SEELEY LAKE – Based on the current budget, Seeley Lake Rural District Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel does not see the financial ability to afford an Assistant Chief. However, at the monthly Fire Board meeting, Nov. 22, he continued to advocate for officer pay when assigned as Officer in Charge and for a three percent raise for both District Administrator Lynn Richards and maintenance employee Mark Kues.
Board member Gary Lewis suggested having a volunteer assistant chief. Vanden Heuvel was not in favor of the idea.
“I have good officers in place and I don’t think any of them want to be a volunteer assistant chief,” said Vanden Heuvel. “A volunteer is not going to foot the bill. If I’m fighting for pay for officers so I can take a day off, it would be the same thing if it was an assistant chief they would be in a position where they never got a day off.”
Vanden Heuvel asked the board to approve the officer stipend proposal he presented at the October meeting. The intent of the proposal was to give him four days per month off where he could shut his pager off. Each officer would take one 24-hour shift where they would respond as the officer in charge. Vanden Heuvel proposed paying officers $5 per hour for on-call status and $25 per 911 emergency call for service.
Currently medical volunteers receive $15 per call response; firefighters receive $7.50 per call. If volunteers transport into town between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. they receive a $60 stipend.
For the month of July the District brought in $1,838 from collections for transport. In Aug. they collected $1,807. At the end of August and early September, when they started running the second ambulance, they did not need to call Missoula Emergency Services, Inc. for Basic Life Support. In September, the District brought in $8,556 and in October $10,001 for transports.
“We are making more by the transports, just like I said we would, and it’s starting to come to fruition,” said Vanden Heuvel. “That’s how I want to pay for the officers. The same thing will happen with the [wildland] fire income when that starts working out.”
“I think it is really important that the board knows that it is progressing, it is working and is heading in the right direction for sure,” said Connell.
Board member Scott Kennedy felt that a policy needed to be in place to understand what the officers could make and how they will track their earnings to make sure they don’t go over the $3,000 allowable to claim firefighter retirement.
The board tabled the decision on officer stipend until their December meeting. Vanden Heuvel requested if the stipend is approved that it be retroactive.
The board reviewed the budget for July 2016-July 2017. According to Richards, the county did not provide the district with their June income until September.
Included in the budget was a three percent pay raise for District employees Richards and Kues. The board tabled approval of the budget and said the raises would need to be approved with a separate motion.
Vanden Heuvel presented the board with a basic and a premium list for a mill levy. The basic levy would be for around $230,000 and include self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and turnout personal protective equipment replacement, pay for an assistant chief, officer pay for coverage, Getac Mobile data Terminal and renovations at Station 2. The Premium list was for nearly $1.5 million including all the basic improvements, apparatus replacement and Station 1 improvements.
The board said the conversation about the mill levy for 2017 was a moot point since they missed the deadline. However, they want to know what the public thinks about paying officers and their support for a mill levy. Vanden Heuvel said he will continue talking with the public to hear their thoughts.
The next Fire Board meeting is Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall, Station 1.
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