Hazelwood Cancels Agreement With Robertson Fire District

HAZELWOOD, MO — A few days before Christmas, the Hazelwood City Council voted to cancel its decadeslong agreement with the Robertson Fire Protection District, citing its high cost. Though the city left room for negotiation, the plan is for the Hazelwood Fire Department to hire an additional 15 firefighters and paramedics and take over fire and ambulance service in the western part of the city by January of 2019, the Post-Dispatch reports.

The resolution passed by the council says the cost of the agreement has fallen disproportionately on the city's taxpayers and is endangering other city services. In 1995, the cost to the city was just over $1 million annually. Today it is $3.6 million. The council also said the fire district was keeping more money on hand than is standard — more than 100 percent of its operational budget.

Robertson Fire Protection District Chief Don Miner said much of the cash on hand is bond money reserved for new fire trucks and other equipment, and that his district is not as rich as the city of Hazelwood claims.

The final question may be kicked to voters next year if both the city and the fire district can agree on the precise wording of a ballot measure. Some citizens raised concerns that property taxes could go up if the decision stands.

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