Title
Resolution to Enter into an Interlocal Agreement Founding the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Council, which will Create a Governmental Entity Pursuant to the Urban Cooperation Act of 1967, MCL 124.501
Memorandum
The current Washtenaw County fire service mutual aid agreement and technical response team is organized as a non-profit organization under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). The technical response team owns significant assets and responds to complex incidents creating significant risk. All assets of the current organization will be transferred to this new entity, and the non-profit organization will be dissolved.
The purpose of this agreement is to establish the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Council “WAMAC” to meet the needs of all Washtenaw County and nearby fire departments by providing for the purchase and ownership of equipment, property, buildings, and apparatus, payment of obligations and the hiring of necessary staff. Creating the governmental entity WAMAC pursuant to the Urban Cooperation Act ensures that the participating entities’ activities are protected under governmental immunity principles. The activities and services to be provided shall include, but are not limited to, the joint ownership and operation of equipment, and the standardization of policies among the participating governmental units, which policies will afford and promote effective fire and rescue services within the governmental entities which are parties to this agreement.
Additionally, WAMAC shall oversee and be responsible for a Technical Rescue Team, a Swift Water Rescue Team, and any future specialized county fire rescue team (collectively, “Technical Response” team or teams) that is made up of shared public resources and which are public safety first responders. WAMAC can and may collect fees and donations to support specialized teams, conduct training and sponsor events, and will act as the fiduciary for the specialized teams, related training, and sponsoring fire events.
The mission of the Technical Response teams is to provide the citizens of Washtenaw County and of Southeastern Michigan with advanced technical rescue response. These teams expand and enhance the capabilities of fire-rescue response for confined space rescue, high angle rescue, and urban search and rescue when deployed to natural and manmade disasters.
This is the tentative list of member communities pending adoption by their respective governmental bodies: Charter Township of Ann Arbor, the Charter Township of Augusta, the Charter Township of Green Oak, the Charter Township of Pittsfield, the Charter Township of Superior, the Charter Township of Van Buren, the Charter Township of Ypsilanti, the Chelsea Area Fire Authority, the City of Belleville, the City of Ypsilanti, the Village of Clinton, the Dexter Area Fire Department, Clinton Township (Lenawee County), Hamburg Township, Manchester Township, Milan Area Fire Department, Northfield Township, Salem Township, Saline Area Fire Department, Scio Township, and Sumpter Township.
We recommend your approval of the attached Interlocal Agreement.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: There is no financial impact, and no budget appropriation is being requested. The fee structure for the current non-profit organization and WAMAC are the same.
Staff
Prepared by: Chantel Jackson, Office Administrator - Fire
Reviewed by: Mike Kennedy, Fire Chief
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor routinely is faced with natural and human-caused catastrophes and it is important for the City of Ann Arbor to have the ability for specialty response capabilities along with the ability to request mutual aid from surrounding communities; and
Whereas, This Interlocal Agreement is for the governmental units which are parties hereto to join together to establish the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Council for the purposes set forth herein pursuant to and under the authority of the Urban Cooperation Act of 1967, Act 7 of the Public Acts of 1967, as amended; the Intergovernmental Contracts Between Municipal Corporations Act, Act 35 of the Public Acts of 1951, as amended, and the Joint Public Buildings Act, Act 150 of the Public Acts of 1923, as amended;
RESOLVED, That Council approves the Interlocal Agreement for the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Council for the purposes set forth herein pursuant to and under the authority of the Urban Cooperation Act of 1967, Act 7 of the Public Acts of 1967, as amended; the Intergovernmental Contracts Between Municipal Corporations Act, Act 35 of the Public Acts of 1951, as amended, and the Joint Public Buildings Act, Act 150 of the Public Acts of 1923, as amended;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the Agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.