OZAUKEE COUNTY 鈥 Some 200 people have attended the forums and open houses held so far to provide more information on the April 2 referendums that, if approved, would provide for more full-time members at the Cedarburg and Grafton-Saukville fire departments.
The departments are asking for permission to exceed the state-imposed levy limit annually to help assure they have enough firefighters, EMTs and paramedics to address the rising number of calls. In fact, Cedarburg does not have a paramedic program to handle more advanced calls and must rely on other departments to respond.
Like departments across the county and state, Cedarburg, Grafton and Saukville are seeing an increase in calls for service, but a decrease in members.
Both have historically relied on volunteers and paid on-call members. But data indicates that changing demographics has meant fewer people are able or willing to commit the time to volunteering or running to a call while working a fulltime job.
All of the departments have received funds via the ARPA COVID allowance, and have hired more members, but those funds will run out at the end of this year. The departments need another source of funds to continue to pay those members.
Both referendums will require all of the communities involved in a particular referendum to approve it or it will fail. For example, both Cedarburg town and city residents need a majority of voters to favor the referendum. The city cannot move forward with increasing funding if town residents don鈥檛 also say yes, and vice versa.
There are similar referendums in Port Washington, Germantown, Hales Corners, Jefferson and the town of Delafield.
GRAFTON
While combining departments has not yet occurred, the Grafton and Saukville fire departments are operating under one chief and discussions have been ongoing. Thus, the towns and villages of Grafton and Saukville will hold referendums designed to raise a combined $2,094,363. The funds will cover the cost of 13 additional fulltime staff for the proposed joint Grafton-Saukville Fire Department.
The April 2 referendum will ask:
- Village of Grafton voters to approve borrowing $1,478,072;
- Town of Grafton voters to approve borrowing $372,435;
- Town of Saukville voters to approve borrowing $205,090 The village of Saukville has capacity within its allowable levy limit to fund the increased costs without a referendum.
The communities have hosted three presentations so far, with 85 people attending, according to Village President Dan Delorit.
Among the questions from attendees were how an increase in paid full-time staff will benefit the community, how difficult it is to get trained firefighter/paramedics, what are obstacles to volunteers/paid part-time providing service and what will be the role of current volunteers/ paid part-time staff when full-time staff are hired?
Delorit referenced a 2021 study by the Wisconsin Policy Forum that showed fire departments in Ozaukee County could no longer maintain their current method of relying on volunteers and paid-on-call members.
A referendum approved by the communities involved would address that.
"Residents will have reliable fire and EMS services provided by staff that are present in the fire stations," Delorit said.
He said that some residents believe that volunteer and paid-on-call firefighter/paramedics will no longer be needed if there is fulltime staff. Delorit said that is not the case. But the reality is, he said, that almost all fire services in Wisconsin are having a difficult time recruiting and training volunteers.
"For every 12 people that are interested in working/volunteering in fire service, Fire Chief (Bill) Rice states that actually one may follow through with completion/training/certification as a firefighter and or EMT," Delorit said.
They need both full-time and part-time staff to provide services in the future, and part-time wages are also part of the referendum funding.
"Chief Rice is keenly aware of the need for a mixed department," he said.
To learn more, go to and click on the link on the home page for 2024 Referendum.
CEDARBURG
An all-day open house held on the county fairgrounds on March 5 saw dozens of people cycle through the Ozaukee Pavilion to review information and ask questions.
鈥淭he forum went very well,鈥 said Cedarburg Fire Chief Jeff Vahsholtz. 鈥淚 thought it was very well attended.鈥
Cedarburg is asking voters to approve a $2,015,658 referendum. The city鈥檚 portion would be approximately $1,292,302 and the town鈥檚 portion would be approximately $723,356.
The funds will support:
- Adding eight additional full-time firefighter/paramedics and maintaining two full-time firefighter/paramedics currently funded using ARPA dollars;
- Adjusting the fire chief position to a full-time role, helping ensure CFD has consistent leadership to manage the growing public safety needs in the city and town of Cedarburg He said city and town officials received very good questions from the community. Some asked about the rising call volume and what is behind it. Data provided on the referendum fact sheet shows that between 2012 and 2022, calls to the CFD increased 47%.
Vahsholtz said an aging population is one contributor. In addition, the Lasata Senior Living campus on Wauwatosa Road may add more calls if a community-based residential facility is approved.
The overall population of the city and town is also increasing, Vahsholtz said. Residential development is occurring in the town and the city, including the dense Fox Run neighborhood being built on Western Road and Hanover Avenue, as well as Fairway Village on the north side of Cedarburg, which has about 115 homes.
For much more information on the Cedarburg referendum, go to .