By Bruce Rolfe
With the Climax Township Fire Department now serving as medical and fire first responders in Wakeshma Township, Climax Township Assistant Fire Chief Sean Perrin told the Village Council and audience at the Council’s regular meeting September 15 the local fire department recently placed an emergency response vehicle in Fulton at the Wakeshma Township Fire Station.
Perrin said the Ford F550 has a utility box, can carry 200 gallons of water, extrication equipment, and medical gear.
He said the big benefit of having an emergency vehicle to respond to calls in Wakeshma Township is the fire station in Fulton is closer for some Climax Township firefighters. Instead of responding to the Climax Township Fire Station to get an emergency vehicle for a call in Wakeshma Township, firefighters can respond right to the Wakeshma Township Fire Station, cutting response time down as well as saving fuel expense.
The assistant fire chief said Kalamazoo County Emergency Management has loaned the truck to the Climax Township Fire Department for as long as the department needs to use it.
The Wakeshma Township Board left the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority (SKCFA) in 2025.
The Climax Township and Wakeshma Township boards began a one year agreement for fire and medical first responder service provided by the Climax Township Fire Department April 1, 2026.
In exchange, Climax Township will collect $64,778 Wakeshma Township currently receives for a 1-mill fire millage in place.
When the agreement with the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority ended, SKCFA retained ownership of any equipment that was stored or being used at Wakeshma Township.
Because the Climax Township Fire Department is now fire and medical first responders in Wakeshma Township, Kalamazoo County Emergency Management recognized the need to have a fire truck located at the Wakeshma Township Fire Station.
Perrin said the month of August was a busy one for the local fire department.
He said the fire department responded to 44 calls for service during the month. Among those calls 10 calls for service were in Wakeshma Township, and the local fire department responded to 10 calls in the Village of Climax.
Safebuilt Contract Approved
The Council unanimously approved (trustee Ben Moore was not in attendance) a new contract with Safebuilt, the company that provides permit, zoning and ordinance enforcement services to the Village.
The contract is for two years that will automatically renew after 12 months with an option for the Village to terminate the contract after one year with 90 days notice.
Finance/Insurance/Administration Chairperson Denise Pyle said the only notable changes to the new contract is a request by the Village to have a Village representative and Safebuilt representative meet for a quarterly face to face meeting, and Safebuilt will send letters to individual contractors regarding expiring permits and for permits that have already expired. It was also noted Safebuilt’s fees increased slightly from $90 per hour to $93.10 per hour.
The old contract expires October 20, 2026.
In other items covered at the September 15 meeting:
• DPW employee Lucas Piper said sidewalk replacement has been completed. He adds two trees that were scheduled to be removed on North Church Street have been removed and stumps will be removed soon.
• The DPW will soon start getting equipment ready for leaf pickup.
• The Village is working with CN Railroad on a permit to repair power lines under the railroad between water wells that were damaged from a lightening strike last year.
• October 10 is the curbside fall trash pickup date for Best Way customers only.
• The Council unanimously approved a motion to have the treasurer fill out a time card for the time the treasurer was required to be available on the final day for tax collection, and the treasurer be paid the statutory hourly rate of $25 per hour.
• Public Safety/Fire/Law Enforcement/Disaster Planning Chairman Nick Ludwig said there was an alleged report of vehicle that passed a school bus with the bus’ red emergency lights flashing.
Ludwig adds there was another report in Scotts of an alleged incident involving a vehicle that approached a school aged child and asked to help find the child’s dog. However it was later discovered there was no dog that was being looked for. Ludwig adds when the parent allegedly approached the vehicle the vehicle sped off.
• Ordinance/Zoning/Planning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly said there were no recent ordinance complaints filed with the Village.
With the Climax Township Fire Department now serving as medical and fire first responders in Wakeshma Township, Climax Township Assistant Fire Chief Sean Perrin told the Village Council and audience at the Council’s regular meeting September 15 the local fire department recently placed an emergency response vehicle in Fulton at the Wakeshma Township Fire Station.
Perrin said the Ford F550 has a utility box, can carry 200 gallons of water, extrication equipment, and medical gear.
He said the big benefit of having an emergency vehicle to respond to calls in Wakeshma Township is the fire station in Fulton is closer for some Climax Township firefighters. Instead of responding to the Climax Township Fire Station to get an emergency vehicle for a call in Wakeshma Township, firefighters can respond right to the Wakeshma Township Fire Station, cutting response time down as well as saving fuel expense.
The assistant fire chief said Kalamazoo County Emergency Management has loaned the truck to the Climax Township Fire Department for as long as the department needs to use it.
The Wakeshma Township Board left the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority (SKCFA) in 2025.
The Climax Township and Wakeshma Township boards began a one year agreement for fire and medical first responder service provided by the Climax Township Fire Department April 1, 2026.
In exchange, Climax Township will collect $64,778 Wakeshma Township currently receives for a 1-mill fire millage in place.
When the agreement with the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority ended, SKCFA retained ownership of any equipment that was stored or being used at Wakeshma Township.
Because the Climax Township Fire Department is now fire and medical first responders in Wakeshma Township, Kalamazoo County Emergency Management recognized the need to have a fire truck located at the Wakeshma Township Fire Station.
Perrin said the month of August was a busy one for the local fire department.
He said the fire department responded to 44 calls for service during the month. Among those calls 10 calls for service were in Wakeshma Township, and the local fire department responded to 10 calls in the Village of Climax.
Safebuilt Contract Approved
The Council unanimously approved (trustee Ben Moore was not in attendance) a new contract with Safebuilt, the company that provides permit, zoning and ordinance enforcement services to the Village.
The contract is for two years that will automatically renew after 12 months with an option for the Village to terminate the contract after one year with 90 days notice.
Finance/Insurance/Administration Chairperson Denise Pyle said the only notable changes to the new contract is a request by the Village to have a Village representative and Safebuilt representative meet for a quarterly face to face meeting, and Safebuilt will send letters to individual contractors regarding expiring permits and for permits that have already expired. It was also noted Safebuilt’s fees increased slightly from $90 per hour to $93.10 per hour.
The old contract expires October 20, 2026.
In other items covered at the September 15 meeting:
• DPW employee Lucas Piper said sidewalk replacement has been completed. He adds two trees that were scheduled to be removed on North Church Street have been removed and stumps will be removed soon.
• The DPW will soon start getting equipment ready for leaf pickup.
• The Village is working with CN Railroad on a permit to repair power lines under the railroad between water wells that were damaged from a lightening strike last year.
• October 10 is the curbside fall trash pickup date for Best Way customers only.
• The Council unanimously approved a motion to have the treasurer fill out a time card for the time the treasurer was required to be available on the final day for tax collection, and the treasurer be paid the statutory hourly rate of $25 per hour.
• Public Safety/Fire/Law Enforcement/Disaster Planning Chairman Nick Ludwig said there was an alleged report of vehicle that passed a school bus with the bus’ red emergency lights flashing.
Ludwig adds there was another report in Scotts of an alleged incident involving a vehicle that approached a school aged child and asked to help find the child’s dog. However it was later discovered there was no dog that was being looked for. Ludwig adds when the parent allegedly approached the vehicle the vehicle sped off.
• Ordinance/Zoning/Planning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly said there were no recent ordinance complaints filed with the Village.
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