County commissioner explains $250,000 to Stanley Rural Fire District
County commissioner explains $250,000 to Stanley Rural Fire District
By MARVIN BAKER
EDITOR
A $250,000 funding request back in August to the Stanley Rural Fire District has some people wondering why the other fire departments in the county weren’t notified of the fund or its budget.
The New Town News and Mountrail County Record have fielded a number of phone calls and emails regarding the situation, suggesting that the Stanley Rural Fire District was favored over fire departments in New Town, Parshall and Plaza.
Not so, says Mountrail County Commissioner David Hynek, who spoke candidly about the quarter-million dollar allocation that is expected to be paid out to the Stanley department from the 2010 budget sometime in January or February. Stanley was merely the catalyst that created the fund and is the first recipient.
Hynek said the Stanley department first approached the commissioners in July because it was having a difficult time on its own raising money to purchase a pumper truck with foam capability, something that is apparently an industry standard in oil country.
At that time, Hynek said the commission looked at funding the Stanley request through its 911 or infrastructure funds, but stipulations stymied either fund from working in favor of the Stanley firefighters.
