveness within the agreement, which has resulted in a new sub-agreement that both council’s have recently approved in a show of support for the continued partnership,” the town and county said in a joint press release.
“The new agreement reflects the continued efforts of the Town of Carstairs to serve as the managing partner for the Carstairs Fire Department by clarifying the authorities they have in order to make operational decisions related to the fire department, with the assurances of Mountain View County’s equal contribution towards expenses incurred by the department.”
The parties will also continue the previous arrangements to fund small capital equipment equally, as well as capital apparatus that serve both municipalities, officials said.
“As is the status-quo, each municipality will be responsible for funding capital apparatus that primarily service their respective municipality, such as the aerial truck within the Town of Carstairs and the tender and rapid attack vehicle within Mountain View County.”
The new sub-agreement states that 25 per cent of revenue general from calls for service will be allocated to the department’s operating budget annually.
“The remaining 75 per cent of revenue generated from calls for service will be split 50/50 and retired to each respective municipality as part of the year end reconciliation process.”
The sub-agreement is tied to the ICC master agreement, meaning it could be reviewed and/or renegotiated in 2027, say officials.
Mountain View County Reeve Angela Aalbers and Town of Carstairs Mayor Lance Colby called the new sub-agreement good for both municipalities.
