Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert is expressing concern after the City was notified today that The Elkhorn Subruban Fire District wants to create its own fire department and end contracted services with Omaha.
Stothert says that the contract with Omaha for fire, rescue and medical services will end at the end of 2018. Omaha has provided those services to residents in the district since April 2009. Stothert and Fire Chief Dan Olsen say the decision is not in the best interest of the nearly 20-thousand citizens affected and that the level of service and response times would be negatively affected.
The district includes about 36 square miles, including more than 75 SID's and rural, areas outside city limits.
But the new fire chief for the district, Travis Harlow, says Elkhorn Suburban Fire plans to have 30 full time firefighters, 2 trucks and 2 squads.
The city of Omaha charged the district approximately $4.4 million for 1142 calls in 2016. Harlow believes they can reduce costs and save homeowners money.
In a statement Board President Bill Armburst said. "The Elkhorn Suburban Fire District board has spent two years diligently researching how to achieve the goal of providing excellent fire and rescue protection to our district at a reasonable property tax levy. Our board moved to take on the task of re creating the historically excellent Elkhorn fire and rescue when it became clear the city could not offer a contract at a fair and equitable price for our tax payers,"
The City took over Elkhorn's fire department during the annexation ten years ago, but the fire district is separate.
Stothert says the City of Omaha remains committed to negotiations.