Eldridge approves fire department merger with city

After more than a year of heated debate, on Monday the Eldridge City Council approved a merger of its volunteer fire department and the city.

"For the fire department, for the council, for the community, it's been a tough road," said Eldridge Mayor Scott Campbell.

That's a road that has people split on whether they should go down it.

"You will have no fire department," said one person during a time for public comment. "That is not a transition, that is a collapse."

All 20 current fire department volunteers said they'd quit back in August if they city refused to approve their ideas for the department. They rescinded that once the city brought them back to discuss options.

"The fire department has made its choices" said another person during public comment. "Their actions have created their outcome. And now they stand here shocked, confused and playing victim."

The city and department's attorneys met to discuss an agreement. The department wanted to keep operational control, budget planning and decide on the new fire chief, and also wanted a three-year transitional period into the new department.

City staff members say what they asked for isn't reasonable. "City legal, city insurance, they are recommending against any sort of a proposal of an agreement that is not legal and does not make the safest move for the city," said Eldridge Alderman Ryan Iossi.

The volunteer fire department previously agreed to keep services as is through the end of the year. Eldridge firefighters refused to provide comments to Our Quad Cities News after the meeting.

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