The council voted to accept a donation that transfers vehicles, equipment and the property at 201 West Hubbard Street from the Josephine Volunteer Fire Department to the City, a material step toward converting the volunteer operation into a city‑administered service. Staff emphasized this vote accepted assets; operational transition of volunteers is proceeding through human resources and a phased approach rather than an immediate operational takeover.

Council also approved a service agreement with Fire Recovery USA LLC to perform third‑party billing for vehicle accidents and emergency incidents. Staff noted the vendor bills insurance carriers and remits a percentage to the city after processing; the contract reserves city oversight and does not permit the vendor to pursue hard collections without city approval. Council discussed fees and whether to shop for alternative vendors; members asked staff to consider fee negotiations or a procurement process to potentially increase the city’s net share.

Finally, the council adopted an ordinance establishing mitigation rates to bill for deployments of emergency and nonemergency fire services. Members asked how future special districts (ESDs) might affect those rates; staff said rates would be revisited as governance and funding configurations evolve.

What happens next: Staff will complete volunteer onboarding paperwork, finalize accounting and reimbursement processes during the asset-transfer phase, implement the third‑party billing service and publish the mitigation rates and billing policy for transparency.