Unofficial results Tuesday night showed 64 percent, or 4,356 votes, opposed the measure, while 36 percent, or 2,490 votes, favored it.
The fire district asked for an increase of 38 additional mills, which would have generated $1.5 million annually on a permanent basis to use to increase staffing levels and upgrade aging equipment in Missoula's growing urban fringe. This is the second time in less than five months that the district asked for the increase, primarily because of a technicality during the first election.
This time around, voter turnout reached 47 percent, but the margin of defeat widened.
As disappointed as a couple of MRFD administrators were Tuesday when the results came in, they understood the timing of the levy request was not ideal considering the financial hardships everyone is facing.
“The economy is a significant factor,” said MRFD Assistant Chief Bill Colwell. “The price of fuel is altering the way we do business,” as well as individuals' pocketbooks. Yet, Colwell promised the district would “continue to provide service the best we can and continue to sustain services.”
The reason taxpayers voted on the issue twice was because not everyone living inside the Missoula Rural Fire District had an opportunity to vote the first time around.
The fire district covers 95 square miles, including Lolo, Bonner, Big Flat, Blue Mountain and some homes in Miller Creek, Grant Creek and Pattee Canyon. The area encompasses two counties, Missoula and Ravalli.
Lolo residents, whose kids attend school in Florence, didn't get a chance to vote on the mill levy request in May because the measure only appeared on ballots in Missoula County. As many as 200 voters may have been affected - a significant number considering the measure was defeated by only 150 votes.
The district made the mill levy request the first time to provide the best possible service, identify problems and find solutions, and that's why it was made again less than five months later, Colwell said.
Typically, mail-ballot elections attract greater voter turnout, said Clerk and Recorder Vickie Zeier. That's what the fire district had hoped for. Before the election in May, MRFD waged a massive information campaign, knocking on 10,000 doors inside the district to educate residents on the issue.
Because September's election did not coincide with any other election, such as June's primary election or November's general election, all of the cost falls to the fire district.
Tuesday's mail-ballot election will cost more than $25,000, Zeier said.
With 15,000 ballots mailed out and 6,846 returned, postage alone will run as much as $11,000. Additional costs include printing of the ballot and the county election staff time.
MRFD serves approximately 35,000 residents.
The levy increase would have paid for more than 20 new full-time employees and established an ongoing funding stream to replace aging equipment. MRFD currently employs 39 paid full-time staff. On some shifts, only one firefighter responds to calls. MRFD still relies heavily on volunteer firefighters, but the numbers are dwindling and the call load is increasing.
Several paid firefighters are trained in advanced emergency medical response, which allows them to administer cardiac drugs and defibrillators, but only when a second firefighter is also on the call.
With the rejection of the levy increase, the district's board may consider policy changes regarding operations and staffing at the district's five stations, Colwell said. That doesn't mean closing one down, but the district will analyze how to best operate in the future, he said. Those meetings and discussions will be open to the public.
“It's very disappointing,” Colwell said, “but it's also hard economic times.”
Reporter Chelsi Moy can be reached at 523-5260 or at chelsi.moy@missoulian.com.
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