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Ramsey, Nowthen, St. Francis, Oak Grove, and Bethel, Minnesota <br />Feasibility Study for Shared or Cooperative Fire and Emergency Services <br />Section 11— Opportunities for Cooperative Efforts <br />Having completed the evaluation of current conditions process above, ESCI is now armed with the <br />information necessary to effectively evaluate the opportunities that exist in the region for shared service <br />delivery opportunities between the participating agencies. There are many ways that fire departments <br />can work together, ranging from very fundamental sharing of resources and programs, up to and <br />including legal assimilation of multiple agencies into one in the form of a merger or consolidation, where <br />feasi ble. <br />The balance of this report examines the multiple options that are available to the study agencies and <br />provides insight and guidance where appropriate. <br />General Partnering Strategies <br />Three basic strategies are generally available when considering cooperative efforts and shared service <br />delivery, beginning with a do-nothing approach (status quo) and ending with complete unification of <br />two or more organizations into what is, essentially, a new emergency service provider. A description of <br />the three primary methodologies is found below. <br />Functional Consolidation <br />Public entities usually have broad authority under law to enter intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) for <br />the purpose of cost and service efficiency. Minnesota is no different in this regard. The laws of the State <br />of Minnesota address the issue, allowing intergovernmental contracts for any lawfully authorized <br />governmental function.1° <br />Examples of this type of cooperative effort may include any function within the study departments that <br />allows them to deliver services, such as training, fire prevention, equipment purchasing, logistics, etc. <br />Through functional consolidations, each agency benefits from the resources of the whole while <br />maintaining independence as separate organizations. Many times, functional consolidations serve as a <br />prelude to a further future collaborative initiatives including legal unification and merger. <br />Operational Consolidation <br />This strategy joins two or more entities, in their entirety, through the execution of an intergovernmental <br />agreement °IGA}. The resulting organization features a single organizational structure and chain of <br />1° Minnesota Statutes, section 471.59. Joint Exercise of Powers Act. <br />CErnergenry &tykes Consulting <br />page 81 <br />