Green Bay area residents will see no change to emergency medical services after the Algoma Town Board voted to reject a proposal to create a joint EMS district with the city of Oshkosh. The decision, reported by Fox 11, came after several hours of public discussion and opposition from volunteers and neighbors who feared the move would diminish Algoma’s influence over its own emergency services.
Town officials had presented the EMS district as a governance restructure that would not alter the existing ambulance contract with Oshkosh but would potentially unlock a $50,000 annual state grant for multiple years. According to the board’s explanation, the district would have given Algoma additional control over EMS operations, which currently are managed by Oshkosh.
“Very happy and pleased with the ultimate outcome,” said Don Houde of the Algoma Fire Department. Houde added that while the door remains open for future discussions, the community’s compassion and emphasis on local work guided the vote.
Robert Whitaker of McMahon Associates, who led a study on the possible merger, noted that the proposal would simply place the same service under a different governance agreement. “You’re providing the same service under a different governance agreement,” Whitaker said, underscoring that the practical impact on emergency response would be minimal.
Town Administrator Maggie Mahoney expressed concern that the new structure would not give Algoma an equal seat at the table, stating, “I do not think the town would agree to a government structure that would not give us a more equal place at the table.” Residents echoed this sentiment; Algoma citizen Scott Middleton warned, “If we join this district, we’ll be the minority,” suggesting limited benefit for the town.
Volunteer firefighters also opposed the plan, viewing it as a first step toward a full fire department merger with Oshkosh. Fire Chief Kevin Sawicki reminded the board that the comprehensive plan spanned multiple phases, saying, “We keep hearing this EMS district, EMS district. The whole plan is laid out. It’s one through five. You can focus on the one, but the rest of it’s there.”
The board’s vote maintains Algoma’s current arrangement, where the town contracts with Oshkosh for ambulance services while retaining independent fire operations. The town does not currently face a shortage of volunteer firefighters, contrary to trends in other parts of the country.
Town officials indicated the issue could be revisited in the future, but for now Algoma’s EMS and fire services will continue operating independently, preserving local control and community oversight.
What’s next: The town will monitor the effectiveness of its existing emergency services and may consider alternative governance options at a later date, though no specific timeline has been set.
Sources: fox11online.com
