Silver Lake Rescue provides alternative contracts

By Gail Peckler-Dziki~Correspondent

The Silver Lake Rescue Squad (SLRS) sent a proposal to the Silver Lake Village board on Dec. 14 through its attorney Frank Gagliardi an attempt to keep things moving forward. This proposal ends on Jan. 1, 2013.

The proposal contains two options. The first option is a two-year contract that would run through Dec. 31, 2014. The compensation that the village would pay the board would be $7,500 a year, the same amount that the towns of Wheatland and Randall now pay the SLRS. That amount would be payable either in two payments of 50 percent on June 1, 2013 and Dec.1, 2013 or the entire amount on Sept. 1, 2013.

The second option would be to use the same contact that is offered by the town of Salem with one change. Silver Lake residents would be charged resident rates. The Salem contract contains non-residents rates to be applied to Silver Lake residents.

The contract states that the two-year duration of the contract would provide time for the SLRS and the Silver Lake Fire Department to work toward and explore a future arrangement that “would maximize the benefit of the residents of Silver Lake, Wisconsin on a long term scale.”

The contract contains a provision of a 90-day notice for expiration of either party. Otherwise the contract would automatically renew.

The Silver Lake Board plans to look at this new option sometime early in January.

Dan Gerber, president of the SLRS has repeatedly said, “There is no way we would leave the Silver Lake residents without emergency service. We have always and will continue to work with residents on billing issues. We don’t want anyone to be afraid to dial 911 in an emergency.”

According to Silver Lake Trustee and chairman of the Emergency Services Committee Cyndy Schwebke, the contract may not go through her committee, following the normal process.

“Two other trustees, Dave Snow and Dave Decker, have taken handling this upon themselves,” Schwebke said. “So they will be taking the lead on this. We will do the best we can and review this and make a decision as a board a little later, when things cool down and cool heads prevail.”

Salem Town Chairman Diann Tesar commented after the town held a committee meeting to consider the issue, “Silver Lake came to us with a request. There is a proposal on the table. We will wait until the village makes a decision.”

At the Dec.18 board meeting, Silver Lake resident Karen Erb brought some information to the village board during citizen comments. “I looked on the internet to see how many municipalities have a fire department but use a private company for emergency services. There are quite a few. In fact, Antioch Ill., has that situation. Its not uncommon.”

The Antioch Recue Squad (ARS) is a private company that is housed in the Antioch Fire and First Fire Protection District headquarters in downtown Antioch. The ARS pays no rent and receives no payments from the village or First Fire Protection District. It does charge residents and does receive fuel for its ambulances from the village.

 


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