Fire district seeks bids to trim costs

In an attempt to lower its 2008 operating costs, the Boone County Fire Protection District will review bids from its current insurance provider as well as those from competing carriers over the next few months.

During a public meeting at the fire district’s headquarters on Wednesday, Chief Steve Paulsell told members of the board of directors that he had been contacted less than a month ago by an insurance vendor offering to bid on the district’s liability coverage.

Paulsell said there are few companies that can provide adequate insurance coverage for the district because of its size.

“Our experience shows there isn’t much variance in the price from the competing insurance carriers,” he said.

John Gordon, the president of the fire board, said he hopes that the district would eventually only review new companies’ coverage proposals once every three years.

Volunteer Firefighter Insurance Services Inc. is the district’s current liability insurance carrier.

The board also agreed to schedule work sessions separate from open meetings to draft the 2008 budget. At Wednesday’s meeting, Gordon complimented Paulsell for providing the board with cost projections from the first third of 2007.

“Last year it was not available because the financial situation was in disarray,” he said.