Fire chiefs: Resolved court case belies relationship city, county fire departments share
The Missouri Western District Court of Appeals last week made a final decision in a jurisdiction dispute between the Columbia Fire Department and the Boone County Fire Protection District.
The county fire district does not have jurisdiction over property annexed into city limits, the appeals court ruled.
Despite the legal battle, the work between between the two departments will continue much as it has before, Columbia Fire Chief Andy Woody and Boone County Fire District Chief Scott Olsen wrote in recent emails to the Tribune.
Previously: Boone County Fire District does not have jurisdiction over annexed Columbia land, appeals court rules
"The Boone County Fire Protection District and the Columbia Fire Department have always had, and continue to have, a cooperative and coordinated operational approach to incident response," Olsen wrote in a statement. "We will continue to work with the City of Columbia to develop an agreement between the two organizations that will ensure the citizens of each jurisdiction receive timely and appropriate response, while minimizing the loss of the Fire District's tax base due to annexation."
Until April 2018, the two entities had territorial and cooperative agreements that allowed the county to maintain stations and provide emergency services in areas the city had annexed, according to the court's opinion.
Just because there has not been an agreement between the two entities since then does not mean there is a barrier to them working together, Woody wrote.
"There is a perceived wall between our two agencies. In reality, we work very well together and communicate regularly," Woody wrote. "... Contracts and legal measures have created a truly incorrect perception of some sort of confrontational relationship between the two departments that simply doesn’t exist."
The two departments are able to count on each other if needed, Woody added.
"All citizens and visitors should know that providing highly effective services and keeping them safe is the only mission of both organizations, and we will continue to work together to ensure that happens," Woody wrote.
While Woody did not say if the result of the court case will bring both entities back to a negotiating table, he did note the two departments regularly work with each other to ensure city and county residents are served in the best ways possible.
"Both agencies work together routinely to ensure a productive relationship is in place. ... This is evaluated and modified as often as needed," he wrote.
In cases where mutual aid is needed between departments, the relationship continues.
"(Our departments) are both highly effective and complement each other very well," Woody wrote.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Court case belies city, county fire department relationship, chiefs say
