SOURDOUGH RURAL FIRE DISTRICT MINUTES

Regular Meeting Minutes May 17,2004

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM by Chairman Dave Kraft. All trustees were present as was Chief Crandell, Bookkeeper Audria Bloch and COC Rose.

• Agenda Review – Evaluation report and by law revision items continued until next meeting.

• Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 19 were presented. Geddes moved for approval and Dayhuff seconded. Passed and placed in the record.

• Treasurer report was presented, having been previously distributed for review. Geddes moved for approval and to sign warrants > $300 and Dayhuff seconded. Passed and placed in the record. The trustees then discussed the matter of NW Energy credit for solar power produced at Cottonwood Station. Audria will bring the past 3 months billing for review at the next meeting. It was noted that the preliminary budget for fiscal 05 had been submitted, and that final budget is pending mil value and will be ready for a special budget meeting sometime in July. Pete suggested that the Chief prepare a draft budget for an estimated $50,000 operating revenue for discussion at the June meeting. Some budget items could be retention incentives, 3 rd St. Station and support vehicle rehab and/or purchase.

• Kandy requested time under the public comment agenda to suggest linking the budget discussion to goals. Randy noted that he had been appointed by the GalCoComm. as Trustee for a full 3 year term. Kandy announced that Chief Crandell has received a Doctoral Degree in the Education Department at MSU at commencement in early May. Kandy felt that this places Chief Crandell among the very few fire service chiefs in the US to earn such high academic achievement. The Trustees responded with applause as Kandy presented the Chief with a gift, and we all settled in for a few minutes of ice crème cake and accolades.

• The Chief's report was accepted and placed in the record. The second truck being assembled in Spokane has undergone performance testing and is awaiting receipt of a few final and minor parts before acceptance and delivery to SFD, probably in late May. Deployment location will be determined by staff and trustees once delivery is made. The Chief asked that the Trustees be responsive to complaints made by Cottonwood Station neighbors about lights necessary for evening training sessions. It was agreed that the “Mount Rae” topsoil pile be utilized to build light shielding berms at the north and south sides of the station building so as to mitigate this impact.

• The Cottonwood landscape discussion proceeded to address the inadequacies of the Cashman plan that had been submitted. There was no provision for station facility operational requirements (apart from the training building foot prints and driveways) and that additional site mapping would be necessary. Bachman will follow through on this with Allied. Dave will use his implements to seed the station site with orchard grass once the pile is moved and the berms constructed. The goal is to minimize weed invasion, prior to more substantial landscaping. Chief Crandell felt that berm work could be completed soon.

• Announcements: Fire Alliance Meeting in Billings, June 10 – 13. Primary election polling place at 3 rd . St. Station on June 8. SFD will staff new Engine 7 as display for residents who will be voting.

• The trustees discussed the advisability of convening a Work Session to discus strategic issues for FY 05. This session will take place at the Triple Tree Home Owner's Association meeting room at 7 PM. June 7, 2004.

• The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM.

Submitted by acting Secretary Pete Geddes