What a renewed contract means for fire services in Franklin Twp.

Franklin Twp. approved a 10-year extension of its fire contract with the city of Middletown.

The contract will continue fire suppression services for township residents who live in an unincorporated area bordered by Interstate 75, Manchester Road, the Butler/Warren county line and Coles Road.

While Middletown provides fire suppression services, the city does not perform inspection or EMS services, and the Joint Emergency Medical Services will continue to provide EMS services for that area of the township.

The trustees approved the contract renewal Wednesday after a termination clause was added to the contract at their request. Administrator Traci Stivers said last fall that the previous trustees board had reservations that such a lengthy contract did not have such an exit clause. Middletown City Council approved the contract in September.

In the previous 10-year pact, the township paid Middletown $425 per run. That rate will remain for the new 10-year fire contract. However, the new agreement has a provision that the contract rate shall be subject to renegotiation at the end of the fifth year of the agreement.

Since the 1996 annexation of the Towne Mall area, Middletown has provided fire suppression services for the small portion of Franklin Twp. under a contracted rate of $300 per fire run for the unincorporated area of the township adjacent to the city. That amount increased to $425 per fire run in 2006. Another provision of this agreement called for Middletown to acquire the former township fire station on South Dixie Highway that formerly served that portion of the township.

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