Bigfork fire levies for insurance increases

This is the first year residents will see Bigfork Fire on their tax bills.

Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department took advantage of a permissive medical levy, which other entities throughout the county also use, to help cover increases in the department's insurance.

The effect of the levy on taxpayers in the Bigfork Fire District in both Flathead and Lake counties will be less than $1, but some fire department trustees have concerns about how the decision to approve the levy was made.

Lee Leivo, chair of the board of trustees for Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department, authorized the permissive medical levy amounting to $1,542.04 without bringing it before the board for a vote.

The need to authorize the levy, which the department is using for the first time and just recently became aware of, came between trustee meetings. It was necessary to levy this year to establish a base year for future levies, Chief Wayne Loeffler said.

"I figured the majority of people would agree," Leivo said. "I won't do it again. I wasn't trying to circumvent anybody."

Fellow trustees expressed concerns that they did not get a chance to vote on the levy.

"I think your approval was right," trustee Ted Weaver said. "But you took away my right to vote, my right to represent the taxpayers."

Trustee Ivan Barnes said he would have voted against authorizing the levy.

Leivo said he spoke to Flathead County attorney Jonathan Smith who said the trustees could rescind the decision, but would then have to mail checks back to individual taxpayers. The board will get a chance to vote each year on whether to invoke the levy or not.

Weaver proposed that a line be added to the board's bylaws stating that no trustee shall enter into any agreement involving taxpayer money before a majority vote by the board.

The language will come before the board for a vote at their next meeting.

"We've learned our lesson. Let's let future boards learn from our mistakes," Weaver said. "We made a mistake and we are taking steps to correct it. What more can we do?"