Pine Valley Special Services District
Pine Valley Fire Station, 680 E Main St., Conference Room
Special Meeting on Wildfire Recovery Funds
June 30, 2025
Pending Minutes
Attending Board Members: Mary Esther Putnam, Chairwoman; Bob Dalley, Vice-Chairman (excused); Allen Cannon; Emily Neilson; Steve Shakespeare
Attending PVSSD Assistants: Rick Peetz, Clerk; LaDawn Christensen, Treasurer
Fire Chief: Robert Hardy
Guests Attending: Rob Nodine, Brian Davis, Claudia Davis, Toni Rose, Marc Rose, Scott Dunkleman, Frank Davie, Layne Christense
A. Welcome: Mary Esther called the meeting to order, Allen offered a prayer, and Emily led the Pledge of Allegiance.
B. Wildland Recovery Funds (Mary Esther)
Mary Esther provided a statement.
Donation Funds to the Special Service District
We appreciate the generosity of those who have contributed and are contributing to the Pine Valley Special Service District’s Forsyth Fire recovery fund. At this time, we are carefully evaluating the best course of action for the use of these funds. We are seeking further guidance from our local government officials to ensure that all decisions align with legal and community priorities. We will provide a detailed update as soon as we are in a position to do so responsibly and transparently.
Thank you for your continued support and patience.
A discussion was held regarding reimbursement receipts, existing donations, and the solicitation of additional donations. It was noted that the current donation fund is not substantial enough to cover expenses such as hotel stays, lost wages, and other related costs.
Mary Ether reported that she has spoken with the county attorney and County Commissioner Devan Snow about donation handling and next steps. She noted that it is still early in the process and that further discussions will be needed before any decisions can be made.
Allen expressed concern regarding the collection of funds. He suggested that a press release be issued to explain how the funds will be distributed and managed. Allen further recommended that the county receive the funds and be responsible for their distribution.
Emily asked Robert if the fire department needs funds to replace equipment used during firefighting efforts. Robert explained that the Forest Service would replace any necessary items.
Frank mentioned that his daughter has experience working on high-level national disaster responses, specifically in areas of funding, donations, and distribution. He noted that she is willing to offer suggestions on how to move forward.
Brian expressed concern that the district may be missing out on significant donations from high-net-worth individuals due to current donation structures. He noted that a $10,000 donation was lost last year for this reason. He asked the board to investigate the possibility of establishing a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The suggested entity would specifically support the fire department. This would enable the acceptance and distribution of larger donations that might otherwise be diverted.
Mary Ether will continue discussions with the county on how to proceed, with the understanding that the SSD operates under county jurisdiction.
It was confirmed that, until further guidance is received from the county, the SSD will not actively solicit additional wildfire recovery donations.
An agenda item to discuss the donation of wildfire recovery funds will be added to the July 9th meeting.
Steve moved to adjourn the meeting, and Allen seconded the motion; all were in favor.