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Council appoints mayor to fire-district finance committee amid dispute over funding and rising call volume
Summary
Council appointed the mayor and town manager to the interlocal finance committee with the Basin rural fire district after the district presented a 44% increase in calls since 2019 and urged a rewrite of the interlocal agreement. One councilor voted no, asking for broader council involvement and faster resolution.
The town council on Jan. 20 moved to re-establish the interlocal budget and finance committee with the Basin rural fire district and appointed the mayor (and the town manager) as the town's representatives. The action follows a dispute about the district's funding formula and a substantial increase in call volume.
A representative of the fire district (identified in the meeting as Shane / S14) told the council the district's call volume has climbed sharply: from roughly 466 calls in 2019 to 690 in 2025, an increase of about 44 percent. The speaker said the number of days with multiple simultaneous calls rose from about 30 per year to more than 130 last year, creating days with no backup and an urgent need to reassess resource levels and funding.
"We have had a 44% increase in call volume," the fire representative said, and argued the current funding structure "does not meet Basin's expectations." The speaker urged rewriting the interlocal agreement to remove ambiguity and align funding with current service demands.
Council discussion reflected differing views on representation and pace. One councilor said two council members should serve on the committee and voiced frustration at three years of unresolved disagreement; another argued starting with the mayor and town manager was a pragmatic first step. The motion carried with one councilor voting no and explaining they believed a broader council role was needed to resolve the matter.
The council directed the new committee to meet, review the interlocal agreement and funding schedule, and report recommendations to both governing bodies. Fire leadership signaled the need for a reworked contract that both sides could implement and defend to their boards.
Next steps: the committee will convene and return with recommended clarifications or revisions to the interlocal agreement; council members asked for meaningful, timely discussions to resolve funding mismatches noted by the fire district.
The town recorded no formal vote totals in the transcript beyond a recorded aye/no from members present; the minutes show the appointment motion passed with one dissent.
