A new ladder truck will be purchased by the City of Prior Lake in 2027, requiring a change to the current fire and rescue agreements with the City of Credit River and Spring Lake Township.

The city has had a long-standing agreement with those entities to provide fire and rescue services on a shared-cost basis. The current contract was entered into with the three parties in 2021 and will run through 2031. The agreement states how costs will be allocated, and includes a list of anticipated major expenditures to be realized in the future so each governing body can budget accordingly.

The costs for providing fire service is split among the parties based on the taxable valuation of the respective jurisdictions, according to City Manager Jason Wedel. All parties receive an update from the Scott County Assessor’s Office each year. Based on the current valuations, Prior Lake is responsible for approximately 70 percent of all fire and rescue costs, while Credit River pays 18 percent and 12 percent is covered by Spring Lake Township.

The new ladder truck will cost $1.86 million, according Wedel. Since delivery of the new truck will be accepted in 2027, amendments to both agreements were drafted and accepted by Credit River and Spring Lake officials. The Prior Lake City Council also approved the amended agreements during the Feb. 10 meeting.