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Park County to hold oversight hearing and appoint trustees amid concerns at Rural Fire District 1
Summary
After a county attorney memo flagged concerns about conduct by trustees of Park County Rural Fire District 1, commissioners agreed to proceed with appointments and the next steps include an oversight hearing; a longtime volunteer urged public elections and better training for trustees.
Park County commissioners on Feb. 26 discussed governance concerns at Park County Rural Fire District 1 and scheduled trustee appointments and follow-up steps after a county memo recommended oversight.
Paul (speaker 5), who presented a memo to the commission, told commissioners he had "outlined some of my concerns about the conduct of certain trustees" and recommended an oversight hearing. He declined to discuss details of alleged improper conduct because investigations are ongoing but said there were additional governance issues the commission should address publicly and that follow-up actions would depend on the hearing's findings.
During public comment, Andrew Mitchell (speaker 6), who identified himself as a long-serving volunteer firefighter, said trust in the district's leadership "has certainly deteriorated" and urged that trustees "stand before the public in a general election" so elected trustees would receive appropriate training and oversight. He said he had no knowledge of financial impropriety and expressed confidence that assistant chief leadership and 406 Accounting would maintain operations and financial propriety in the short term.
Commissioners discussed the immediate practical issue of whether newly appointed trustees could sign checks. Paul advised that "so long as the checks have been approved, at a public meeting ... that would be permissible" and that what would be impermissible is signing checks or taking actions that have not been approved by the trustees. A county staff speaker said historically one signature was missing and that signatures had been added individually, with warrants and claims approved at the following meeting; 406 Accounting had confirmed outstanding claims were legitimate.
Commissioners agreed to appoint trustees and to schedule a public hearing to examine governance concerns. The clerk and recorder's office was reported ready to administer oaths at a 1 p.m. session in the community room, and commissioners discussed moving forward with training and clearer oversight responsibilities for volunteer boards.
The county did not vote on disciplinary actions at the meeting; commissioners framed the immediate next steps as appointments followed by a public hearing and potential action depending on the hearing's findings.
