Fitchron EMS District Commission Meeting – June 18, 2026

The Fitchron EMS District Commission convened on June 18, 2026, for its regular monthly meeting. Following a roll call, members approved previous meeting minutes, received the Chief’s report, handled several financial resolutions, and held a preliminary discussion on the proposed 2027 budget. No public testimony was offered.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The minutes from the regular meeting on May 21, 2026, and the special meeting on June 3, 2026, were approved by unanimous voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public were present or joined online to provide comment.

Discussion Items

• Chief's Report: Chief Boucher reported a significant increase in call volume, with 491 calls in the last month, tying the busiest month on record. Year-to-date call volume is down 1.2%. The district was out of resources 33 times in the past month and has required mutual aid from neighboring agencies 29 times so far in 2026. Personnel updates included the retirement of the last volunteer, Tom Bates, after 36 years of service, recognition of a cardiac arrest save, and the progression of a union grievance to state arbitration after the commission held a special meeting on the matter. The union also returned the permanent part-time MOU with proposed changes, which will be brought back for commission review. The ambulance fleet passed state inspection with minor violations.
• Resolution 202603 – GASB 54: The commission approved assigning budget funds to specific accounts, including sick leave liability ($480,320.53) and contract negotiation legal fees ($21,000).
• Review and Approval of Accounts Payable: The list of checks issued was reviewed and approved.
• District Check Approval and Signing Authority: The commission updated the list of authorized check signatories, removing a former citizen representative and adding Alder Jake Leper to serve alongside existing representatives. The motion to nominate and approve Leper was unanimous.
• Resolution 202604 – Use of Unassigned Fund Balance for Post-Retirement Health Care Fund: The commission unanimously approved allocating up to $88,328 from the unassigned fund balance to cover post-retirement healthcare payouts for two retiring employees, rather than drawing from the existing HRA fund.
• Preliminary 2027 Budget Discussion: The commission reviewed a preliminary budget draft in a non-actionable session. The Chief highlighted an estimated 2% municipal increase for Fitchburg, a 2% increase for Verona, and a 0.35% increase for the Town of Verona. Significant expense drivers included a 3% wage increase for represented staff, conversion to permanent part-time staffing, and a proposed increase in the medical director fee from $33,000 to $66,000 annually. The increase would secure a physician on-site for a second day each month for training and run review. Commissioners inquired about the scope and value of the additional physician time, with specific questions about market comparison and concrete deliverables. The Chief clarified that the current fee has not increased in a decade and that the request originated from the department, not UW. The commission requested that Dr. Mansera be invited to the next meeting to discuss the proposal. A phased approach to adding staffing over several years was also outlined.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: Unanimous approval was recorded for the May 21 and June 3 meeting minutes, Resolution 202603, the accounts payable checks, the update to check signing authority, and Resolution 202604.
• Next Steps: The 2027 budget was presented for discussion only and will be formally reviewed and authorized at the next meeting. Dr. Mansera was invited to present on the proposed medical director fee increase. The Chief will submit the preliminary budget to the municipalities for their input.