Residents, volunteers urge commissioners to create West Coutney Rural Fire District

Lincoln County commissioners opened a public hearing on their June 24, 2026 resolution of intent to create the West Coutney Rural Fire District and heard multiple residents, volunteers and fire company leaders in support.

Judy Hall, a founding member of the West Coutney Fire Protection Company, told the commission the organized volunteer service has improved insurance ratings and local safety and appealed for the district to be approved so volunteers can access stable funding. "We put our life savings into this," she said, and added that becoming a district would allow the company to seek grants that are currently unavailable to a non-taxing nonprofit. Hall said the service "saved nine" homes in past responses and noted the department responds to medical emergencies as well as fires.

Justin Bur, president of the West Cooney Fire Protection Company board, defended the petition process after a written comment questioned some signatures. Bur said the petition allowed property owners who are not registered voters (including Amish and Canadian landowners) to participate and argued the public record still lists the disputed names; he said he had no objection to a review if the county attorney deemed it appropriate.

A written submission from Forest Spence urged closer vetting of petition signatures and cited "Montana Title 7, local government 7-5-132," asking that signatures follow local-referendum notarization rules. The commission said it would refer the legal questions to the county attorney before taking formal action.

Commissioners made clear there would be no decision at the hearing. The chair said the legal questions and findings from today's hearing would be presented at the next meeting and that, if the item advances, a vote would follow; the board did not act on the petition today.