A Statement to the Residents of the Town of LaFayette

As many of you are aware from recent news coverage and social media discussions, the Town of LaFayette has chosen not to renew our agreement with the City of Elkhorn for Fire and EMS services. Our decision to take this action occurred well before any reporting and is based solely on providing efficient and fiscally responsible services to our residents.  The Town Board has no further statement to make regarding the Elkhorn Fire Department; other than we continue to maintain a positive relationship with the City of Elkhorn in areas where we can collaborate. 

The Town of LaFayette has spent several years evaluating how to best provide reliable, high‑quality emergency services. As fire protection and EMS costs continued to rise, the Town Board determined it was necessary to reassess whether our current arrangement with the City of Elkhorn remained sustainable.  During this review, we conducted a detailed budget analysis and found that continuing under the existing structure would place a significant financial strain on our town budget and residents.  The impact of those rising costs would have put the Town on an unsustainable financial path and affected our ability to operate at our current capacity moving forward.

Due to those findings, the Town Board began exploring ways to improve response times, reduce costs, and increase our representation in the decision‑making process for the services that protect our community. Over the past months, we have been in active discussions with the East Troy Area Emergency Services District to explore a new service model for our community.

After extensive research and discussions, including an independent review by Ehlers, Inc. that supported our own analysis, we’ve taken steps to partner with the East Troy Area Emergency Services District which will provide stronger long‑term stability and improved service for our residents.

The East Troy Area Emergency Services District is built on collaboration and is a true partnership, giving the Town an equal vote in operations, a benefit that has been unavailable to the Town through contracted services.

As part of this transition, the Town of LaFayette will be constructing a new fire station within the township. This station will be staffed and operated by the East Troy Area Emergency Services District, allowing for faster response times and a more localized level of service.[1]

What This Means for the Town of LaFayette

• Improved ISO ratings with positive impacts on homeowners’ insurance due to faster response times with a new fire station located within the township.
• Fire and EMS operating costs are estimated to be reduced by up to 50%.
• Continued Fire and EMS services from the City of Elkhorn until the transition is complete.

What’s Next

• On June 10^th, the Town Board unanimously adopted Resolution #2-2026: “A Resolution Authorizing the Town of LaFayette, Walworth County, to Create an Intergovernmental Agreement with the East Troy Area Emergency Services District” which will be presented to the fire district board at an upcoming meeting.
• The Town Board will hold an informational session for residents in July to provide additional details and answer questions.

This decision was made with careful consideration and with the goal of ensuring reliable, high‑quality, and financially responsible emergency services for the Town of LaFayette. We appreciate your support as we work to build a safe and sustainable future for our community.

 

Derek Steffen                  A.G. Shaw                     Greg Reesman
Chairperson                   Supervisor I                    Supervisor II

 

[1] This was also reviewed by Ehlers, Inc. and included in their analysis and findings to the Town Board.