OWENSVILLE — In just under 90 minutes Thursday morning, Owensville city staff and elected officials met in a workshop setting with members of the Owensville Fire Protection District Board of Directors to iron out plans for transferring equipment to the voter-approved fire district as of the first of the year.

Stephanie Karr, the city’s attorney, and Chris Jensen, attorney for the fire district, will have an ordinance prepared for city officials to adopt on Monday, Dec. 15, when the city’s Board of Aldermen is scheduled to convene next. No meeting is planned for Dec. 1.

The city, as previously reported, is prepared to adopt by ordinance an agreement to transfer all 18 pieces of apparatus to the voter-approved fire protection district as of Jan. 1, 2026, for the nominal fee of $1 per truck. Included in the agreement will be all equipment currently kept with each truck.

Boats, motors and trailers currently owned by the now disbanded Owensville Rural Fire Protective Association will also be transfered to the fire district.

Under the agreement, the fire district will pay $16,101.70 per year to the city — due by June 1 starting June 2026 — for 10 years to pay off a fire truck.

The city’s end of the agreement will include leases for the two fire stations in Owensville — No. 1 on West Franklin Avenue and No. 3 on Springfield Road. The fire district will be responsible for “repairs, maintenance, trash, water and sewer services, electric, propane, signage and miscellaneous” expenses, according to the city’s draft minutes from the workshop held at Owensville City Hall.

Any expenses over $5,000 on building upkeep plans will require city approval, the two sides agreed.

As of Oct. 14, the city had a balance of $356,725.24 on a loan with First State Community Bank which was used to purchase a fire truck and make an addition worth approximately $68,000 to Station No. 3. The fire district board plans to refinance this loan.

A reserve fund of $57,122.63 maintained by a non-profit association affiliated with the volunteer fire service will remain in the Capital Improvement Reserves Account with the city for down payments needed for grants sought for a new fire tanker truck being sought with grant funds and radio equipment already awarded through a FEMA grant. Jensen noted the two parties will create new agreements for the grant funds. The volunteer fire department is awaiting word on the grant award for the tanker and the reserve fund will go toward the 5-percent matching portion of the grant which was approximately $42,000.

The grant for new radios has been approved and should be approximately $15,000, according to city records.

As of midnight Dec. 31 into Jan. 1, 2026, the fire district will be in full operation, according to city and fire officials.

The city will be responsible for snow removal the snow from driveways at both stations in the city and maintain the concrete drives shared by fire and city police at Station No. 1. The fire district will be responsible for the gravel on parking areas at both stations in town.

Following the workshop, Michael Kelley, a rural Owensville resident from the Bem community, was sworn in as a member of the Owensville Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors. He replaces James Diestelkamp who won election in April but resigned earlier this fall following the death of his wife, Janet.

Kelley sat in on the workshop along with Michael Nolting (board president), Bobbi Limberg, and Cheryl Schlottach. Jeff Arnold, chief of the Owensville Fire Department, and Jeff Limberg, assistant chief also attended.

City elected officials participating included Mayor Kevin McFadden, Ward 1 Aldermen Cathy Lahmeyer and Dan Breeden, and Ward 2 Alderman Denise Bohl. City staff in attendance included City Clerk Peggy Farrell, Deputy Clerk Kara Meyer, and City Administrator Randy Blaske.