Sand Lake Keeps Nelson Township Fire Services for Now, Plans Fire Authority

Village leaders vote down Nelson Township's offer to purchase the fire department, opt for temporary agreement and creation of a shared fire authority.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The ongoing dispute between the Village of Sand Lake and the surrounding townships of Nelson, Ensley, and Pierson over fire department services took another turn at a recent village council meeting. After rejecting Nelson Township's offer to purchase the fire department, the village voted to pass a resolution allowing them to continue providing fire services to Nelson Township for six months. During this time, the village and its legal counsel will work to establish a fire authority, a shared committee with representation from each entity to oversee fire services going forward.

Why it matters

The conflict over fire department services has been ongoing for nearly two years, with the Village of Sand Lake previously announcing it would terminate contracts with the three surrounding townships. This decision sparked frustration from township officials and residents, who felt there was a lack of communication from the village. The creation of a fire authority aims to provide a collaborative solution to managing fire services for the affected communities.

The details

At the village council meeting, leaders first gave a financial overview presentation in an effort to provide transparency and debunk claims they say were circulating on social media. They denied having any comingling of funds and wanted to clarify how the general funds work and the previous payment amounts from each entity. After this, the board voted to deny Nelson Township's offer to purchase the fire department, citing inconsistencies in the term sheet and it not making financial sense for the village to completely turn over the department. The board then voted to pass a resolution allowing Sand Lake to continue fire services with Nelson Township for six months, during which time they will work to establish a fire authority that would provide shared ownership and decision-making for the fire services.

  • The Village of Sand Lake announced it would terminate fire department service contracts with Nelson, Ensley and Pierson townships at the end of December 2025.
  • The village council meeting where these latest developments occurred was held on Monday, February 17, 2026.
  • The resolution passed by the village council allows for fire services to continue with Nelson Township for six months, until March 31, 2026.

The players

Mollie Doerr

President of the Village of Sand Lake council.

Robyn Britton

Supervisor of Nelson Township, who was not present at the village council meeting.

Village of Sand Lake

A Michigan village that provides fire department services to the surrounding townships of Nelson, Ensley, and Pierson.

Nelson Township

One of the townships that receives fire services from the Village of Sand Lake, and offered to purchase the fire department, which was rejected by the village.

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What they’re saying

“All this has been is dirty politics, is what it is and backing us into a corner to sign that term sheet. As we spoke about up here, they're not even realistic time frames to get anything done. It was just accept this offer, hand everything over to us because of all of these things that have to do with our finances which is not actually reality.”

— Mollie Doerr, Village of Sand Lake Council President (woodtv.com)

“We're done. We're done after March 31.”

— Firefighter (woodtv.com)

What’s next

The ball is now in Nelson Township's court. If they choose to accept the terms of the memorandum of understanding, the Village of Sand Lake and its legal counsel will work to create the fire authority. If not, the village says it will pursue establishing its own fire department.

The takeaway

The ongoing conflict over fire department services in this region highlights the challenges of managing shared resources and the need for effective communication and collaboration between local governments. The creation of a fire authority aims to provide a more equitable and sustainable solution, but the ultimate success will depend on the willingness of all parties to work together constructively.