RENO, Nev. (AP) - The Reno City Council has agreed to restart negotiations with Washoe County over an automatic aid agreement between their fire departments.

The council Wednesday also instructed staff to try to settle a dispute over money owed for past fire-related services.

The Reno Gazette-Journal (http://bit.ly/Q3FGqL ) reports the city also agreed to keep its mutual aid agreement with the county's Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District intact.

Mutual aid allows a fire department to call on another for help if its resources are strained. Automatic aid allows the closest fire crew to respond to calls for help regardless of political jurisdiction.

Reno and Washoe County ended their 12-year-old merged fire departments on July 1.

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