Yes, there are two fire departments
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Editor,
This letter is in response to Jodi O'Sullivan's letter in last week's Valley Journal.
Yes, there truly are two fire departments, the Polson City Fire Department and the Polson Rural Fire District. They act together pursuant to something called an "interlocal" agreement, but their interests aren't always the same.
Both Alison Meslin and I support our firefighters training and responding to calls together in a unified response. We admire and appreciate the sacrifices and countless volunteer hours of our heroic firefighting team.
The Rural district, however, is 200 square miles surrounding the city of Polson. The Rural district has different needs like smaller 4x4 all-purpose engines that can get to our rural residents, rather than so many expensive, larger, more urban engines.
Your Polson Rural Fire District board needs trustees that live in the rural areas and pay rural taxes; two people who will be responsible to the Rural district's residents and taxpayers; two people who will endeavor to provide for the best possible emergency service response. I believe that Alison Meslin and myself are those two people.
On May 4, you get to vote to choose your Rural fire board volunteers.
Paul Laisy
Polson
