{"id":4878,"date":"2019-09-23T19:33:49","date_gmt":"2019-09-23T23:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/?p=4878"},"modified":"2026-04-13T13:34:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T17:34:08","slug":"wake-forest-plans-merger-with-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wake-forest-plans-merger-with-town\/","title":{"rendered":"Wake Forest Plans Merger with Town"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Wake Forest Fire Department is planning a merger with the Town of Wake Forest, effective July 1, 2010.<\/p>\n

From this web page<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Like many communities in North Carolina, the Town of Wake Forest is experiencing significant transition\u00a0and growth in service demand, thereby increasing the challenges of providing core local government functions, including fire and rescue services.\u00a0These \u201cgrowing pains\u201d are a natural progression of the maturation of a unit of local government and are not unique to Wake Forest.<\/p>\n

However, when dynamics change, so too must the infrastructure and systems that enable and support those basic functions.<\/p>\n

At the request of the Wake Forest Fire Department Board of Directors (a private not for profit corporation), the Town of Wake Forest is considering consolidating and unifying the Wake Forest Fire Department into the Town government.<\/p>\n

As part of its due diligence, the Town requested specialized assistance from EnviroSafe, a NC management consulting firm that specializes in local government public safety services and serves as the sole fire consulting provider for the NC League of Municipalities. In February 2019, EnviroSafe began conducting a feasibility study to encompass several aspects of this potential unification of the Wake Forest Fire Department, Inc. into a department of the Town of Wake Forest. The complete timeline is provided\u00a0below.<\/p>\n

Board of Commissioners Presentation – Sept. 3, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Executive Summary & Recommendations<\/a><\/p>\n

Feasibility Study<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Study Purpose<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

This independent, third-party, comprehensive analysis of the Wake Forest Fire Department is\u00a0designed to empower the Wake Forest Fire Department Board of Directors and Town of Wake\u00a0Forest elected officials with sufficient information to make responsible, long-term decisions that are in the best interest of protecting and servicing the people of Wake Forest, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

The decision of the Town to explore this potential was prompted by a request from the\u00a0Board of Directors of the Wake Forest Fire Department.<\/p>\n

Key drivers of this decision relate to\u00a0the scope and scale of operations that the fire department has grown to in recent years, parallel to the growth of the Town of Wake Forest. The fire department has grown to soon\u00a0over 80 career personnel along with both part-time and volunteer firefighters.<\/p>\n

The budget of\u00a0the fire department has grown to over $7.5 million annually. The Town of Wake Forest is currently funding approximately 80% of the overall cost of the fire department, with Wake\u00a0County\u2019s fire protection service district comprising the remaining 20%.<\/p>\n

Key challenges for the fire department include recruiting and retaining personnel. As a private, non-profit corporation fire department, the organization is not allowed to participate in the NC Local Government Employee Retirement System (NCLGERS). This void creates loss of current personnel to nearby municipal fire departments that do participate in the retirement system. In addition, the lack of participation in NCLGERS detracts some firefighter candidates from applying or accepting employment with the fire department.<\/p>\n

Finally, the percentage\u00a0turnover in the department in recent years is higher than is typical for similarly sized fire\u00a0departments that are allowed to participate in NCLGERS.<\/p>\n

Report Synopsis<\/h3>\n

The Wake Forest Fire Department is a progressive organization that provides credible service\u00a0to the people of Wake Forest. However, the current systems are not sustainable long-term as\u00a0the Town continues with rapid growth and complexity increases.<\/p>\n

It is the assessment team\u2019s\u00a0recommendation that it is in the best interest of the people of Wake Forest for the fire department\u00a0to become part of Wake Forest town government.<\/p>\n

Many Wake Forest residents may not even\u00a0recognize that their firefighters are not currently part of town government. Time is needed to\u00a0properly transition that unification with a mirage of human resource and operational\u00a0considerations. Costs to operate the fire department as a part of the Town will be higher in the\u00a0years ahead. However, provision of fire and rescue services are core, essential elements of\u00a0local government responsibility. With those additional costs, effectiveness, efficiency and\u00a0sustainability can be strengthened, resulting in improved outcomes over time.<\/p>\n

Timeline<\/h3>\n

November 2018 – Official letter received from Wake Forest Fire Department Board of Directors requesting the Town initiate a study on the feasibility of integrating the WF Fire Department into the Town\u2019s administration<\/p>\n

February 2019 – Board of Commissioners authorized retaining the services of EnviroSafe, a consulting firm that specializes in fire services planning, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility analysis on potential consolidation<\/p>\n

March 2019 – Data gathering: WF Fire and Town \u2013 Financial and Human Resources Information<\/p>\n

April\/May 2019 – Stakeholder input sessions \u2013 Board of Commissioners; WF Fire Board of Directors; WF Fire employees \u2013 SWOT Analysis<\/p>\n

June 2019 – Information\/education\/awareness session provided for WF Firefighters \u2013 NCLGERS \u2013 retirement system<\/p>\n

June\/July 2019 – Follow up meetings \u2013 Town staff and Chief Early<\/p>\n

August 2019 – Finalize draft report and summarize recommendations including financial impact of transition of fire service to Town<\/p>\n

September 2019 – EnviroSafe present results\/findings to Board of Commissioners and Wake Forest Fire Board<\/p>\n

October 2019 – Formal decisions by both Boards<\/p>\n

July 2020 – Effective date of transition if approved<\/p>\n