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Commissioners debate policy on emergency lights for volunteer responders; motion to grandfather two vehicles fails
Summary
Bennington Rural Fire District members asked the board to allow emergency lights on personal vehicles and to grandfather two volunteers who purchased lights; a motion to grandfather the vehicles died for lack of a second while commissioners asked for examples and legal guidance.
Representatives of the Bennington Rural Fire District, Brian Breese and Tony Swetson, asked the commission to allow emergency lights on personal vehicles after they said in 2024 the lights were approved and in 2025 that approval was no longer in effect. Breese and Swetson said they purchased lights with personal funds.
Commissioner Carla Grund said she had not known the lights had only recently been approved and said, "if the county makes a policy to restrict lights on personal vehicles, she desires these two vehicles to be grandfathered in." She moved to grandfather Breese's and Swetson's vehicles, but the motion died for lack of a second. Sheriff Thornton stated he was not in favor of emergency lights on personal vehicles.
The fire district representatives described the operational advantage of lights on personal vehicles. Swetson said he carries additional insurance on his personal vehicle to use it as an emergency vehicle and told commissioners he "goes direct to every call." Breese said volunteers still obey traffic laws but that lights help motorists move aside.
Commissioner Scott Mortimer and other commissioners asked the County Attorney to provide examples and alternatives; County Attorney Jeff Ebel later recommended a resolution rather than a policy. The commission declined to adopt a change at the meeting and asked staff to research policies from neighboring counties and legal options before revisiting the item.
