'Clarification' was misleading
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Editor,
In a recent opinion article (Valley Journal, June 1, p. 14, "Trustees address accident response fee issues,") the Polson Rural Fire District Trustees stated that their crash fees are billed, "specifically for costs incurred in providing the response."
The facts are that the PRFD apparatus fees (based on the Northern Rockies Coordinating Group costs) include the labor costs for crews of one to four members, depending on the apparatus. Further, the PRFD fees add $17.85 per hour for "each additional crew member." These charges are not a cost to the PRFD because, as the trustees remind us, "firefighters serve without compensation."
When I brought this to the attention of the board, my objection was dismissed. As a result, the current PRFD crash fees are in violation of Montana law which clearly requires that "fees ... must be reasonable and related to the cost of providing the service."
Thanks trustees, for clarifying the "large amount of misinformation [that] has been disseminated".
Tom Eddy
Polson
