City offers to provide rural fire protection at $125,000 per year up to six years

International Falls City Council on a 4-1 vote Monday agreed to further revise a proposal to provide rural fire protection.
The council will offer to Koochiching County Board Tuesday that it provide fire protection to rural areas for $125,000 per year for up to six years with no cost of living increase clause.

Falls Councilor Tim “Chopper” McBride voted against the motion.

The proposal also calls for Rural Fire Protection Association to retain ownership of its equipment, and to encourage the county board to appoint the RFPA Board to an advisory position on rural fire issues. Other elements of an earlier proposal, including a plan to consider installation of dry hydrants in some areas and to establish a satellite station near Rainy Lake, remain in effect.

Councilor Gail Rognerud Monday agreed to amend her motion to allow Mayor Shawn Mason’s suggestion that should the county board reject the city’s proposal, the city extend its current contract by three months to allow both departments to organize. However, she said, that extension should only be provided if RFPA Board polls its members through an advisory ballot.

While Mason said she understands that the RFPA Board is elected, the constituents of RFPA should be allowed a voice.

The rural fire protection area encompasses about the area served by the Falls school district.

Citing increasing costs from International Falls for fire protection, the RFPA last week told the county board that it is committed to starting its own fire department.

The current contracts between the city and county, and the county and RFPA, sets collection at $148,000. RFPA provides billing services, representation and rural fire equipment, and retains $50,000. The city receives $100,000 and provides equipment and houses RFPA equipment. RFPA members pay $70 per year and unpaid bills are collected under a subordinate service taxing district established by the county in 2008.

Mason said the process used to negotiate rural fire protection has been flawed, and she said she, as mayor, would take responsibility for the flawed process. She recalled a formula used by the city that once proposed nearly $230,000 for rural fire protection.

“There is a lot of conflict in our community,” she said. “People are tired of it. This issue is worthy of compromise.”

Mason also said that a community the size of Borderland should consider ways to collaborate and consolidate services to seek efficiencies instead of duplicating services.

“This is beyond money for me,” Mason said. “This issue is important to the overall health and well being of this community.”

McBride said he could not support the motion, and added that he did not want to elaborate on his reasons. Should the county board accept this recent proposal, he said it would come back to the council, and he said he did not favor a clause that offers an extension at this point.

Turnback

Councilors expressed relief Monday when Walter Leu, Minnesota Department of Transportation district state aid engineer, told them that the state would not reassign $3.5 million involved in a road turn back proposal between MnDOT and the county until after Jan. 1.

The proposal calls for the state to turn back jurisdiction and future maintenance of the portion of Highway 332 between U.S. Highway 53 and Minnesota Highway 11 East to the county. The state would also provide the county with $3.5 million.

Because county officials intend to designate the road as a county state aid highway, city approval is required to move forward. The state Legislature must also redefine the status of the road before the action can proceed.

Leu told the council that if he could expect an answer by the city by Jan. 1, MnDOT would keep the money in a reserve, and add it to a bill for the Legislature — should the city’s response be favorable.

The council voted 3-1 Oct. 19 against a request for approval by the county and instead said it would seek mediation on the issue.

Leu explained the turnback program to the council and encouraged them to contact him with questions about the proposal as needed. Councilors said they would use the information provided by Leu to make an informed decision on the issue.

Councilors told Leu that they wanted other issues, including an argument by the city before the Minnesota Court of Appeals Nov. 12, to proceed before they make a decision on the turnback proposal.

The council also agreed to send a letter to Forest Capital Partners lease holders urging them to contact their state legislators about a reduction in the amount of money the state pays to the company through the Maximum Sustainable Forest Incentive Act program.

The letter notes that because of the reduction from about $2 million to $100,000, Forest Capital could consider changing its use of the land.

“These moneys make it possible for companies like Forest Capital to hold these lands open for multiple use,” the letter states. The city is concerned that a substantial amount of economic impact from lease holders and other visitors to the area could be jeopardized by the state’s reduction in payments to the company.

The council also accepted a vacation report valuable of $7,500 for a portion of Seventh Street and agreed to contribute $7,500 to the county veterans memorial off Seventh Street.

The council agreed to reschedule the start time of regular meetings to 5:30 p.m., beginning with the Nov. 16 meeting.