Merrill Fire Department Awarded $50,000 from State Fire Dues Program
On Tuesday September 3rd, Merrill Fire Chief Josh Klug was presented with a ceremonial check for more than $50,000 from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Secretary Dan Hereth and Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance Nathan Houdek. In recent years, the Merrill Fire Department has utilized its Fire Dues funding, in part, to establish and maintain a dedicated Fire Inspector position on staff.
Chief Klug and Fire Inspector Joe Bozinski joined Mayor Steve Hass and City Administrator Rod Akey to accept the check. When asked about his experience in working with the community in the inspector role, Bozinski said ” People generally want to do the right things. Alot of time they’re not sure what that is and that’s part of my job, to educate them. From 2023 to 2024, I saw the number of violations go down 52 percent”. Addressing the impact of the fund on the inspection program, Bozinski was pleased to note that, thanks to state dues dollars, his salary is fully covered without affecting local taxpayer contributions.
The check represents the Merrill Fire Department’s share of funding from the state 2% Fire Dues program, a major source of funding for state fire departments.
