Hungry Horse Fire Department finances still under county control

Flathead County continues to have control over the Hungry Horse Fire Department's finances in the wake of the Ross Barker case.

The county took over the department's finances about a year ago after discovering the department was more than $70,000 in debt and no one from the community wanted to serve on its board, Flathead County administrator Mike Pence said.

The department was put on an austerity budget, Pence said, and the county pays for gas, insurance and other costs. Most of the debt is from the purchase of fire equipment, Pence said - the department simply spent too much.

The county loaned the fire department enough money to cover the debt and will be working on a plan in the next few weeks to get the debt repaid. The term would be about 10 years with interest. Pence said the interest would be about what the county currently earns on investments, which is less than 1 percent now.

The Martin City and Hungry Horse fire departments considered merging about a year ago, but since then the Martin City board has cooled to the idea until the debt issue is settled, Pence noted.

Barker served as board chairman for the Hungry Horse Fire District from July 2008 to February 2010 and was authorized during that time to pay expenses with checks drawn on the district's Glacier Bank account.

Two checks Barker allegedly wrote totaling $1,052 went to his wife for purchases at a pawn shop and for cash. A third check for $45.88 allegedly was used to purchase plastic lattice used at Barker's home.

Barker also allegedly used the fire district account to charge purchases at an auto parts store totaling $1,537 for a radio/MP3 player and for parts for vehicles not owned by the fire department, including a motorcycle, a Ford Mustang and a Pontiac Firebird.

Barker pleaded guilty to theft and official misconduct charges by Alford plea, meaning he maintained his innocence but acknowledged evidence existed that could prove his guilt at trial. Flathead County District Court Judge Stewart Stadler sentenced Barker to one year of probation and ordered him to pay $130 in restitution and $150 in surcharges.