SWOX and Zorra Councils considering shared fire chief and deputy fire chief model

Debbie Kasman, Tillsonburg Post Correspondent

South-West Oxford Township (SWOX) Council approved, in principle, a shared fire service leadership model with Zorra Township. Council first considered a shared model at its Feb. 17 meeting. Subsequently, Zorra Council considered a similar request at its Feb. 18 meeting.

If given final approval, both the fire chief and deputy fire chief would be shared positions between the two municipalities. The combined salary and associated employment costs for the two positions would be cost-shared equally between the two municipalities as well.

SWOX council also authorized staff to begin the recruitment process for a shared deputy fire chief position, subject to finalization of the shared services agreement between both municipalities.

The intention of this model is not to amalgamate services, but rather to strengthen leadership capacity, improve continuity of operations, and provide a more sustainable structure for both municipalities while maintaining independent fire services, governance, and community identity.

Staff from both townships worked collaboratively to prepare a draft shared fire chief and shared deputy fire chief shared services agreement, along with role descriptions for both positions. The draft shared services agreement outlines proposed job descriptions and key responsibilities for each position.

The agreement also outlines the proposed governance framework, hosting arrangements, cost-sharing structure, reporting relationships, and service expectations for both municipalities.

The agreement is currently in draft form and will require further refinement through continued discussions between staff prior to being brought back to both councils for final approval and execution.