Fire 6 penalized in records case

Matt Baide | Mar 10, 20220

Mason County Superior Court penalized Fire District 6 $94,300 on Monday for violating the state’s Public Records Act.

Judge Amber Finlay reviewed the courts findings, saying this was “a challenging case for a variety of factors.” Finlay said the court is concerned because the court found negligence due to altering records. Finlay said agencies need to be transparent.

The penalty of $94,300 comes from the tax base multiplied by $50.

Jeffrey Brittig was the plaintiff in the case against Mason County Fire District 6 and filed his lawsuit against the fire district in April 2020. According to court documents, the complaint was in regards to a briefing by MCFD6 employee Captain Cody Daggett and District Fire Commissioner Rich Heinrich giving a briefing in the MCFD6 fire hall regarding a new live-in firefighter quarters project. At the end of the briefing, Brittig asked for a copy of the notes but the two refused and left the building without explanation.

Brittig then sent an email to the MCFD6 Public Records Officer requesting copies of the notes and the officer responded the next day saying the notes were ready. After some email correspondence with MCFD 6’s Fire Chief Clint Volk, who is the primary public records officer for the agency, Volk said the record could not be provided because it had been destroyed in accordance with “Local Government Common Records Retention Schedule.”

“Plaintiff has still not received the record promised to him by MCFD6,” the complaint reads. “These records are needed to investigate alleged financial malfeasance related to MCFD6’s live-in firefighter quarters project and its impact to public safety and resources.”