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Commission creates Volunteer Fire Coordinator and affirms volunteer budget role
Summary
The Commission approved creation of a Volunteer Fire Coordinator to serve as liaison and clarified that volunteer departments retain the ability to prepare budgets under existing ordinance; County Attorney Enrooth referenced Montana Attorney General guidance affirming volunteer budget authority.
Commissioners authorized a Volunteer Fire Coordinator position in Section 7.03(G) that will represent volunteer departments and act as a liaison to the Director of Fire Services. Mary McCormick told the Commission volunteer departments "often lack administrative resources" and argued a coordinator could help with budget preparation and administrative tasks.
County Attorney Mike Enrooth said Montana Attorney General opinion(s) affirm volunteer authority over budgets and noted that the revised Charter language would explicitly preserve that relationship while consolidating administrative oversight if voters approve Option 2. The motion to approve Section 7.03(G) passed unanimously; the Commission also reaffirmed that current ordinance practice allows volunteer departments to prepare and submit annual budgets.
