After more than 100 years, the Stone Bank Fire Department will close.
The fire chief says the move took them completely by surprise.
This comes after the Town of Merton Board decided not to renew its contract with the Stone Bank Fire Department for 2020.
"They're not eliminating them, they're just becoming a bigger group, incorporating into a bigger group," said chairman of the town of Merton board, Tim Klink.
The fire chief of Stone Bank says they weren't even aware of talks with Western Lakes, saying, "At this point, we're considering it a takeover."
They would've preferred a merger with Lake Country Fire Department, who they had a working relationship with. According to Stone Bank Fire Department, the boards voted to use the Western Lakes Fire Department to respond for fire and EMS services in the area currently served by SBFD.
Klink says this was necessary to save money.