The Whitefish City Council has approved an agreement with the Whitefish Fire Service Area for continued fire service.
Under the contract, the Whitefish Fire Department will provide fire service to the rural district for a period of at least three years and up to five years before renegotiating.
City Manager Dana Smith said the agreement runs through June 2026, but allows for the rural board to explore creating a volunteer fire department.
“This allows the rural board to explore a volunteer fire department option, which was very important to them based on costs going up,” she said. “If after three years after this year they are ready with a volunteer department then we would allow them to terminate this contract.”
The rural fire board is expected to meet to approve the contract.
The new contract provides for an annual compensation increase for services of 4% each year. Previously, the rural district contract rate increased by 1.89% per year.