West Liberty firefighters threaten to break ties with city

WEST LIBERTY — The city of West Liberty and its volunteer fire department may be parting ways in a dispute over the department’s funding and governance.

In an exchange of letters, the firefighters accused the city of “waging war” on the department, and the city suggested hiring a mediator to help the parties talk through their disagreements.

The fire department set a deadline of May 1 for such an agreement or said it would dissolve its contract with the city and create a intergovernmental 28E agreement that would be governed by a board of directors.

The city said it is exploring options for fire and ambulance service in the Muscatine County of 5,000 and surrounding rural areas if that agreement isn’t reached.

In its letter to the city, the fire department claims "the city has actively waged a war upon the department through dangerous bureaucratic moves that endanger the community, including deliberately stalling attempts to hire EMS (emergency medical services) personnel.“

The firefighters charge the city with incorrect accounting, the mixing the fire department funds with the city's general fund, and incorrect classification of expenses and donations, among other grievances.

The letter also noted property owners would see a significant increase in insurance rates if the volunteer fire department no longer provides coverage in the city and surrounding rural areas.

The city in its letter denied any improprieties, stating the firefighters’ letter “contains substantive allegations that the city deems to be either wrong or wholly unfounded."

The fire department on July 5 last year filed a petition in district court, seeking a dissolution of its contract with the city. It charged the city had violated the contract and breached its fiduciary responsibilities. The petition also sought the creation of a 28E intergovernmental agency.

“It’s something that we really don’t want to do, but the city has basically tied our hands,” Fire Chief Kirt Sickels told KCRG-TV9. “We’ve been in limbo for about two-and-a-half years, and we are just trying to force hands so that we can finally get something done and start anew.”

Assistant Fire Chief Tom Christensen said, “It’s been a hard couple years here lately. We’ve lost a lot of members due to moving, but some due to just the turmoil.”