Rural fire service rates increased

The city of Whitefish has entered into a revised interlocal agreement with the Whitefish Fire Service Area that will bring rural taxpayer bills for fire service more in-line with what is already paid by city taxpayers. 

The five-year agreement increase rates for the fire service area, which includes the rural area around Whitefish, from $90 to $144 for the residential assessment. The increase applies to houses, business and other structures, according to City Manager Chuck Stearns.

“This is an equity issue that we’ve been negotiating for many years and this year they agreed to meet that issue,” Stearns said.

Ed Lieser, Whitefish Fire Service Area board member, said the board is satisfied with the new agreement.

“This relationship is beneficial to the city and the residents of the fire service area,” he said. “We have arrived at a reasonable position that will benefit both.”

Under the new agreement, a house valued at $307,000, which is the median house value for Whitefish, would pay about $103 for the annual fire assessment, he noted.

The WFSA board also agreed to an annual inflationary increase of 2 percent rather than fixed annual payments for five years as in past agreements.

In addition, the board agreed to pay an increase for the equivalent of the water tender equipment owned by the city because the tender is primarily to benefit the rural fire service where fire hydrants don’t exist.

The city will take in an additional $277,000 from the fire service area, but Stearns noted that money will be used to provide services in the rural fire area.

“This continues the cooperative relationship we’ve had with the fire service area,” Stearns said.

The city initially proposed that the WFSA also increase its annual contribution by an inflationary increase of 4 percent per year and pay for half of the annual debt service costs for the new water tender and fire pumper equipment costs.

However, WFSA agreed to an annual contribution with a 2 percent annual increase to the base fee calculation and to add another $$16,000 in contributions for the equivalent of half the debt service of the water tender. WFSA argued that the consumer price index, which the city uses, was only 1.3 percent in recent years and that Social Security had no increase this year.

“We should recognize their willingness to meet us part way on our requests,” Stearns told council. “Such negotiations often result in a compromise and the WFSA proposal represents compromises of both parties.”

The Flathead County Commissioners approved the fee increase this fall, however the commissioners admonished the WFSA board for not planning for a transition to another type of fire service as future fee increases might not be granted, according to Stearns’ memo to council.

Once the city of Whitefish gains a first class city status with a population of 10,000, the city will likely no longer be able to employ volunteer firefighters and the WFSA will need to employ volunteers after that point.