Bucks, Fire Department Have Cost Sharing Agreement

The Milwaukee Bucks will reimburse the city for up to $500,000 for assigning firefighters to Fiserv Forum. But the team and Milwaukee Fire Department‘s (MFD) relationship goes beyond just cash.

The team and MFD are partnering on a co-branded t-shirt that the team will sell. Half of the proceeds will go towards the Bucks Foundation, while MFD will allocate its half to the Ignite the Spirit program for firefighters in crisis and the Junior Fire Institute said Deputy Chief Aaron Lipski.

MFD representatives were before the Common Council’s Public Safety & Health Committee Thursday morning to secure approval of the deal. The agreement, which is retroactive to the arena’s August 2018 opening, runs through July 2020. It allows the city to bill up to $60.31 per hour, the top pay rate with overtime, for firefighters who are specially assigned to the arena.

“It’s a little like a NASA launch control facility when you’re in the room they’ve installed for this,” said Lipski describing the arena’s control center.

Lipski praised the Bucks for being proactive with the security planning for the entire complex.

“Too often we get mired in the negativity, but this is incredibly positive,” said Alderman Mark Borkowski.

A similar cost-sharing agreement exists for the Milwaukee Police Department, but it does not contain a maximum charge.

The fire hydrants around surrounding Deer District and Fiserv Forum are also subject to a special collaboration between the department, Milwaukee Water Works and team. They contain 15 unique designs painted by Chief Water Distribution Repair worker Chad Schuster

The committee unanimously approved the agreement. Next it will go before the full Common Council.

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Related Legislation: File 190873