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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 />efforts between Ramsey, Nowthen, and 5t. Francis would continue to provide added efficiencies to the <br />system, adding other service partners would fill current gaps and allow the region to function more <br />uniformly and effectively. <br />Another major obstacle to full consolidation of regional resources lies within the Firefighter Relief <br />Associations. These entities that provide limited retirement benefits to volunteer fire personnel will <br />need to come together and equalize if a regional cooperative effort is to be seamless. While similar, the <br />current Relief Associations have some stark differences (as has already been discussed). RFD's Relief <br />Association is the only Defined Contribution plan in the region while the others are Lump Sum. In <br />addition, there is a substantial difference between the benefit levels of BED as compared to the other <br />study departments. In the case of a full consolidation, regardless of governance model, the City of <br />Bethel stands to see the largest impact as the Relief Associations are equalized in how they provide <br />benefits and at what level. One method to lessen this impact is tc- cap the current Relief Associations at <br />current levels and join the State of Minnesota's State Volunteer Firefighter Retirement Plan (SVFRP). <br />This program is similar in nature to existing lump sum plans. The details of how this conversion would <br />occur would be determined during ar implementation planning process after the decision is made to <br />move forward with further investigating opportunities for collaboration. <br />Another key consideration is that of ownership of capital assets under a JPA approach, including fire <br />stations and apparatus. The preferred methodology in a truly integrated system, such as formation of a <br />fire district with taxing authority, is for the newly formed entity to own and maintain all capital assets. <br />Doing so accommodates effective maintenance and replacement planning. <br />The drawback to transferring ownership under a JPA configuration is that an agency may choose to <br />withdraw from the agreement in the future. If so, and assets are no longer owned by the agency and its <br />ability to return to providing its own services is problematic. <br />If ownership of assets is to be maintained independently, the JPA will need to establish agreed upon <br />commitments from each participant regarding the capital equipment and facilities that each will <br />contribute to the effort. Facilities may be separated from apparatus with an agreement, for example, <br />that "Agency A" agrees to provide and maintain one fire station with a minimum capacity of "X" fire <br />vehicles and defined accommodations for the duration of the agreement. Similarly, each participant <br />may agree to contribute an established number of Class A pumpers, water tenders, brush trucks, or <br />page 132 <br />6mcrgmry 5crnccs Consuāž¢nng <br />