Smoldering disagreement ignites

The town of Ekalaka has decided to ask the legal system to determine whether it or the Ekalaka Volunteer Fire Department Corporation has ownership and control of the town's fire service and whether the fire department is part of the municipality, as the town claims, or is a separate corporation.

A complaint for declaratory judgement was filed in district court against EVFD Inc. May 10. According to the complaint, the town is requesting a judge declare it has "all legal right to control, direct, and operate the Ekalaka Volunteer Fire Department, as now constituted as a municipal fire department...