Stanley Fire Chief Korey Hagenson

came under fire from the Common Council

prior to the regular meeting May 17, as he

faced questions over a fire budget that,

from a strict dollars and cents stance, was getting out of control.

More specifically, it was over projected

costs as stipulated on a strict year to date

vs. percentage basis, so that for example, one item budgeted at $45,000 annually

was already half spent as of May at

$22,774.78, with two-thirds of the year

still left to go.

“I think that’s concerning,” Council

member Holly Kitchell told Hagenson as she led the budget review questions.

Mayor Al Haas spoke up as well.

“We all agree that you need to train,”

he told Chief Hagenson, "but spread it

out.” Also present with Hagenson for the Council grilling, meanwhile, was Assistant Fire Chief Josh Walters.

Coming in for mention as well was the utility bill, with 55 percent of allotted

funds spent as of the May 17 budget

review, while Hagenson also shared in

questioning that fire department salaries

were paid twice yearly, in July and January, with January’s check coming off

the present fiscal year. With equipment purchases driving a major part of the fire expense outlay, it was additionally stated in Council-Fire Chief dialogue that the Fire Budget was "a best guess at the future, because none of us knows the future."

See FIRE CALLS, Page 9

Stanley Chief Korey Hagenson (right) and Ward 3 Alderman Mike Henke look on at a meeting prior to the Monday May 17

regular council meeting as he answered questions on overbudget fire costs to date. Days later on Friday May 21, a power line caught fire "again" down in the alley by Forward Bank between Broadway and Helgerson, necessisitating a response by the local fire department and Xcel Energy. A site check after the afternoon excitement revealed several cut branches.

FROM PAGE 2

As though to drive the last point home, there was a power line fire within days of the Council, not resulting in any major damage to line or buildings but calling department personnel to the alleyway between South Broadway and Helgerson Street, where it was related by one person with knowledge of the past that the line had caught fire "again," with Xcel Energy later showing up on scene with a boom truck to make needed tree limb cuts.

Fingers crossed that it works, as none of us knows the future.