Whitefish council approves memorandum of understanding to support North Whitefish Lake fire station easement

The Whitefish City Council voted unanimously to approve a memorandum of understanding with the North Whitefish Lake Community Fire Association to pursue a Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) easement for a site to stage wildfire response and a water cistern on the north end of Whitefish Lake. Why it matters: the MOU establishes roles and a funding mechanism so a volunteer association can raise money for an easement and future fire station without using municipal funds for advocacy. Under the MOU, the association will lead fundraising and cover easement procurement costs; the city will apply for the easement on DNRC-trust land (DNRC requires an easement be held by a governmental entity), hold funds in a special-purpose account managed with the Whitefish Community Foundation, and coordinate transfer of the easement to a future fire district if one is created. City Manager Dana told council the proposed project “would serve mostly the north end of the lake as an opportunity to stage resources and have a water cistern to be able to respond to wildfires.” The staff report and MOU state the association will be responsible for fundraising and that work will not proceed if funds are not raised; staff estimated only modest up-front city staff time will be required. Councilors discussed reimbursement and long-term cost-sharing: staff said any future district that forms would contract with the city and pay the city’s actual costs rather than the current fire service area arrangement. The MOU passed unanimously. Councilmembers and staff emphasized the public-safety rationale — wildfire response “knows no boundaries” — and noted the structure keeps advocacy and campaign funds outside city accounts by using a community foundation special-purpose fund for donations to the project. The council authorized the city manager to execute the agreement and directed staff to coordinate with DNRC and the Whitefish Community Foundation on the easement application and fund arrangements.