By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- The Eldridge City Council voted unanimously July 21 to assume operational control of the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company, authorizing the city to hire a fire chief, supervise volunteers, and construct living quarters on the fire station’s second floor.
- The Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company, an independent nonprofit serving the city and surrounding rural areas, voted in early June to remain independent rather than transition to municipal control, and submitted a three-year budget request beginning at approximately $766,000 annually.
- A straw poll of department volunteers indicated that approximately 50 percent would depart the department if the city assumed control, raising concerns about experience loss and replacement costs.
- City officials cited concerns about fiscal oversight of taxpayer dollars directed to an independent entity and conducted comparative analysis with comparable Iowa communities, which reportedly operated on lower budgets while maintaining paid chiefs.
- Fire department leaders stated that trust between the city and department had eroded following years of negotiations and cited years of chronic underfunding as a basis for the three-year budget request.
ELDRIDGE, IOWA — The Eldridge City Council voted unanimously July 21 to transition the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company from an independent nonprofit to a city-operated department, rejecting the volunteer organization’s request for continued independent status and three-year municipal funding.
All five council members voted in favor of a motion authorizing the city to hire a fire chief position, provide direct supervision of volunteer personnel, and construct expanded living quarters on the fire station’s upper floor.
The Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company, which operates as an independent nonprofit organization, provides emergency medical and fire services to Eldridge and unincorporated surrounding areas. After extended negotiations spanning multiple years regarding potential municipal transition, department members conducted an internal vote in early June 2026. Members voted to remain independent rather than be absorbed into municipal operations.
Following that vote, fire department leadership submitted a three-year budget request to the city for financial support of continued independent operations. The initial year request totaled approximately $766,000, encompassing compensation for two full-time staff members, capital improvements including building expansion, and equipment replacement and maintenance. The department conducted a public campaign to support their budget request, distributing information materials and hosting community meetings for residents.
At a city council meeting July 13, fire department officials addressed budget concerns and expressed deteriorated relations with the city resulting from prolonged negotiation delays. Department representatives disclosed results of an internal straw poll regarding member willingness to remain with the department should the city assume control. Approximately 50 percent of volunteers indicated they would resign if municipal takeover occurred.
City officials expressed apprehension regarding budget request magnitude and the city’s capacity to ensure accountability of taxpayer dollars directed to an independent entity. Assistant City Administrator Jeff Martens outlined city staff research conducted since his 2022 hiring, including comparative fiscal analysis with comparable Iowa communities.
Martens noted that Nevada, Iowa operated a fire department with a paid chief on an annual budget of $260,000, and LeClaire, Iowa budgeted $541,000 for fiscal year 2026 with compensation for a paid chief and paid captain. Martens stated that the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company received a $721,000 FEMA SAFER grant in 2023 for volunteer retention and recruitment purposes and employed a full-time grant administrator.
Martens characterized the situation as a management concern rather than a funding issue, a characterization that drew negative reaction from audience members.
Council Member Jeff Ashcraft, who proposed the motion for municipal takeover, stated the action would support continuity of fire and emergency medical services while ensuring proper oversight of municipal financial expenditures.
Council Member Brian Dockery initially advocated for an alternative arrangement in which the city would own fire department assets and fund capital improvements while permitting the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company to retain independent management and hiring authority for a fire chief. However, Dockery ultimately voted in favor of municipal assumption.
Resident Judith Gilbert spoke before the vote in support of funding the volunteer department’s three-year budget request. Gilbert cited the department’s internal vote supporting continued independence and characterized the volunteer organization as experienced, certified, and committed to service. Gilbert warned that municipal assumption would result in immediate volunteer departures and substantial costs replacing experienced firefighting personnel.
Following the council vote, volunteer fire department members in attendance stood and exited the meeting. Multiple residents gathered outside the council chambers expressed frustration regarding the council decision.