GRAFTON, Wis. — The Ozaukee Central Fire Department will likely be forced to operate on its 2025 budget after missing a critical deadline of December 1 to approve its increased 2026 plan, with the Town of Grafton being the sole holdout among four participating governments.
Watch: Fire budget dispute divides Ozaukee communities
The department, formed by a combination of Saukville and Grafton to begin operations in 2025, needs approval from both the villages and towns of both communities to move forward with a proposed budget that calls for an 8.7% increase in total revenues.
The budget impasse centers on what constitutes a fair share of funding. Under the proposed budget, the town's contribution would rise by double the overall percentage increase - approximately 18.9%.
"If the town of Grafton is going to use these services, they should pay their fair share," said Mary Kaminski, a longtime neighbor in the Village. "This area has really built up recently, and there's a lot more people here."
TMJ4 spoke with those on both sides of the debate in October.
Fire board officials say errors in the past budget are now being corrected, leading to the current adjustment. However, town officials argue the proposal unfairly singles them out.
The funding dispute will have operational impacts. Fire Chief Will Rice says the department cannot yet hire three voter-approved positions, with the first hire scheduled for the coming weeks.
Fire board president Barbara Dickmann says the combined department has improved response times and remains optimistic that a deal can be reached.
"We are in conversation and in negotiation to make this budget successful," Dickmann said. "We will continue to serve to the absolute best of our abilities, and have faith, we're going to get this done."
Town Chairman Lester Bartel has proposed funding a 5% increase as an alternative. Meanwhile, after a Monday board meeting, the village is seeking a legal opinion to determine if they can contribute more than the budget requires.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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