Havre fire chief retires, assistant fire chief steps down

Editor's note: This version adds comments from the Rural Fire District 1 Board chair.

Havre Fire Chief Mel Paulson is retiring from the Havre Fire Department Friday, and Assistant Havre Fire Chief Nathan Courtnage is stepping down from his position Monday, seemingly leaving the city without a municipal fire chief.

Paulson said Thursday morning that he doesn't 100 percent want to retire but he feels he needs to.

"I just feel it's time," he said.

Courtnage said he cannot talk about why he is stepping down.

Paulson said they will help as much as they can with the leadership transition and said it needs to be done as swiftly as possible.

Havre Daily News had not received a reply to a request for comment from Mayor Doug Kaercher by the time this was posted.

Hill County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Amanda Frickel said she was told Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich would be given control of the department, which she said is a serious problem.

Matosich also had not replied to a request for comment by the time this was posted this morning.

Frickel said Matosich does not meet the requirements to be considered a fire chief and should a fire chief not be named by the time Paulson leaves that could put the city in breach of its contract with Rural Fire District 1, a ring of land in Hill County around city limits that Havre Fire Department provides fire suppression services to.

Frickel said the contract requires that a municipal fire chief must be on staff at all times, and this could jeopardize that contract.

RFD1 Board Chair Steve Jamruszka said this morning that he is not sure if Paulson and Courtnage leaving their positions would void the contract, and he is looking into that.

Jamruszka said he is confident they will get something worked out.

Watch for updates here and in Friday’s edition of Havre Daily News.