Budget conflict prompts race in Paradise Valley

A higher than expected budget for the newly formed Paradise Valley Fire District prompted outcry by residents.

That same issue also prompted eight people to run for three volunteer positions on the fire district’s board of commissioners. Two have since dropped out of the race.

“I think a lot of it went back to the budget — the original one and what it was reduced to and how it was presented to the board of county commissioners when they gave approval for (Paradise Valley Fire) association to form a district,” said Boundary County Clerk Glenda Poston.

Voters can choose three of six candidates when the election is held between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the fire station on Paradise Valley Road.

In District One, they will choose between incumbent Fred Marek and challenger Rod Ferreira. Orrin Everhart and Margie Ladely are running for one seat in District 2. Brad Holifield and Chet Savage are running for one seat in District 3. Dropping out of the race were John Youngwirth and Ross Robertson.

When the volunteer fire association lobbied to create a taxing district one year ago, residents had understood to expect a budget of about $112,000. Voters supported creating a taxing district by a 2-to-1 margin to pay for department operations.

Seven months later, the department proposed a $243,000 budget that included paying $45,000 for a fire chief, who was a volunteer.

After a standing-room only public meeting on the budget, fire commissioners reduced it to about $150,000.

Now a little about each candidate.

• Before Paradise Valley resident voted in a taxing district, Fred Marek, 69, served as commissioner of the Paradise Valley Fire Association for three to four years. Marek is retired from Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp., working in finance.

He would like to continue as fire commissioner because he believes a long-term approach is needed.

“We’ve made a lot strides and I want to keep that up,” Marek said. “We need continuity.”

• Rod Ferreira, 59, is semi-retired from retail and finance, and served in the U.S. Navy. Ferreira drives bus for Boundary County School District and has been a volunteer firefighter for four years.

“I really thought the budget situation was completely out of control,” he said about his reasons for running. They’re not being fair to the taxpayers.”

If elected, Ferreira believes volunteers need some type of reasonable compensation and that there is not a need for a full-time paid fire chief.

• Orrin Everhart, 72, is a retired financial manager for International Community School in Bangkok, Thailand.

“The budgeting that has been presented seems to need a lot of work,” Everhart said. “I feel my background will help ultimately reduce the budget and therefore reduce taxes.”

He also believes the fire district can be maintained with a $112,000 budget.

• Margie Ladely could not be reached.

• Brad Holifield, 58, is a retired firefighter, who spent 27 years with the Anchorage Fire Department.

“Along with a lot of other people, we were pretty shocked with the proposed budget that was out there,” Holifield said. “I just feel that the reason I’m running is the board needs a little more focus on the way the department is run.”

He also believes the biggest issue facing the fire department is providing a good service with safety in mind for firefighters at a reasonable cost.

• Chet Savage, 64, is a retired civil engineer and surveyor. Savage is also a firefighter in Paradise Valley and served on the board for the fire association.

 He chose to run in hopes of continuing making improvements achieved in the last few years.

Savage believes the most important issue facing the fire department is getting more training and volunteers.

“Hopefully, we can give a stipend to firefighters.”