Fire Board gets grant

POLSON - Last week was a busy one for the Polson Rural Fire Board, as it received a grant and held its monthly meeting. In addition, a candidates' forum put on by Polson firefighters for those running for the rural fire board in the May 4 election was held last Thursday.

Last Wednesday, trustees Alison Meslin and Paul Laisy were on hand at the new Polson Fairgrounds Fire Station to receive a grant from the Plum Creek Foundation. Lorrie Woods, a land asset manager with Plum Creek from Columbia Falls, came to Polson to present the $2,500 award, which will be used to buy turnout gear for new recruits at the new station. Turnout gear, according to Meslin, includes the pants, jackets, boots and helmets for firefighters fighting structural blazes.

"Turnout gear is expensive to buy for new recruits," Meslin said. "Jackets and trousers cost between $1,400 to $1,600, plus boots and a helmet."

Meslin originally wrote the grant for $10,000, but was grateful for the award the station received, noting that it will greatly help offset some costs.

Later Wednesday evening, the fairgrounds station hosted the Polson Rural Fire Board's monthly meeting. Chief Fairchild was absent due to sickness, but the five board members attended.

One of the biggest issues discussed by the trustees was fixing the five garage bay doors at the new station. The new doors shudder and shake while lifting, trustee Jack Clapp said, and do not work the way that they should. They present a danger to all using them, he said, and need to be fixed very soon.

The contractor that built the new station originally installed the doors, but after being looked at by a garage door installer, he determined they were "installed by someone who has no knowledge of installing commercial garage doors," Clapp said.

The repairs could cost $2,100 to $2,400, and trustee Fred Nelson encouraged the rest of the board to "bite the bullet" and get the doors fixed.

Also at issue were the operational capabilities of fire truck 323. Clapp said the truck wasn't capable of getting down to the April 10 car crash in the Flathead River and estimated repairs would cost approximately $2,000.

"Let's get it done and get it operational," Nelson said.

The board has also discussed purchasing a new truck that can take the place of 323. A committee composed of Laisy, Clapp and Fairchild is working "diligently" to find a suitable vehicle. Laisy proposed a motion to allow the truck committee to spend up to $25,000 on a vehicle, while also having 323 fixed. The motion passed unanimously.

The board members who attended the most recent Polson Fire Stakeholders group meeting reported back on the experience. Meslin said there was lots of honest discourse, including some lighthearted and some serious. She said it was good to get the issues on the table, including some sensitive subjects, and that the meetings are going well. Trustee Jim Manley, Clapp and Laisy all agreed, and believe the meetings are helpful.

"Let's see where it goes," Clapp said.

Last Thursday night, the Polson firefighters held a candidates' forum for the four candidates running for the board in the May 4 election. Approximately 15 people showed up to observe and listen at the forum, held in the Polson City Hall Commissioner's Chambers. Only two of the candidates, Stephen Stanley and Beth Hoel, attended the forum. Both incumbents Paul Laisy and Alison Meslin were invited but had prior commitments and could not attend. Stanley and Laisy are both running for the one-year term, while Meslin and Hoel are running for the three-year seat. The four candidates have split into two groups: Meslin and Laisy are partnering up as running mates while Stanley and Hoel are doing the same.

The questions at the forum were compiled beforehand by the Polson firefighters, and read by moderator Steve McCoy. McCoy alternated between the two candidates, designating one or the other to be the first to answer the query.

Various issues were brought up throughout the session, including the new fire station, spending, the interlocal agreement, and the hiring of a consultant to review the new station. All these issues have been discussed at different fireboard meetings, and have been some of the most contentious among the fraternity of firefighters and board members.

The public forum is the only one that has been scheduled so far before the Tuesday, May 4 election is held. For more coverage on the candidates, look in next week's Lake County Leader or visit www.leaderadvertiser.com.