Spanish Fort City, Volunteer Fire Department To Merge

The Spanish Fort Volunteer Fire Department may become a city agency in the next year under plans being discussed by municipal officials and the department’s board, GulfCoastNewsToday.com reports. Mayor Mike McMillan said that he and City Attorney David Conner would meet with the board about the current plan, which calls for the department to merge with the city in the first six months of the upcoming fiscal year, which begins October 1. “Everybody seems to be on the same page with it,” McMillan said. “They recognize the ever-increasing price of fire departments. Their budget request this year is up from $1 million, which is what we paid them last year, to $1.3 million this year. So, their costs continue to go up. Their donations continue to go down.” The next steps for the merger are expected in April 2022.