A County of Barrhead couple will have to pay the entire firefighting invoice incurred for fighting a wildfire on their property in early April.
During the Aug. 20 council meeting, councillors denied the request to cancel the $3,000 bill by a narrow 4-2 margin. Reeve Doug Drozd, deputy reeve Marvin Schatz, and councillors Walter Preugschas and Ron Properzi voted to deny the request, while Coun. Ron Kleinfeldt and Bill Lane were in favour of it. Coun. Jared Stoik was absent.
Under the municipality's Policy 23.02 (Fire Protection Service Charges), the municipality can charge residents (or owners of land or other property) up to $3,000 of the cost of a Barrhead Regional Fire Services (BRFS) response. The county decided on the cap because councillors, at the time, believed that most insurance policies would cover $3,000.
However, county manager Debbie Oyarzun noted the policy grants council the leeway to forgive a firefighting invoice in whole or in part for services rendered.
The actual price tag for the fire was $4,371.40.
In their letter, the couple asked for "clemency" and stated they believed they had appropriate fire coverage, adding it to their existing property in St. Albert.
However, when the couple submitted the invoice, their insurance company told them their policy would not cover fire as the property, arguing that it was agricultural land as they intended to use it, at least partly for livestock.
In the letter, the couple said the 10-acre parcel is on old pasture land, and bushlands are on the quarter.
"We had no idea that we were vulnerable," they said. "The firefighting bill is more than we can afford right now."
The couple added they have since found an insurance company that would cover the property.
The fire was started by a tractor's exhaust when the couple was clearing some vegetation.
"We called 911 immediately, without hesitation," they said, adding against the advice from the 911 dispatcher, they, along with several of their neighbours, started actioning the fire.
They added that this effort saved their home and prevented the fire from spreading even further.
Preugschas called the insurance company's excuse for not paying the invoice "lame".
"For an insurance company to say a [10-acre parcel] is agriculture when no agriculture is taking place, it isn't agriculture," he said.
Oyarzun said she agreed. After receiving the letter, she said administration contacted multiple insurance companies and brokers, learning that such policies were common.
Kleinfeldt asked what criteria are used to determine whether a parcel is agricultural land.
Drozd replied it differs by industry.
"For assessment, it is where you are zoned; for electrical services, it is the service area. Insurance companies pick their own criteria. They make it up," he said.
Drozd understands how confusing it is for those, such as the couple, who move to rural areas, saying at one time, the county had a guide to help people transition.
"Real information that we take for granted, but when city people move out, they don't have any idea," he said. "We need to keep educating people."
Oyarzun agreed, adding that the municipality is updating its website to include such information.
Schatz interjected, saying that while he sympathizes with the couple, it isn't the municipality's responsibility "to hold people's hands and ensure they have the right insurance coverage."
"Some of the responsibility has to be on the owner to make sure their insurance is correct, hire the right person to pump their septic and do all this kind of stuff," he said. "We have a policy that we bill [up to $3,000] for a fire, and I guess if you don't have the right kind of insurance, it is not on the County of Barrhead."
Properzi agreed with Schatz, saying if they approved this request, they were opening the door for similar ones in the future.
Kleinfeldt argued that council had made exceptions in the past, at least partly, reducing the amount owed.
"I don't see it as his fault," he said. "He had insurance, and I am sure he told them what it was going to be for. It was the insurance company that is the shyster here."
Schatz replied by saying just because an insurance company did not want to pay out did not mean the county ratepayers should pick up the tab.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
