House political subcommittee backs $500,000 appropriation to North Dakota Firefighters Association

Senate Bill 2,218 cleared the House Political Subdivisions Committee Tuesday with a due-pass recommendation to the Appropriations Committee, sending a one-time $500,000 appropriation to the North Dakota Firefighters Association for acquisition and initial outfitting of a permanent facility.

Senator Jerry Klein, who introduced the request, told the committee the state firefighters’ group needs about 20 percent of the purchase price to close a deal on a building they have identified. “They were being somewhat squeezed out of the facility that they’re currently in in South Bismarck,” Klein said, describing the appropriation as a one-time contribution and explaining the emergency clause in the bill.

The North Dakota Firefighters Association’s training director, Rob Knuth, described the association’s statewide role and its facilities needs. “Our training and certification programs meet nationally recognized standards developed by the National Fire Prevention Association,” Knuth said. He told lawmakers the NDFA is a mobile training organization that provides instruction and certification testing at no cost to individual departments, and that 96% of the state’s firefighters are volunteers. Knuth said the association’s current lease renewal would raise rent drastically, and the $500,000 would supply roughly the 20% down payment to enter a mortgage and purchase a building currently estimated at about $1.9 million.

Ken Wongen, president of the North Dakota Fire Chiefs Association and fire chief of Carrington, told the committee owning a stable facility would let the association “house, repair and maintain” training simulators and equipment in one place and reduce repeated moving and leasing costs. State Fire Marshal Doug Nelson also endorsed the bill, noting the insurance commissioner’s office allocates funds biannually to NDFA from the insurance regulatory trust fund and that the department and marshal’s office support a one-time SIF appropriation to secure a permanent facility.

Representative Glory moved a due-pass recommendation on Senate Bill 2,218, which Representative Hager seconded. The committee recorded the vote as 12 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent; the clerk announced “Senate Bill 22 18 passes 12 yea 0 nay 1 absent not fully” and that Representative Hager will carry the bill to the next step. The committee will refer the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Supporters provided a budget and fundraising plan showing the association’s current appropriation, estimated dues and other revenue, and a capital campaign plan managed by a fundraising firm. Knuth and other witnesses said the NDFA would still rely on the Insurance Regulatory Trust Fund and other grants for ongoing training operations; the requested $500,000 was described repeatedly as a one-time capital infusion to allow purchase of the property at current market price.

The committee closed the hearing after hearing no opposition. The bill includes an emergency clause; the NDFA witnesses told members the timetable for losing their current space made that urgency necessary.