Marshfield voters OK fire referendum

MARSHFIELD  –  Marshfield Fire & Rescue will gain at least two more firefighters after voters on Tuesday OK’d a referendum taking the fire department back to 2021 staffing levels.

The measure passed by more than 700 votes, with 3,566 casting ballots in favor; the “no” votes came in at 2,848.

With the referendum’s passage, Marshfield will have 12 firefighter-paramedics.

To fund that change, the city said it will now be able to raise the tax levy by 1.63%, starting in 2026. That’s expected to bring in an additional $257,000 from property taxes, costing residents an additional $13.28 each year for every $100,000 of property value.

In a release, city officials said Marshfield Fire & Rescue has seen a 48% increase in service calls since 2000 – and that almost 20% of those calls are coming in at the same time. That has left the department struggling at times to respond effectively.

In a release, Fire Chief Everett Mueller said the city is at a “pivotal moment.”

“As the city continues to expand its limits with limited infrastructure to support public safety, it is critical that we return to our 2021 staffing levels to ensure we can meet increasing demands and maintain effective emergency response,” he said.