Letters to the editor, April 29
Luncheon thank you
The SAFE Harbor Board of Directors would like to thank everyone who attended our St. Patrick's Day Luncheon fundraiser.
A special thanks to Marvin Bauer for the great entertainment and Ronan Telephone Company for sponsoring the luncheon.
It is heartening to have the community support for the only shelter in Lake County for victims of domestic violence. For more information about SAFE Harbor, please call 676-0800.
With help, healing begins.
Diane Grant
SAFE Harbor Board
Letter from the Chief
Yesterday, April 22, 2010, I received a letter from the Polson city fire chief, John Fairchild, which had been addressed to the residents of Big Arm. He seemed to be concerned about rumors that he as chief would be trying to close the Big Arm Fire Station. He assures in the letter that this is not true.
Although I've been living in Big Arm as a full-time resident for over 15 years, I have watched the Polson fire department try to close the Big Arm station with the help of the rural fire district. In fact, approximately five years ago, they were successful in closing the Big Arm station. If it had not been for the Big Arm citizens' donations of money and labor to refurbish the station: putting in a new well, bathroom and kitchen, and other needed repairs to the building, it would have remained closed. There was no cost to the Polson city fire department or the Polson rural fire district. All work done and the majority of the donated monies came from the Big Arm residents.
At approximately the same time, the then-chief of the Polson fire department threatened to charge all Big Arm residents a large fee to respond to Big Arm's calls, if the residents of the rural fire district would not vote to raise taxes to buy a new fire engine, which now sits in the Polson city fire department but is owned by the rural fire district.
Chief Fairchild stated in his letter of April 20, 2010, that there were only two fire engines, one in Big Arm and one in Polson. The city of Polson and the rural fire district have an inter-local agreement where Polson city and Polson rural fire district share equipment and respond to each other's calls. In reality, between the Polson city and rural fire district, there are four engines, three of which are housed in Polson City Station and the oldest of the four is housed in Big Arm.
Also, in his letter, he states: "There is no Big Arm fire department, only the Polson rural fire district of which Big Arm is a part."
From past history and my discussions with Mr. Fairchild and some Polson firefighters, and the fact that I have attended, during the past year, almost all of the rural fire district meetings, I still believe that Mr. Fairchild and the Polson city department would like to close the Big Arm station. This is why they are promoting candidates that will potentially agree with them.
If you have any doubts of what I have just mentioned, all of this information is documented on tapes and in minutes of the rural fire district meetings. Also, you will find documents which will prove that at one of these meetings, I asked Chief Fairchild why there was so much animosity toward Big Arm; his answer to me was that they didn't listen to him as they are all volunteers.
Roger Rogers
Big Arm
Concern over rural fire board
Concerned people of Polson's rural fire board area. I have followed the happenings within the rural fire board for the past 5 to 6 years. I was a part of a rural fire department in Minnesota for 28 years. As a taxpayer I was offended by the price paid for the purchase of the new fire truck. There was only one company that placed a bid on the truck! Why, the bid specs were written to fit only one company's fire truck? The specs were written under control of the previous Polson chief, and he wanted only one makers' truck! Basically, the Polson fire chief ran the rural fire board! We the taxpayers paid for that venture.
Since that time the Polson fire rural board has become much more aggressive in fiscal responsibilities. Jim Manley, Alison Meslin and Paul Laisy have been pursuing reasonable budget requests that address both the fire people and taxpayers. Much of this animosity has come over the building of the new fire hall on county grounds. The question was whether there was enough money to build the fire station at other locations (which had no water, possibly buying of land) which the county grounds were free and water existed on the building site. Those of us in the audience wanted the county grounds used and was so voiced to the fire board. This fire station has been built with no increased taxes as the board promised!
Sadly, there have been some that see only their side of the story!
Personally I would like to see Big Arm, Irvine Flats and the new station all be able to respond on their own to any call. Would they use the other stations as backup? Yes. Should this be a priority of the fire chief? Yes. Is it happening? No, I don't believe so. There appears to be "lag of will" by Polson fire to get this done. There was also talk from some fire people, they wanted to get a new fire hall in Polson, somewhere up next to Wal-Mart and place all fire vehicles there with all fire personal reporting to one station only. Centralized fire response has its place, but doesn't fit will within this area! If this is true, it's not a good deal for those of us who live in the rural areas. I have worked some with Jim, Alison and Paul, they truly are looking out for both the fire personnel and the taxpayer. Don't let this become just a one-sided board again. Accountability is essential for all of us.
Jerry Peterson
Polson resident
Rural fire board election
The upcoming rural board election will affect fire and rescue service delivery for many years. I have worked with Mrs. Meslin and Mr. Laisy in my capacity as a rural fire volunteer and I find them both to be engaging, intelligent, and able to accomplish tasks that further their vision. I confess, however, to having serious concerns.
I met with Mrs. Meslin on July 7, 2008 shortly after hearing about the board's plan to build a station on Regatta Road. I, and many of my fellow volunteers, thought that the public would be much better served by building a station in an area not already served by an existing fire station. During the meeting I learned that no analysis had been done regarding effects on emergency response nor on insurance rates. I was promised an overall response plan for the rural district.
Asking the question: "How will the proposed station improve response?", resulted in myself and others being labeled obstructionists in letters and ads taken out by board members. This particular question has yet to be answered.
Today, the fairgrounds station has been completed and there is still no station placement or response plan for the rural district. Last year, the board turned down the offer of outside planning expertise for less than the cost of outfitting one interior structure firefighter. In my opinion, this was an act of willful ignorance. Facts were not allowed to jeopardize the political vision.
I urge you to vote for candidates who will consider all pertinent facts when making decisions and not just those that support a political vision. Please vote for Beth Hoel and Steve Stanley.
Chris McGuinness
Lt. PVFD
Polson Rural Fire Company
Letter response
This letter is in response to Jodi O'Sullivan's letter.
Yes, there truly are two fire departments, the Polson City Fire Department and the Polson Rural Fire District. They act together pursuant to something called an "interlocal" agreement but their interests aren't always the same.
Both Alison Meslin and Paul Laisy support our firefighters training and responding to calls together in a unified response. They admire and appreciate the sacrifices and countless volunteer hours of our heroic firefighting team. The Rural district, however, is 200 square miles surrounding the city of Polson. The Rural district has different needs like smaller 4x4 all-purpose engines that can get to our rural residents, rather than so many expensive, larger, more urban engines.
Your Polson Rural Fire District board needs two people that live in the rural areas and pay rural taxes; two people who will be responsible to the Rural district's residents and taxpayers; two people who will endeavor to provide for the best possible emergency service response. I believe that Alison Meslin and Paul Laisy are those two people. On May 4, you get to vote to choose your Rural fire board volunteers.
Arnold Gomke
Response
This letter is in response to the letter from Mr. Clapp and Mr. Nelson.
How relieved we are to see great support for the rural fire station at Big Arm! Though there have been many sordid statements made about the way our city and rural fire fighting efforts work, this much is clear: some that have publicly opposed the rural station at Big Arm now have written letters in support of it. This is praiseworthy.
It's difficult to stand for what is right and what is true. Far from being part of a single-minded club, Alison Meslin and Paul Laisy have researched historical records in order to be able to look forward and advocate the interests of all of you in our 200-mile rural fire district. Public records support their statements, while the statements of others have been inaccurate at times. Please do not hesitate to take a look at board meeting minutes or other letters yourself, they have copies available if you'd like to obtain them by way of email or what have you.
This brings us to the crux of the issue you face. When electing Rural fire board members, you may vote for Alison and Paul and be assured of a healthy diversity in representing your rural concerns.
The choice is yours.
Ron Friez