Kelso recovery center on the hook for firefighting bill
KELSO, Wash. -- A faith-based recovery house near Kelso that burned nearly one week ago is about to get a big bill from the nearby fire department.
Fire destroyed the Mountain Ministries recovery center Sunday night. The center helps people who have addiction issues, is about a 30 minute drive from Kelso and is far from any fire hydrants.
The center is on the hook for the cost of fighting the fire because the Cowlitz County Fire District ends just a few yards down the road.
Assistant Chief Alan Headley said they feel bad about the bill, but they’re required by law to charge the property owner if the property is not in the district.
“Otherwise, it’s a gift of public funds,” Headley said. “We can get in trouble for that if we don’t follow through with that."
"We kind of feel like the bad guys. That's not what we're here for," said Headley.
Mountain Ministries founder Gary Miller says they do not have the money to pay, but they do not fault the firefighters.
“They were doing everything they could do,” said Miller. “I don’t resent them charging me.”
Mountain Ministries started as a logger's home, built in the 1890s.
The eight people who were living at the center escaped without any injuries. Two firefighters became exhausted while fighting the fire and were taken to St. John Medical Center in Longview.
Some neighbors have tried to gather signatures to annex the area so it would be covered in future fires. But so far, they've failed to get enough people to sign.
- Anyone who wants to donate to the center's reconstruction fund can send donations to the Mountain Ministries Construction Account at Fibre Federal Credit Union account 495371.
Miller said the program will go on at Mountain Ministries. For now, they’re going to pray for help.
"We all get our faces on the floor, literally, we get on our faces and we pray it in," said Miller.
"And God always sends it.”
This place mandates the residents perform SLAVE LABOR; people need to be paid for their work!
 @August100 This place provides shelter and food and community service. Paying for it by insisting the residents work is totally acceptable. Let me guess. Poor you has been mistreated and forced to become an addict and we owe you. People like you open your mouth and make certain politicians start screaming about "the 47%" who think the world should pick up the pieces for. Unfortunately, even "the 47%" know you exist, and find your plight to be of your own making. Go whine elsewhere.
@August100 some people pay thousnads for rehab this place is free so a little hard work is good for the soul buddy
@August100Â this place is for people who voluntarily enter into the program and there is nothing here that is holding them people are free to go as the please there are no locks on the doors. But just like any house if you want to live in it you must follow the rules and the rule here is we serve the community and the ministry
 Jesus said that the laborers were few and by your comment I can tell you don't understand how the kingdom of God operates because it is oppisite of the worlds system
in the kingdom the greastest one is a slave to all for His sake and in the world you are a slave to the system and only the strong survive but in God's kingdom through our weakness His strenght is made perfect  and the people who serve here chose to be here just like you chose to do what you want because God has given all of us freedom of choice and we chose to serve him not ourselves.
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Don't you just love the total lack of good will, kindness and neighborliness in this community - refusing to sign a petition simply seeking the annexation of this healing center into their greater community fold.Â
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Sucks to be - well anyone in this stone cold community. Not wanted. Not wished annexation. The firefighters stuck in the middle - or are they?Â
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It's all a regrettable embarrassing discretionary example of humanity at it's worst - up there in greater Kelso, Washington.Â
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Ho Ho Ho, Kelso - ick. Really - just ICK.Â
Yes the center has fire insurance, Â does it cover the firefighters no, Â will there be a settlement yes but it could take over a year to fulfill that claim and there is also a huge deductible to pay first. People are asking what the Mountain center is going to do but the real question is what are we gping to do for them.
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This place has literally helped thousands of families with multiple needs and has never charged anyone for their services this program is 100% free to anyone who goes here.
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 They don't cheat the system they are hard working genuine people who put their trust in the Lord so i challenge all of us to be God's hands and Feet here on earth and bless the socks off of this ministry and I promise you God will bless you.Â
 @Mountain Man Thanks for the additional information and the positive reflection on this charity.  It is a shame that we have these geo-political boundaries and taxing districts but it appears the owners either were aware of this or expected it (but, of course, were hoping to avoid the bill) and have a positive attitude about it, all things considered.
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I'd like to know how much it would be, what would happen if they collected more money than the bill was worth, etc. Â If they pay the bill, will the insurance company either keep a portion of the money from the settlement and pay the fire department directly thus requiring a refund from the fire department to the the property owners? Â Also, if they collect more than the bill and the account is set up solely for that purpose, does the insurance company get the excess money? Â As a charity, I'm sure they could always use a little extra money especially if they wish to rebuild or relocate.
@CTWU @Mountain Man yes there is a lot to be done at the site the owners are currently living in a very tiny camper with no running water and we have a property next to the house that burned but unfortunately we recently tore all the carpet out and drywall and plumbing because it was run down from the last ten years of literally hundreds of women and children filtering through it they recently moved the women out to a new facilty so we are currently trying to get this property functional but it takes alot of money to get things going so thanks to everyone who is praying for us and thanks to everyone who wants to donate funds for the rebuild
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Mountain has a construction account atbre federal credit union #495371 or you can mail checks to Mountain Ministries Construction at PO Box 1067 Kelso WA 98626
that is Fibre federal credit union
 @CTWU  @Mountain Man Since they'd normally take donations, it seems like they could just take donations, but not say it is for a dedicated fund for any expenses related to the fire. That should allow them to use anything that is left over for their other expenses and needs.
No, really? We are such a screwed up country. They saved nothing, they knew they do not have any chances and most likely they knew they will write a bill. ( At least they should know it).Â
 And I do not care if it is a church, or someone's house or truck. How about if people act like this? You are not from my town, I take you to the hospital but, it will cost you or...die?
And, if the church will pay the bill. Where do you thing the money will end up? Lowering the county property tax bill?
Are you kidding me?
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 @faith Usually in these cases the money goes into the fire department's fund.
 @faith yea, I'm guessing they were chomping at the bit to see some extra money go towards pensions or firehouse funds.
 @SR  @faith I am sure they are volunteer firefighters.  Relax.
In Washington you are part of someones boundaries. It could be Forest Service or DNR. If this place is inside a DNR boundary then most fire districts have first response agreements that would be like Mutual Aid. If this is the case then the fire district can not bill the home owners. I would check into that if it was my house.KATU do a search on property taxes. I'm willing to bet that this property is within someone's response district. Â
 @2fingerculdasac Unlikely, 2. If that had been the case, they wouldn't have tried to get it annexed in.Â
Article doesn't mention this, but did this place have insurance and will they cover the fire fighting costs? I'm not to sure how insurance works when it comes to fire fighting if they have insurance.
@the real snoop I don't know about your homeowners policy but mine has no coverage to pay the firemen. I don't think we have an insurable interest in the labor of the fire department.
@hankhandsome I haven't the slightest idea how that part works. That is why I was curious. I'm also curious if they did have insurance, if they had an option to get extra coverage as they were out of district that might have covered the fee. I personally have zero knowledge when it comes to this.
Should have just let the fire burn the structure to the ground, I bet the bill is like $100,000
If God can cure their clients certainly he can write a check to cover the bill....
@August100 your right God can write a check through you my friend or has your bitterness towards this place blinded you from what God originally told you to do for this place.  We love you friend and God loves you
 @August100 God works through people to write that check
Glad everything is ok, but the screwed up politics suck.
 @lee986321 Screwed up politics?  You mean, they didn't get services without paying for them, so that's screwed up?  Thinking we are all owed something from the government without paying for it....now, that's screwed up.
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I'm making a donation to these folks today. Â From everything I can find out, they seem to be a good bunch trying to make some real changes. Â Good example, from what I can see....
@'CouvGuy @lee986321
 Fibre Federal credit union #495371 or you can mail checks to Mountain Ministries Construction at PO Box 1067 Kelso WA 98626
 @Mountain Man  @lee986321 Thank you, Mountain Man....appreciated.
@'CouvGuy @lee986321
Mountain has a construction account at Fibre Federal credit union #495371 or you can mail checks to Mountain Ministries Construction at PO Box 1067 Kelso WA 98626
 @'CouvGuy  @lee986321 Finally, CouvGuy, someone who just makes some sense, rather than grousing about something that is sad .. but actually fair, and was likely not a big surprise, since they'd known to keep trying to get it annexed into the district. Thing is ... people within the district who pay taxes to cover the fire department don't always like the idea of adding to their taxes in order to cover a larger area (especially if that area is sparsely populated and doesn't have easy access to fire hydrants). I too plan to send a donation.Â
 @lee986321 Not so sure it's messed up politics. Let's say your neighbor hurts themselves one foot off your property. Would it be "messed up" that your homeowner's insurance doesn't pay the medical bills? Boundaries are there for a reason. The church doesn't pay taxes for the fire department, so they don't get a free ride. I guess they could have told the fire department to not bother coming out, but they didn't.
 @drosen  @lee986321 Being a church, I don't know that they would have paid taxes anyway since typically their land is exempt from taxes.
No one was hurt, that's what counts.