MARSHALL — A group of Lyon County townships served by the Marshall Fire Department will have updated fire service agreements.

Besides having updated fire service fees, the new agreements are for a three-year term instead of an annual one.

Marshall City Council members voted to approve the new fire service agreements on Tuesday.

Marshall City Clerk Steven Anderson said discussions about the updated fire agreements started earlier this year.

“Back in January, city staff met with representatives from the contracted townships, to review the terms and payment amounts of the annual service agreement,” Anderson said. “The formula that we use has been in place since 2012, so it was a good time to take a look at the formula, and have a review with all the townships.”

Discussions with townships continued, and they reached new service terms and fees in March, Anderson said. He said the fire services townships receive will be the same, but the agreements would have a three-year term instead of an annual contract. The city and townships would still have an annual review of fire services, however.

“I think we came to a good solution,” Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes said. “The reality is, with the formula that came from the (Minnesota) Township Association, it created some inequities between the townships and between the different fire departments that potentially could serve the area.”

Agenda materials for Tuesday’s council meeting said the original formula to determine service charges for each township served by the Marshall Fire Department was based by a formula recommended by the Minnesota Township Association. The Minnesota Township Association’s formula used factors like the number of service calls and the population of townships to distribute operational costs of the fire department to the townships.

The townships that agreed to the new terms included Clifton, Fairview, Lake Marshall, Lynd, Sodus and Stanley townships.

The new fire service fee amounts were $14,400 for Clifton Township; $19,871 for Fairview Township; $26,314 for Lake Marshall Township; $10,212 for Lynd Township; $12,012 for Sodus Township; and $5,712 for Stanley Township.

“These amounts would also be the amounts the townships would be paying in 2026 and 2027 as well,” Anderson said.

Council members voted to approve the new fire service agreements with the townships.