County looking to disband board that oversees Rural Fire 1

At the Rural Fire District meeting Wednesday night Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean said that the Rural Fire District 1 Board has not responded to the Commissions requests for minutes, treasurer’s information and meeting logs and the commission plans to take action to disband the board.

The board said that they do not want to get rid of Rural Fire District 1.  

“It provides a very integral part of the system. We truly believe in that and that’s why we feel it’s important to get a group that is willing to work together and find a direction and head down that path. There may be some growing pains for them, but I have faith in a group that can find their way just through communication,” said Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson. 

McLean said the way the district is set up creates a fairly unique situation.

“Rural District 1 is unlike any other fire district because it does not have trucks and equipment. Rural 1 entered into an agreement with City of Havre and the City of Havre provides the fire response within the city limits and within the Rural 1 district. They pass off 98 percent of the levy that is collected through taxes to Havre because that’s who provides the fire protection,” said McLean.

McLean also said that she believes grant funding that Opportunity Link obtained was relinquished because the deadline was passed for it to be used. 

Opportunity Link runs North Central Montana Transit in the region and the grant, written by Barb Stiffarm, was used to buy two new buses, and for the purpose of purchasing the Rural Fire District 1 building used for the storage of the busses. Rural District 1 entered an agreement with Opportunity Link to buy the building, however, over the past year Rural 1 has not responded to Opportunity Links’ requests to uphold the agreement, said McLean. 

“My personal opinion is this board has left us with no choice but to seek some sort of formal action to disband the board. They are holding illegal meetings, they are not providing documentation and have not provided documentation to the county commissioners for several years. I’m going to propose that the commissioners try and contact (Hill County Attorney Karen Alley) over the next couple days to see if we cant start some sort of action,” said Peterson. “We can’t allow a board to continue to do nothing and collect tax dollars.”

“We are aware that there is $190,000 in this boards account through our clerk and recorder who runs that account,” said McLean. 

The City of Havre has asked the county to work up a new agreement that will include stating who is responsible for making sure buildings in the district are up to code. The current agreement does not include that, Havre Mayor Tim Solomon said.

Solomon said this morning that he does not have any knowledge about the proposal to disband the current board.