Ambulance closer to fire department merger

Bigfork Eagle

Bigfork Ambulance is moving forward with the next step toward transferring its assets to the Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department and dissolving the organization.

Members voted Tuesday, June 8, to direct the executive board to write up terms and conditions for the transfer of all of the organization's assets to Friends of Bigfork Fire, based on a recommendation from a local lawyer. The goal was to have these written by Wednesday's Bigfork Rural Fire District Board meeting, where the board was expected to possibly vote on adopting the ambulance's responsibilities and duties.

Discussions started in May about the possibility of disbanding and merging with the fire department due to concerns about members not responding to calls or signing up for call times, as well as problems with a lack of leadership structure and political conflicts.

At a May 11 meeting, the membership voted to send a draft letter to a local attorney to find out how best to proceed.

Bigfork attorney Randy Snyder recommended that the ambulance work to transfer its assets to a fellow 501(c)3, the Friends of Bigfork Fire, since the ambulance's charter dictates assets can only be donated to charitable, scientific or educational purposes. The fire department is not a non-profit, and therefore would not be able to receive the assets without tax penalties. Since Friends of Bigfork Fire is already set up to make donations to the fire department, it can then turn around and donate the assets on as well as maintain any earmarked funds.

After that transfer of assets to Friends of Bigfork Fire is complete, then the Bigfork Ambulance 501(c)3 can work on the actual dissolution process.

Jim Sticka, president of Friends of Bigfork Fire, and Chuck Gough, the organization's secretary, were present at the June 8 meeting to answer questions.

"We just want to make our organization available to make it as easy as possible for you all to make this transition," Sticka said.

The biggest challenge moving forward will be mapping out the actual transition of combining the two organizations, ambulance administrator Tracy Norred said. That work will be done with Bigfork Fire Chief Wayne Loeffler.

If all goes according to plan and paperwork is completed, Norred anticipated assets could be transferred by August.

Ambulance President John Beaubien said he has continued to see attitudes change for the better within the ambulance members since discussions began.

"I want to thank everybody," Beaubien said to those present at the meeting. "It's nice to know someone is going to respond when the pager goes off."