LDCFM proposes six-factor formula to split shared operating costs between Lawrence and Douglas County

Representatives of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical presented a proposed new approach May 6 for allocating the joint service27s shared operating costs between the City of Lawrence and Douglas County.

Chief Darling and LDCFM governance staff outlined weaknesses of the prior single-factor method (a staffing-based split) that produced volatile year-to-year swings when staffing assignments changed. To reduce abrupt shifts and better reflect service demand, the governance team proposed an unweighted composite of six objective factors: total population, total population protected, apparatus responses (counting each deployed apparatus), a fire/EMS staffing ratio, incidents by planning zone, and a modeled split that estimates how responses would have been allocated had the agencies remained separate. Applying 2020 census and recent 2024202025 call data produced a composite result of roughly 60.6% city / 39.4% county for shared operating expenses.

Staff said the formula is intended to be robust against small year-to-year changes, to provide clearer multi-year budgeting for both partners and to allow more targeted conversations about where to deploy resources without triggering large fiscal swings. Governance recommended a multi-year contract for the allocation (staff suggested three years to allow adjustments once Station 6 opens and to gather further data).

Commissioners questioned whether capital purchases (ambulances, fire apparatus) would remain the separate responsibility of the agency that historically purchased them; presenters said capital was envisioned to remain outside the shared operating bucket with the existing practice continuing unless changed by agreement. Public commenters including a former chief praised the analytic approach and urged archiving the derivation for future transparency.

The governance team will bring a formal recommendation and proposed multi-year agreement back to the board for approval; staff recommended using the composite percentages to build the 2027 budget pending a formal governance contract.