Tharp resigns from rural fire district board

The Hill County Commission accepted the resignation of Rural Fire District 1 Board Member Susan Tharp at their weekly business meeting Thursday, leaving the board with just two members, and without a quorum.

In her letter of resignation Tharp chastised the city, county and district for not caring about the people they serve and said her seat would be better-suited to someone willing to play along.

“I no longer feel my position on the board is of any real significance, if it ever was,” she said in the letter, “... I feel that it is best for me to make room for someone who doesn’t mind playing the ‘good ole boys’ one-upmanship game that seems prevalent between the city, county and fire districts with no regard to the constituents that we serve.”

Tharp said she left her notebook behind so the one who takes her seat will have a smooth transition.

Tharp is the second member of the RFD1 Board to resign in five weeks, following Courtney Tait, who quit last month after the board voted to adopt a fire suppression agreement with the city of Havre with which he disagreed.

At the meeting the commissioners also unanimously passed an Extension Services Agreement between Montana State University Extension and Hill County for fiscal year 2022, which allows them to retain their extension agents.

They also unanimously approved an amendment to the Hill County Health Department’s Immunization Program Task Order to include additional funding for local health jurisdictions to participate in COVID-19 vaccination planning.

The commissioners also said a swearing-in is scheduled for Monday morning of an interim county attorney to replace Hill County Attorney Karen Alley, who resigned last month effective Sunday.