OAR 629-041-0020: Cost Limitations

The annual cost of fire protection provided by the Forester for forest land within any forest protection district, as designated in ORS 477.230 and 477.285, shall not include any of the following: (1) That part of any salary or wage which is in excess of an amount paid for comparable positions in the State of Oregon civil service classification, and for purposes of determining a salary or wage lodging and utilities furnished without charge to the employee will be included therein; the expense for oil, gas, electricity, or other fuel used for heating a residence occupied by a regular employee. (2) Any capital outlay purchases not provided for in the budget; Oregon forest fire association dues and expenses incurred in attending functions and activities of Oregon Forest Protection Association; memberships in service clubs or like organizations; subscriptions to trade journals or magazines; insurance premiums covering liability of forest protective association members; and automobile collision insurance less than $100 deductible, if the fire protection district maintains a full-time automotive shop. (3) In no event secretarial and clerical services of any kind, when such services are in addition to salaries and wages paid for such services, with exception only for fees charged for the annual audit of the forest protection district books and accounts. (4) Fire prevention or other services for certain landowners, when such services are not equally available to all other landowners within the forest protection district; provided, however, such services are within the purposes of ORS 477.205 to 477.291. (5) Any activity or expenditures not directly contributing to the prevention and suppression of fire on forest land in the forest protection district involved. (6) It is the purpose of the above-cited limitations and restrictions to set forth examples. The list of limitations and restrictions is not fully complete, but will act as a guide and standard for the administrator in determining the cost of forest protection for forest lands within a fire protection district.