Adopting a Resolution approving the 2026 Joint Powers Agreement for the Minnesota Task Force One Urban Search and Rescue Team and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the agreement on behalf of the City of Rochester.

The City of Rochester through the Rochester Fire Department remains a member of Minnesota Task Force One, the State of Minnesota’s Urban Search and Rescue team, along with the Cities of Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Edina, and Dakota County.

Minnesota Task Force One provides specialized personnel, equipment, and technical rescue capabilities for complex incidents requiring resources beyond those normally available to an individual jurisdiction. Team capabilities include response to structural collapse, trench rescue, confined space rescue, rope rescue, and other incidents requiring specialized urban search and rescue resources.

The participating jurisdictions operate Minnesota Task Force One through a Joint Powers Agreement pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 471.59. The current agreement was established in 2016 and provided the framework for the governance, administration, training, equipping, and deployment of the team.

With the existing agreement reaching the end of its term, the participating jurisdictions have developed an updated Joint Powers Agreement to continue Minnesota Task Force One operations. The 2026 agreement continues the cooperative relationship among Rochester, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Edina, and Dakota County and establishes the team's framework for an additional ten-year period.

Approval of the agreement will allow the Rochester Fire Department to continue its participation in Minnesota Task Force One and maintain access to the regional and statewide capabilities provided through the team.

The primary policy consideration is whether the City should continue participating in this regional and statewide public safety partnership. Approval maintains Rochester’s access to specialized resources, training, equipment, and personnel available through Minnesota Task Force One.

No specific DEI impacts have been identified as a result of approving the Joint Powers Agreement. Minnesota Task Force One provides emergency response capabilities based on incident needs and supports the delivery of specialized rescue services to communities throughout Minnesota.

The City of Rochester has participated in Minnesota Task Force One for several years. The current Joint Powers Agreement was established in 2016 and provides the framework for Rochester and the other member jurisdictions to participate.

The Common Council has also previously considered actions related to Rochester’s participation in Minnesota Task Force One, including action in 2023 related to the assignment of a Rochester Fire Department Captain as the team’s Logistics Officer and associated fiscal agent responsibilities.

No additional community engagement was conducted for this action. The proposed Joint Powers Agreement continues an existing intergovernmental public safety partnership and does not establish a new City service or program.

Approval of the Joint Powers Agreement does not, by itself, create a new City program or staffing request. Rochester Fire Department currently participates in Minnesota Task Force One, and this action continues that existing relationship.

Minnesota Task Force One is supported through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Costs and reimbursements associated with team activities, training, equipment, personnel, and deployments are administered in accordance with the Joint Powers Agreement and applicable state funding requirements. Any future City expenditures or staffing changes outside existing budget authority would be brought forward through the appropriate City budget or approval process.

No alternative actions are suggested at this time.