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Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District Articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District – Board meeting coverage ends

By Natalie Barszcz

Our Community News will no longer provide coverage of the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors meetings.

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Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom and are usually held on the third Wednesday every month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Jan. 15: Board pursues study and citizen input to determine future

By Natalie Barszcz

The Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors held a workshop on Jan. 4 to discuss alternative service delivery models, and the steps needed to consider formal solicitation of alternative delivery models, and the status of the fire chief solicitation. The board received an informational briefing from retired Oregon Fire Chief Dan Patterson, a consultant representing AP Triton LLC. Vice President John Hildebrandt, Director Mark Gunderman, Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley of Monument Fire District, and Fire Chief Andrew York of Cimarron Hills Fire Department (CHFD), offered advice to the board about their past experience with fire department mergers.

At the Jan. 15 meeting, the board approved the hiring of a consultant to perform the district needs analysis study, discussed command staffing models to fill gaps within the executive staff branch, and discussed advertising for a fire chief.

This reporter attended the meetings virtually via Zoom technology.

District needs analysis

At the regular meeting on Jan. 15, the board entered into a lengthy discussion about conducting a short study to determine the needs of the district and the potential for a different service model. The board ultimately agreed to hold several public meetings to gather information, with Patterson in attendance before the study could begin. The meetings are scheduled as follows:

  • Friday, Feb. 24—open community meeting (time TBD.
  • Thursday, Feb. 27—Workshop with community participation (time TBD).
  • Friday, Feb. 28 from 3 until 9 p.m.—Board workshop.

The board unanimously approved up to $15,000 for Patterson to complete the district’s needs analysis study.

Note: Please check the website for updates before attending the meetings. The information contained under Transparency on the district website at https://bffire.org was not up to date when this article was published. Under normal circumstances and in compliance with the Special District Association and the Department of Local Affairs, the district is required by law to post the most current audit, budget, and transparency notice stating the mill levy to be collected in 2025, a board meeting schedule, and the fees schedule.

This reporter reached out to three executive staff to request a board packet and other information from the Jan. 15 meeting but received no response. The board packets containing the financial report and previous meeting minutes were missing for December and January at the time this article was written.

Command staff models

Interim Fire Chief Josh Bartlett said the department needed to fill two or three positions with existing staff with temporary acting captains to assist the department with administrative work to help with plan reviews and inspections, a firefighter and full rescue training officer, and an EMS coordinator to help with billing, training, and continued education. The opportunity would allow the staff to build a resume and allow staff to make more money. If the department moves to an alternative delivery service, the staff would laterally transfer in the permanent rank, said Bartlett.

The discussion paused and resumed after the lengthy discussion about advertising for the fire chief position advertisement.

The board asked about shift hours and other details.

Bartlett said the budget allowed for funding the three positions, and no decision from the board was necessary.

Fire chief position advertisement

Treasurer Jack Hinton said, “For two meetings and a work session we sat down and busted our ass trying to formulate the right wording for a job description with the qualifications necessary for hiring a permanent fire chief. Given the time frame to work everything out with the study, we are prolonging the misery. The department does not have a clear direction until the study is complete and it is making me insane, and the taxpayers deserve better,” he said. Hinton made a motion to conduct a search for a permanent fire chief, with a statement that the position could be temporary.

Chair Nate Dowden seconded the motion. Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen said she disagreed with the motion, and the firefighter survey indicated no urgent need to hire a fire chief, it was the last option stated by the firefighters. The board needs better direction, and waiting until the study is completed will show where we need to go, whether it is a different service model, said Tarvainen.

Director Jim Abendschan said he agreed with Tarvainen and “hiring a fire chief right now is just muddying the water and will add to the problems further down the road. We should wait for Patterson’s analysis that will give the board direction to take a methodical approach toward the future,” said Abendschan.

Director Chad Behnken said he recognized all the work done by Bartlett and Battalion Chief David Rocco to “right the ship” and uncover a lot of the issues the board did not see. “Although it feels like the board is kicking the can down the road, it is imperative to complete the study and maintain the status quo until the report is received,” said Behnken.

Hinton said we could solicit for resumes and have them ready when the study is complete.

Tarvainen said the district is still uncovering information and it is operational with Bartlett and Rocco and coverage from Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) and Monument Fire District.

Dowden said that regardless of which model the board pursues, he is skeptical that if a contract for services is chosen, that it could be expedited in less than six to nine months. “Do we still want to continue with a dual interim fire chief model?” he asked.

Bartlett said the board has the option to fill the fire chief position from the department immediately with a full-time 40-hour week interim position.

Patterson said reaching out to a narrow field would be confusing for candidates given the uncertain future of the department. Either you are looking for an interim or a permanent fire chief, and maybe a fire chief could be detailed and contracted full time from CSFD. Patterson, having spent the last year working with South Metro Rescue District on a large organization’s search for a fire chief, said it took a year. The pool was large but narrowed down quickly in a department that knew exactly what it wanted.

Candidates will not be quick to apply if the future is uncertain unless they are running from somewhere else, Patterson said. “Keep it simple and pursue one of the enrolled interim battalion chiefs for a true, full-time 40-hour-a-week interim fire chief position that would return back to CSFD (Bartlett and Rocco are also maintaining battalion chief positions at CSFD and assisting at BFFRPD). Hiring one battalion chief might give the district more stability during the decision-making process, and I can feel your pain on the leadership part,” said Patterson.

A line staff member in the audience said, “I have seen it, and know exactly what you are going through, because I watched it the last time. The board made the mistake of hiring somebody they should not have, and it ended up costing the department hundreds and thousands of dollars in lawsuits, because they wanted to put somebody into that role. I know you want to help the line staff out and it is appreciated, but you need to do what is right and not get someone into that role right away. The person hired was because the board were desperate. If you solicit for an interim role for a year, it would unlikely be a quality individual that the firefighters want to follow; we need strong leadership, and I do not want to follow someone who should not be there,” he said.

Several line staff with previous experience in executive roles threw their hats in the ring to be part of the executive team.

The motion to advertise the fire chief position failed in a 2-3 vote with Abendschan, Behnken, and Tarvainen voting nay.

Note: At the Dec. 4 meeting, after another lengthy discussion regarding the minimum level of education and the amount of progressive fire service experience needed, the board unanimously approved a job specification and a posting to invite people to apply for the fire chief position, but downgraded the minimum college level of education from a bachelor’s to an associate’s degree. However, the board did not approve advertising the position.

The meeting adjourned at 9:21 p.m.

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Correction

In the January edition of OCN, in the BFFRPD article, the sentence at the end of paragraph six under the heading “Future operations explored” should have read “and actually, doing less than what I am doing, said Herdt” instead of …”and end up doing less, said Herdt.” OCN regrets the error.

Note: Herdt has additional responsibilities as an acting captain at BFFRPD.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact admin@bffire.org, or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz.ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Dec. 4 – 2025 budget approved; mill levy increases; ladder truck/apparatus for sale; overstaffing declared

Table of Contents

Correction

The following sentence at the end of paragraph six under the heading “Future operations explored” should have read “and actually, doing less than what I am doing, said Herdt” instead of . . . . . . “and end up doing less, said Herdt.” OCN regrets the error.

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Dec. 4, the board approved the 2025 budget with a 2% wage increase and certified a mill levy increase. The board approved the sale of several apparatus to include the aerial ladder truck purchased in 2022 and heard the department was overstaffed and heading toward a fiscal cliff.

The board discussed and approved the fire chief job posting criteria, a 2025 board director election, and discussed receiving presentations in January from three fire departments regarding a potential contract for service, or a fire authority.

2025 budget and mill levy certification

The board held a long discussion on how much the mill levy should be increased before Chair Nate Dowden requested the board adopt the 2025 budget, summarizing the expenditures and revenues and certifying the mill levy at 15.65 mills, up from 14.951 mills in 2024. The mill levy increase was set higher in accordance with the voter approved de-Gallagher provision that allows the district to match lost revenue due to a reduction in the Residential Assessment Rate set at 6.75%.

The increase is intended to recoup about $212,000 in anticipated property tax revenue loss. A loss of about $82,000 is anticipated, but the board decided not to implement a 16.06 mill levy to recoup the full loss. The final assessed value from the county assessor had not been received at the time of the meeting. The district expects about $4.780 million in property tax revenue and overall revenue of about $6.650 million. The district will begin 2025 with a balance of about $1.874 million for general operations and estimates a total budget of $8.524 million for the general operation of the district, with about $6.650 million in total expenditures. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11bffrpd/.

The board unanimously approved the resolution adopting the budget, appropriating funds, increasing employees’ wages by 2%, and certifying a 15.65 mill levy.

Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn said the wage and leave schedule includes a salary increase for the fire chief position from $146,000 to $170,000 and adds three battalion chief positions at $113,239 each.

Additional revenue was received

The 2025 budget anticipates reimbursement of about $373,301 in 2025 for SB23-001. The district was notified via letter from the state in May 2024 that the district would receive a total of $477,869 to backfill the district for lost property tax revenue after the Legislature passed SB23-001 and SB22-238 in November 2023. The former fire chief and Dunn confirmed the additional revenue was received with the March/April property tax revenue at the May board meeting. The 2024 budget records a separate line indicating the district received $373,301 for SB23-001. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n6bffrpd/.

Ladder truck to be sold

Interim Fire Chief Josh Bartlett requested the board consider liquidating some assets, and suggested selling Engine 713, the Aerialscope ladder truck that cost $250,000, the district purchased about $75,000 in equipment for the truck that could be sold separately. He said Pierce Manufacturing, Seagraves, and Front Range Apparatus will not work on the Aerialscope or the chassis. It will be difficult to find a mechanic to work on the apparatus to bring the ladder truck up to specifications to pass the required UL certification, before placing the truck into service, he said.

Even if the district purchased another chassis, no one will work on the apparatus, and to rewire the entire truck rear to bumper could cost from $100,000 to $200,000, but the Aerialscope would still have 3.5 inches of slack in it, rotating like a “Lazy Susan” and need new bearings manufactured. If the Aerialscope were removed, the truck would eventually be a $500,000 apparatus to move $13,000 worth of ladders around after the electrical rewiring repair, said Bartlett. See https:/wp.ocn.me/v24n11bffrpd/.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen said, “The district would be continuing to throw good money after bad to make the repairs.”

Bartlett also suggested the sale of the following:

  • The old tender on loan to Hanover Fire Department (HFD), worth about $40,000 to $50,000. HFD has asked to buy the tender. Alternatively, the district could keep the old tender in reserve and deploy the new tender for wildland deployments. The apparatus would need two personnel to deploy, and one tender would require emptying of water during the winter months. Or the district could rely on mutual aid instead of a reserve tender.
  • A pickup truck with a flatbed that will be available after four Type 6 brush truck apparatus are built out.
  • A leaking Becker pumper truck (used for training purposes) that cannot be used for front line activity, would cost about $4,000 to repair, and is only worth about $2,000.

The more apparatus the district retains, the more maintenance costs are incurred, storage is limited and water carrying apparatus must be housed indoors during cold temperatures to avoid freezing or require emptying and refilling with water seasonally if stored outside. The department must decide if it is worth keeping and maintaining the excess apparatus that previous command staff found and acquired, said Bartlett.

The board tabled the sale of the tender and the pickup truck until spring, and unanimously approved the sale of the leaking Becker training pumper, and Engine 713, the 1979 aerial ladder truck mounted on a 2005 Pierce chassis, consigned as is for collector/display use only for 60 days starting at $50,000 and subject to negotiation. After that, the apparatus will go to auction.

Fire chief position advertisement and qualifications

Bartlett suggested the qualifications for the advertisement for a permanent fire chief and said the requirements had not changed from the workshop discussion in November, and he recommended a bachelor’s degree minimum education, and/or 10 years progressive fire service experience, and 5 years in a command role. Most fire chiefs do not go out in the field and respond to operational calls, but the district had the exception with the previous chief because that was his background. When that happens the fire chief is not performing administrative tasks.

He recommended the following:

  • All future personnel be hired in compliance with the industry standards, conducting a formal background check, a lie detector test, a medical evaluation, and take the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory psychological tests.
  • Use governmentjobs.com to build the application, with an application link at www.bffire.org.
  • The department is struggling without a built out human resources process for hiring practices, and the hiring process should be the same across the board for all future hiring.

After a lengthy discussion regarding the minimum level of education and the amount of progressive fire service experience, the board unanimously approved a job specification and a posting to invite people to apply for the fire chief position.

Future operations explored

Bartlett said he had approached four fire chiefs regarding a merger, unified fire authority, or contract for services with the department. Fire Chief Trent Harwig of Falcon Fire Protection District does not have any interest in any future with the district. However, Fire Chief Andrew York of Cimarron Hills Fire Department (CHFD), Fire Chief Randy Royal of Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), and Fire Chief Andy Kovacs of Monument Fire District (MFD) are interested in the possibility of any of the three options and have experience in consolidations.

Since the district does not have command staff, the time is right to have the conversation, but all three fire chiefs said the department is not right sized for the district, it is heavy on staff for two stations, the amount of revenue does not match, and the district should downsize to one station and one ambulance for the existing call volume. The district is short on revenue by $296,000 for next year, and that shortfall could possibly increase to $500,000 in 2026. There is a strong possibility the district will eventually be surrounded by new developments requesting to be annexed into Colorado Springs, said Bartlett.

Dowden said downsizing could open up the potential to sell real estate at Station 2. The station was built in 2008 and is newer than Station 1, and Kovacs is purchasing 2 acres of land in Monument, so does that change the budgetary situation if BFFRPD has excess real estate assets available. “I don’t think anyone is prepared to wrestle this bear to the ground tonight and it requires a much broader discussion if we are overstaffed, and how do we reach the target level of service,” and he thanked Bartlett for exploring the options with other departments. It is good information, but there are a lot of moving parts in the equation, he said.

Bartlett said Station 2 does not look like Station 1, and the interested departments will only pursue a unified fire authority or contract for services due to the complexity of the mill levy discrepancies. The department is heading toward a financial cliff, and staffing levels should be 16 not 30 personnel, he said. But without command staff running the district, the stations would become integrated into the operations of either CSFD, MFD, or CHFD, with savings up to $700,000 per year on executive staff and the potential for Dunn to run a wildland division out of Station 2, offsetting the cost for service with a neighboring district.

CSFD and MFD would be optimal for district staff promotions and higher pay, but it would not be optimal to choose CHFD due to the separation of distance, however the pay is still better than BFFRPD, said Bartlett.

Acting Capt. Chad Herdt said CSFD would not be ideal for him as a Fire Officer 2 to take a drop in rank to firefighter, negating all his previous time and effort achieving the qualification. The change in shift structure would triple his monthly mileage traveling from Parker, but he would welcome moving to MFD, transferring as a lieutenant, with a $20,000 pay increase, and maintain the same 48/96 shift schedule, and end up doing less, said Herdt.

Dowden said the job posting should be modified to stipulate the board is considering other service delivery models, there is too much research to be done, and if the board delays tonight and does not take any action, kicking the topic down the road, we are also boxing ourselves in to a contract for service, he said.

Tarvainen said the board is not necessarily being forced into a contract for service, or a fire authority, but needs more information to decide a course of action before the next meeting to ensure the district does not begin an unnecessary lengthy hiring process.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said he needs more information and all the facts and has always supported the department staff, but he also works for the constituents and will need to know that the response times and the staff qualifications are equal, and another Black Forest Fire will not occur. The level of service will need to be a good deal for the residents, he said.

Director Jim Abendschan said the board should cool its heels hiring a chief and leave the interim chiefs in place before the board heads down the same road again, and do some research. He suggested the board hold a workshop and receive presentations on the potential for a unified fire authority or a contract for services from the three fire departments, hiring a fire chief immediately is not the right idea.

Director Chad Behnken agreed with Abendschan, and Tarvainen, and said receiving all the information to make an informed decision either way is the correct course of action.

Dowden and Hinton questioned the boards position if another department were running the district.

Bartlett said the board contracts with a fire chief every day, and a contract with another agency would not be that different. The board would continue to function as usual, be relevant running meetings, and the contract agency fire chief would attend the meetings every month, updating the board, discussing the districts needs, and formulating the annual budget.

Dowden said he would contact the districts legal counsel Linda Glesne to provide clarity and direction for the board.

Department staffing

Bartlett said it would benefit the department to not enroll anyone in the fire academy but wait until graduates are available to hire and avoid the training cost. He also suggested part-time wildland technicians instead of seasonal hires to allow for step-progression promotions. A firefighter had left the department to join a tech company.

Dunn said it is a challenge to annually find and retain seasonal wildland technicians. The district made about $173,000 from wildland deployments in 2022 and about $249,000 in 2023, but the deployments were significantly less in 2024, and the Type 3 wildland engine did not deploy due to frame damage, so revenue is only expected to be about $78,000, she said.

Bartlett said it is more cost effective to leave apparatus deployed out of state during wildland fire season, swap crews out using commercial flights, and save on apparatus wear and tear and costly replacement tires.

Station 2 mold investigation

Bartlett said due to the large amount of snow melting through a vent into the basement, mold is present at Station 2. Mold type testing is being conducted to determine the type of mold, and heaters will be used to keep mold at bay.

Hinton said some mold spores can send people to the intensive care unit.

Dowden suggested immediate action be taken to install portable de-humidifier units—they are relatively inexpensive, he said.

Bartlett said research will be conducted to find the correct-sized unit for the square footage.

2025 fee schedule

Dunn presented the board with the 2025 fee schedule, and said it was exactly the same as the 2024 schedule with no revisions. The board discussed the fees and unanimously approved the schedule with $35 per hour (the first hour is free) for the Colorado Open Records Act requests, and $100 for the actual costs of publishing notices and the legal paperwork for property inclusions, actual costs for exclusions, and the actual costs for sub-division plan reviews.

2025 district election

The board unanimously approved the 2025 regular district election of board directors, appointing Dunn as the designated election official. Self-nomination forms will be accepted through close of business on February 28, for the May 2025 election. Directors Behnken, Dowden and Tarvainen’s seats expire in 2025.

The meeting adjourned at 11:13 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Nov. 2, 6, and 20 – Training officer terminated; firefighters request district merger; 2025 budget proposes mill levy increase

By Natalie Barszcz

The Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) board held a special meeting on Nov. 2 to discuss personnel matters relating to the investigation into allegations pertaining to Training Capt. Michael Torres. The board held a second special meeting on Nov. 6 to discuss the permanent fire chief position and determine an outcome for the two failed motions from Nov. 2.

At the regular meeting on Nov. 20, the board heard a presentation from the firefighters requesting exploration of a consolidation with neighboring district Monument Fire District (MFD). The discussion about searching for a permanent fire chief continued, and interim Fire Chief Josh Bartlett rescinded a notice of resignation.

The board received the proposed 2025 budget with a mill levy increase, reinstated the health insurance differential, and approved the memorandum of understanding with Pikes Peak State College (PPSC). See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11bffrpd/.

Note: This reporter attended all three meetings via Zoom.

Outcome of special meetings

The board held a four-hour workshop on Nov. 2 to discuss the hiring credentials of a permanent fire chief before holding a special meeting with two executive sessions. The board received legal advice from CEGR Law attorney Dakota Spence-Zurek regarding the findings of the investigative report into Torres and to obtain further guidance for Torres in his role as training captain. Legal counsel Linda Glesne, CEGR Law, also attended via Zoom. Torres agreed to meet in a closed session with his family members. All board members were present during the executive sessions, but Director Chad Behnken was excused from the meeting for a previous obligation when the board returned to regular session.

Chair Nate Dowden said the special meeting was called to discuss Torres and the need for more guidance to succeed in the role as training captain, based on all that was learned from the investigation report, he said.

Dowden made a motion to return Torres to active status, with the condition that Bartlett provide clarity for the role of training captain, and if performance improvement is required, develop a formal action plan outlining steps and measures to ensure the expectations of a command staff member are met. The motion was seconded by Treasurer Jack Hinton but failed with Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen and Director James Abendschan voting no.

Tarvainen said, “The board expects more from the command staff other than the behaviors found in the investigation, and I do not know if it is appropriate for Torres to return to duty.”

Abendschan, in agreement, said returning Torres to a position of authority over department personnel was not appropriate when his actions did not always remain appropriate and professional, as indicated in the investigative report.

Hinton said his actions could be corrected with Bartlett responsible for monitoring Torres to ensure that happens, otherwise Torres will suffer the consequence.

Tarvainen said the board must be held accountable knowing what was discovered during the investigation. “The board must hold command staff to a higher level of accountability, and I am unsure a personal improvement plan would accomplish this,” said Tarvainen.

The firefighters addressed the board, suggesting the investigation had been unfair and one-sided with not all employees having a say in the investigation. They wondered how the board could reach this conclusion.

Abendschan said that during an investigation involving personnel matters, not every member of the organization is included. Since the investigations made by a third party began in late June, the investigation was out of the board’s hands.

Other firefighters said contact information was not provided to staff members who wanted to reach out to the investigator. Staff members were told they would be contacted to have their say, but the third-party investigator reached out to the administrative staff, and the result is biased in one direction, and only based on hearsay, firefighters said.

Tarvainen said it was not up to everyone to pass comment on confidential matters. If you were not a witness to the incidents, you would not have been contacted.

Note: This reporter was blocked from hearing the audio for several minutes at this point in the meeting. The following ensued based on information included in the investigation report.

A motion was made recommending termination of employment for Torres, noting that significant time and effort had been invested in the facts of the case, and definitive action is needed to close the matter. The motion failed in a tie vote with Dowden and Hinton voting no.

Note: At this point, audio resumed

Bartlett requested Torres’ status. Dowden said Torres would remain on paid administrative leave, and another special meeting would be held to reach a resolution. The details would be posted on the district website.

The line staff requested notification of the special meeting details.

The Nov. 2 meeting adjourned at 5:41 p.m.

At the special meeting on Nov. 6, with all directors present, the board moved into executive session at 7:19 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) 24-6-402(4)(b), to receive legal advice regarding legal questions related an employee investigation, and held a second executive session, pursuant to CRS 24-6-402(4)(f), to discuss personnel issues related to the fire chief position.

During the executive session, Bartlett apprised the board with information recommended to use for posting the fire chief position, providing a salary range from neighboring departments for comparison. And he said the salary range is usually included in the posting and the higher wage would be reflected in the 2025 budget. The process will be a national search that allows for internal candidates and includes an application window. Time is of the essence, and the board should move quickly and post the position, said Bartlett.

Spence-Zurek said the executive session should address the certifications of some staff members that were out of date or inaccurate. Some members have been paid at a rate of a certification not held. Some are on notice that there is a deadline to remedy the situation. Some members have been demoted and moved to a correct pay scale pending correction of certification questions, and some may be reinstated at their original position.

Three paramedics had expired Pediatric Advanced Life Support certifications, but all three have been remedied. A firefighter EMT was working without a state EMT certification; he was terminated from his position and moved into a wildland technician position. He plans to challenge the national EMT certification and hoping to be reinstated as a firefighter EMT, said Spence-Zurek.

Some members are lacking Colorado certifications, but those members may be allowed to perform specific job duties if they have certifications from a different state. The lateral movement of personnel allows this strategy, and those with out-of-state certifications will be given the opportunity to study and test for Colorado certificates, he said.

For additional information, see the minutes pertaining to the executive sessions at www.bffire.org.

When the board returned to the regular meeting at 8:47 p.m., the board unanimously approved the closure of all pending board-authorized investigations, and in a second motion the board unanimously terminated Torres’ employment with immediate effect.

Firefighter John Singsheim asked if comments were allowed.

Dowden replied, “Not this evening.”

Torres’ mother-in-law Yvonne Krcmer said, “I hope you are proud of yourselves.”

The Nov. 6 meeting adjourned at 8:54 p.m.

Firefighters pursue merger

At the regular meeting on Nov. 20, acting Capt. Chad Herdt suggested the board consider a merger with MFD, and said a merger would allow the district to grow as a fire department. The merger would mitigate the need for costly command staff and ensure competitive pay, and the line-staff have built relationships during training and emergency response time with MFD, he said. Consolidating with MFD could save about $700,000-$1 million annually, and it would benefit the residents by bringing specialized resources to the area, Herdt said.

Dowden asked about Falcon Fire Protection District (FFPD). Herdt said the district works closely with MFD.

Firefighter Dylan Svoboda said the staff train with MFD every month.

Firefighter Melissa Collins said the district runs the PPSC fire academy with MFD.

Acting Lt. Trevor Holliday said the staff has a closer relationship with MFD, and the transition would be easier than with FFPD.

Tarvainen said, “The elephant in the room is also the close relationship with Colorado Springs Fire Department, and the district needs to address all three options.”

Dowden said the decision needs to be the best for the tax-paying residents of the district and take care of the team and whom the district represents. He thanked Fire Chief Andy Kovacs, Herdt, and the other line staff for their input.

Note: The district has a closest unit response agreement with MFD.

Kovacs said he was about to begin his fifth year as fire chief of MFD in January, with 30 years prior serving with Orange County, Calif., a regional provider contracting with 33 surrounding cities. With mergers come great benefits, specific to economy of scale with the services a larger department can provide, he said. MFD will complete a merger with Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) on Dec. 31, and he encouraged the board to reach out to former DWFPD board President Mark Gunderman (serving as a director on the MFD board) to confirm the resounding success.

“I am not trying to build a kingdom, but in the interest of the taxpayer, it is a benefit to have a regional fire district with nine or 10 fire stations than the current four smaller departments,” Kovacs said. There would be a mill levy discrepancy that did not exist with Wescott, since a higher mill levy existed, but the merger will benefit residents, he said.

Alternatively, the district could decide on an “a la carte menu” with a contract for services with certain administrative functions, or a fire authority, or a more formal consolidation process. The DWFPD merger took three years, but originally DWFPD explored a fire authority then skipped that process, because the end goal and the mill levy discrepancy needed to be resolved, said Kovacs.

Glesne said the consolidation and fire authority would require a public vote; a contract for service would not. Consideration should be given to what would happen to the personnel, and that would need to be discussed immediately to include which positions would be needed or contracted, she said. There are some “sticky wickets” that would require negotiation, said Glesne.

Bartlett reminded the board that the department does not have a command staff.

Kovacs said the boards would need to negotiate the terms of a contract for service, and the process would take no more than a few months to facilitate and could include a term limit.

Tarvainen said the board needs to move forward in the best interests of the district.

Dowden said, “The board had been presented with interesting considerations that warrant discussion and consultation with legal counsel, but we have a statutory requirement to get a budget in place by December. I am not advocating the interim fire chief explore options until the board have had further discussions, and the board can formerly engage in discussion next month.”

Tarvainen said Bartlett is requesting approaching all viable agencies.

Bartlett said all three chiefs of the respective fire departments will want to know if the board is willing to engage and consider options.

Dowden said he was not ready to commit tonight.

Tarvainen said moving forward is the responsible action, and she recommended moving forward immediately and continue searching for a fire chief concurrently.

Hinton said it could take up to five months to hire a fire chief.

Tarvainen, Abendschan, and Bartlett agreed that the department will not have any trouble finding an interim retired fire chief to assist with a merger process, and the department needs to “keep the ball rolling.”

Bartlett said he would stay if the board was willing to listen to the staff and explore future options, and he was not asking the board to push the conversation into next month.

Glesne said, “A lot of interesting ideas had been presented, and the ask is for continued discussion, it is appropriate, and there is not contract in front of you, but there is a lot of opportunity to look at different contracts. There is no legal hurdle to posting an interim fire chief position.”

After further discussion, the board agreed that Bartlett should approach all parties that could provide contracts for services, or a fire authority, or a merger, and explore all possibilities, to include a search for a permanent fire chief or an interim retired fire chief for six to 12 months to help facilitate a merger process.

The board unanimously authorized the interim fire chief to enter into discussions with neighboring partner agencies for consideration of proposals for providing services.

Glesne left the meeting at 8:40 p.m.

After a 5-minute recess, the meeting resumed and Dowden said that over the past month the board had discussed hiring a fire chief, but the board is not quite there yet. He suggested a committee be formed to finalize the position.

Bartlett said the position needs to be built out, refine a posting and move forward seeking other options for the department, and decide how long a tenure would be for a future permanent or interim chief.

Abendschan and Tarvainen said the department is close to defining the position.

Bartlett requested two board members assist him with finalizing the qualifications.

After much deliberation, the board unanimously approved a special committee of Tarvainen and Behnken to assist Bartlett in building a posting and job specification by the next meeting.

Dowden said he had received a resignation from Bartlett proposing he step down as interim fire chief and flip roles with Battalion Chief David Rocco. Consequently, he had received a letter of interest from Fire Medic Fielding Lucas requesting the position of interim fire chief.

Bartlett said he would rescind flipping roles if the department was willing to move forward with pursuing options towards a contract for service, a fire authority, or consolidation.

Dowden said the leadership is good to go for tomorrow morning.

Tarvainen said that with more changes coming, it is preferable to maintain the current roles.

Dowden suggested the discussion of the fire chief role be tabled until further discussion to define the role of the fire chief and the timeline for filling the position.

Proposed 2025 budget

Rocco proposed removing the deputy chief and training captain position from the executive staff roster and creating three shift battalion chief positions. It was noted that during the PPSC Fire Academy in 2024, that after 5 p.m. and during weekends that the district had no “on shift” command supervision before he and Bartlett took over in the interim roles. A short-term plan could be developed with existing staff, he said.

Hinton said implementing 14.915 mills for the 2025 mill levy will leave the district with a shortfall of about $300,000. Based on the 2018 election, the district is allowed to adjust annually for any anticipated loss. The district will need to implement 15.56 mills to make up the difference to cover the loss of $296,308, he said.

Note: As of Oct. 31, the General Operations Fund had about $2.4 million for daily operations and a total of almost $3.336 million in savings and reserve accounts. A public hearing will be held at the December meeting before the board approves the 2025 budget, certifies the mill levy, and approves the wage and leave schedule.

Insurance differential reinstated

Dowden said at the previous meeting the topic of qualifying for the insurance differential had been presented, and the board learned that staff members had not been receiving the differential in 2024. In October 2023, the initial budget presentation had included the differential, but on Dec. 28, 2023, during the final presentation of the 2024 budget, the line item had been deleted. The board does not recall making a conscious decision to delete the line item, and there is no record in the recordings or minutes stating the removal of the insurance differential, said Dowden.

The board unanimously approved reinstating the insurance differential, and inclusion in the 2025 budget, at about $3,797 per year.

Check signing approved

The board unanimously approved that only board members and the interim fire chief be check signers.

Fire Academy contract

Bartlett confirmed large chunks of concrete had been removed from the live fire training grounds, but the crushed concrete was not tamping into the frozen ground and a drum roller would be used to assist. Training can take place on the mud, but live fire training will be conducted at Fort Carson during the 2025 PPSC Fire Academy. All students will need to sign a waiver that BFFRPD will not be liable, and waivers should have been signed in the past, he said.

The board unanimously approved the memorandum of understanding with PPSC.

The meeting adjourned at 10:37 p.m.

Note: At the Oct. 16 meeting, the board heard that former Fire Chief Bob Harvey had approached the district on behalf of the Flying Horse North developer to purchase a tender in lieu of providing cisterns within the development.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11454 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. For additional special meeting notifications, joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit https//bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Oct. 16 – Deputy Chief resigns; board addresses handling of personnel matters; multiple issues require attention

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors meeting on Oct. 16, Chairman Nate Dowden addressed public inquiries regarding employee matters and the release of information regarding them in the recent investigations into three members of the executive staff.

The agenda was amended to move into executive session before the regular meeting agenda resumed. The executive session topic of discussion was abbreviated to the hiring of a permanent fire chief, due to the letter of resignation received from Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg.

The board discussed establishing the qualifications needed before the fire chief hiring process begins, received a request to reinstate the health insurance opt out before accepting the 2025 budget, heard the training grounds would not be in compliance for the Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) fire academy, and the 1979 aerial ladder truck requires repairs to pass a safety inspection.

Director James Abendschan attended via Zoom.

Board addresses public questions

Dowden provided clarification on several questions received from the public regarding the investigations into three members of the executive staff and said the board strives to maintain a high degree of employee confidentiality regarding personnel matters and investigations, however, news media uses minutes from the board meetings and obtains information through Colorado Open Records Act requests and various other means, and the board cannot control the news media. Addressing the questions received by the public, he said:

  • On Oct. 10, at 5 p.m., former fire chief PJ Langmaid was fully separated from the district and is no longer an employee of the district.
  • The board can only act on information provided by investigators on the investigations authorized by the board.
  • The board was informed that the third-party investigation report involving Piepenburg would be available Oct. 16, and the board added an agenda item to the executive session.
  • However, the board received an email from Piepenburg announcing his decision to resign from the district with immediate effect that morning, and the additional agenda item would not be needed.
  • It is understandable that everyone wants more information, but nobody wants confidential information bandied about. The board tries to provide as much information as possible without violating Colorado employee law.
  • The third-party investigation reports are retained by legal counsel and will remain confidential under attorney-client privilege.
  • The investigation into Capt. Michael Torres is still ongoing and no further updates are available.
  • Some scheduling issues with staff deployments are delaying the investigator to schedule interviews and report expeditiously, but the objective is to see all matters resolved and the investigations closed.

Note: At the Aug. 21 board meeting, the board approved a second investigation into the allegations brought against Piepenburg and Torres during the initial investigation into allegations made against Langmaid. Torres remains on paid administrative leave. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n10bffrpd/.

Interim fire chief selection

Dowden addressed the reason behind the board’s selection of Interim Fire Chief Josh Bartlett, a battalion chief with Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD). The driving factor that influenced the board decision was Bartlett’s stellar credentials. He possesses all the appropriate fire officer certifications recognized by the Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control and the Colorado Metropolitan Certification Board. His career, background, and experience as captain of the HR Division of CSFD made him the ideal candidate to step in, providing an unbiased, non-partisan view to help the department identify what went wrong, and get us back on track, Dowden said.

Indemnification for interim fire chief position

Dowden requested the board approve Resolution 2024-06 to provide Bartlett, as interim fire chief, with the appropriate indemnification coverage that the district would provide to any permanent fire chief.

The board unanimously adopted Resolution 2024-06 as presented in a document provided by legal counsel.

Dowden said Bartlett is fully in power in accordance with the district bylaws in an interim appointment, but the district will be soliciting applicants for the permanent fire chief position. He said district counsel Linda Glesne advised the board to discuss the qualifications and criteria for the fire chief position before conducting a search. The board needs to make absolutely clear the expectations for a suitable candidate before advertising the position. The district had a job posting sample about five years ago, and the hiring will be an open-application process, with specific qualifications to meet the criteria, Dowden said. Glesne has suggested the board be the hiring committee or contract with a search company to find a fire chief before the board makes a selection, he said.

Bartlett said as the board conducts the search it needs to understand that most chiefs are not working a fire line, they don’t need reciprocity but should have multiple years of officer/command level experience, Fire Officer 1-3 certifications, National Command level certifications, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the equivalency of running an organization. The pay has changed dramatically. For example, South Metro Fire Rescue is advertising $350,000 for a fire chief position, and the Monument Fire District (MFD) position pays about $185,000 (including benefits). The housing market in Colorado Springs is one of the most expensive in the nation and may require a candidate to move from out of state.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen suggested the district research similar departments of the same size in the state to understand what the district needs and wants in the next fire chief.

Bartlett said the district needs to explore the budget, the revenue sources, and the exclusion of properties. MFD will be fully merged Dec. 31, and the district could explore the possibility of a unified fire authority or a contract for services with another department. A merger would likely impact the mill levy and would require voter approval, but all avenues should be explored to ensure the level of service to the customers is maintained, he said.

Dowden said the district has the ability to move forward, and he suggested the board form a committee to work with the chief to formulate a job description, with a work session on Nov. 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Agenda modified

The board unanimously approved a modified agenda, deleting the second part of the executive session discussion relating to personnel matters and the third-party investigation involving Piepenburg. The board promptly moved into executive session before continuing the regular meeting.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 7:22 p.m. on Oct. 16, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4)(b), to receive legal advice regarding personnel matters that have been subject to investigations. The personnel matters that involved Piepenburg under 24-6-402(4)(f), were not discussed.

Dowden said the timeline for the conclusion of the investigation was unknown, but should the investigation conclude before the Nov. 20 regular meeting, the board may deem it appropriate to schedule a special meeting.

2025 budget in progress

Bartlett said the district staff is diligently working through the proposed 2025 budget that is a working document and about 60%-70 % complete. Clarification is still needed from the assessor’s office, and the company officers are deciding on the needs versus wants, and what the district can afford, to provide the correct numbers. He presented a working document to the board and noted he was told he would not be dealing with the budget and two months later he is, and it’s a large uptake. The district puts together a very good document, but he will not call it a zero-based budget because he grew up in a business world where you have to prove everything is needed, and the budget forecasts what the district thinks it needs, and that is not zero-based, my vernacular is different, he said. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n1bffrpd/.

Hinton said the district does not know what the backfill (money from the state) will be for 2025 after the passing of the new property tax laws. The Special District Association expects the backfill to be the same as for 2024.

The district received just over $100,000 in additional backfill from the state in 2024 for a total of $477,876. See https://wp.ocn.me/24n7bffrpd/.

Bartlett said the district will not spend the money the former chief spent on Echelon Front training and videos. Training will be focused on individual career development, and the district will also focus on finding sustainable revenue sources.

Pay scale unclear

Bartlett questioned the wage schedule of the hired rate versus tenure, experience, and certifications. If we brought someone on at a lateral wage, but they had multiple years of experience and the credentials to prove certifications, and they qualify for a higher rank, they should be able to receive higher rates of pay, Bartlett said. But the wage scale stipulates every block of time has to be filled before achieving higher pay, he said.

Dowden said the opposite could occur if someone is brought in at a higher pay grade but did not meet the criteria for the pay grade, that becomes a benchmark from how they move forward.

Bartlett said Langmaid was not detailed across the board when he brought staff on and made offer letters, but the district should change that, follow procedure, exempt the existing staff, and clear up the discrepancy with offers moving forward.

District receives grant

A/Captain Michael Alverado said the district was awarded a Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant on July 8 for a total of $198,400 (includes district contribution). The grant stipulates the district must contribute funds equal to, or greater than 10% of the grant awarded. Alverado requested the board approve about $18,036 for the funding of 19 sets of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus units, harness backpacks, face pieces, and two cylinders for each line member, in addition to base pieces for a total of 33 pieces for each line member.

The board unanimously approved the district’s contribution for the proposed equipment purchase from the 2024 budget.

2024 wage and leave schedule health insurance differential

Dowden said that historically, if a member of the Fire Department has other benefits via a spouse, the member can opt out of departmental health coverage and receive a compensatory amount in lieu of it.

Lt. Brandon Jones, attending via Zoom, requested the board consider reinstating the health insurance differential after it had been removed from the 2024 budget before approval on Dec. 28, 2023, and he said:

  • Annually the compensatory amount is about $3,797 but the cost savings for the department for a typically annual payment is $8,685 per individual with medical, dental, and vision.
  • If an individual opts out of health insurance, the department saves $4,888 per individual.
  • Half of the department staff is married or getting close to it or has the opportunity to opt out of the district health plan.
  • The previous administration arbitrarily made the decision to remove the option from the wage and leave schedule after it had been used in 2022-23, to crush dissent and based on ideas such as federal law and the Affordable Care Act, stating noncompliance, liability to the department, and a burden to payroll staffers.
  • If it is a win-win financially for the department and staff members, it defies common sense not to include the option.
  • He requested the board reinstate the opportunity to allow multiple staff members to switch to spousal health plans before the open enrollment window closed.

Dowden said that when the board accepted the 2024 budget, it was included in the wage and leave schedule in the October 2023 presentation of the proposed 2024 budget. When it was finally presented for approval on Dec. 28, the wage and leave schedule had been modified and the opt out and health insurance differential had been removed, but he could not recall how or why they were removed. He noted the board meeting minutes did not mention the action and he wondered if the tapes were still available from that time frame.

The board promptly received from Jones the email staff members received from Langmaid in 2023. The email informed staff of the reasons for removing the opt out of department health insurance line item.

Bartlett said that if Langmaid made the decision without discussing the action with the board, the staff could be reimbursed retroactively. The fire chief does not have the authority to make the decision, he said.

Dowden said the board approved the budget Dec. 28, 2023, but the single line regarding the differential had been removed from the October presentation, and he had no direct recollection of the board consciously removing the line item. As the board looks at the 2025 leave and wage schedule, it makes sense to include the option, he said. The board will do more digging and include any retroactive payment in the 2025 labor costs, Dowden said. He thanked Jones for bringing the issue forward and encouraged the entire team to bring issues forward to the executive staff, and then nothing gets lost in the noise.

Jones said the previous administration had requested the line staff “pick and choose your battles” when approaching the board with requests, and that is why the board has not heard a lot from the line staff, he said.

Dowden said the entire board hopes the relationship is not a battle but a discussion.

Fire drill ground requires solid surface

At the Sept. 18 meeting, Bartlett suspended live fire training at the districts’ training facility until the district brought the training ground into compliance with safety standards. He said the district invites multiple departments to use the fire drill ground and co-hosts the PPSC 16-week Firefighter Academy. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n10bffpd/.

At the Oct. 16 meeting, Dowden asked Bartlett if the district was still partnered to jointly host the academy with Monument Fire District (MFD) and PPSC to run a course in January 2025.

Bartlett said the district needs to backfill a prop that has a moat around it and rectify the crushed concrete all over the fire drill ground. It is not recommended for best practice and needs to be replaced with either concrete or chipped asphalt. RB Excavation Demolition LLC estimated the backfill and chipped asphalt to encase the chipped concrete would cost about $20,000 to bring the fire drill ground into compliance. The district has already reached $100,000 in workers compensation liability from ankle injuries, with one staff member off shift and on light duties for 16 weeks post-surgery. The district does not need the liability of students incurring the same injuries. A release of liability would be needed and additional language in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with PPSC, Bartlett said.

The district needs to be as compliant as possible to host training and ensure that everything has been done to reduce all liability, to include the daily training of district staff, Bartlett said. Langmaid made a contract with RB, making multiple payments under $5,000, totaling about $11,000, so the district is owed about 106 hours of operating hours, he said. Langmaid also permitted RB to fill the excavation equipment from district fuel drums (about 1,000 gallons), and some equipment would need to be rented to complete the project, said Bartlett.

Dowden said no plan was ever presented to the board and it all appears to be on the fly. A defined footprint is needed before the board can provide clear guidance for the project.

Tarvainen suggested a delay due to the time of year and the pending temperature changes.

Bartlett said the 2025 MOU with PPSC had not been signed, and he suggested the college resort to Plan B and use Fort Carson or CSFD for training purposes, given the short time-frame left to bring the fire drill grounds into compliance.

After further discussion on the area to be modified and the depth of the asphalt, the board decided to proceed with the project.

The board unanimously approved $20,000 for the project to be completed, contingent on the outstanding labor plus fuel for the rental equipment.

District Administrative Officer Lisa Emry confirmed to this reporter that the BFFRPD Community Room is reserved for classroom tuition from January through May 2025 for the PPSC Fire Academy.

Aging ladder truck has issues

Logistics Officer Rachel Dunn said the Engine 713 aerial ladder truck had electrical issues. District mechanic Gavin Smith reached out to Front Range Apparatus and Seagrave, and both advised they will not work on the electrical issues.

Bartlett said the 1979 aerial ladder truck repairs are on the back burner to focus on building the Type 6 brush trucks, because the ladder truck has major issues with the Aerialscope and it may not pass a ladder test required before placing into service, and said:

  • The ladder test was conducted by an out-of-state third-party provider when purchased, but when extending the Aerialscope at a 90-degree angle test now, there are degrees of shifting, which means the main and carrier bearings are loose inside.
  • Some parts can be ordered, but most would need to be custom made because the 1979 Aerialscope was placed on a 2005 chassis.
  • The wiring also has a problem because it was originally an all-hydraulic unit, but when Pierce Manufacturing replaced the chassis, the controls were turned over to an electrical unit and now it is not talking to the Aerialscope.

Pierce Manufacturing provided a paper with the entire schematic of the engine and it will not work on the apparatus, Seagraves will not work on the apparatus even though it now owns Aerialscope because it cannot get parts. Front Range Apparatus also will not work on the apparatus and Brindlee Mountain Apparatus of Alabama will not purchase the apparatus back and their third-party repair facility suggestion did not return Smith’s calls, said Bartlett. See https://wp.ocn.me/v22n6bffrpd/, https://wp.ocn.me/v22n7bffrpd/, and https://wp.ocn.me/v22n8bffrpd/.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said that when the district purchased the “pile of crap,” a defect return policy was not disclosed.

Bartlett said once the district conducts a walk-through, signs off and makes the purchase, it is standard industry practice to not accept a return. The district purchased the apparatus over two years ago and the inspection report from the district’s walk-through is available, but it was not conducted by Smith, he said.

Note: The delivery of the ladder truck was delayed until April 26, 2023 after leaks were found in in the fire hose supply line in October 2022, and the parts were delayed for about five months. Pierce Manufacturing covered the cost of the replacement hose line, and Brindlee Mountain Apparatus provided a 90-day warranty upon delivery. See https://wp.ocn.me/v22n12bffrpd/ and https://wp.ocn.me/v23n5bffrpd/.

In September, the district purchased ladders totaling $13,307 to equip Engine 713.

Logistics update

Dowden asked about building out a new Type 3 Wildland engine for deployments.

Bartlett said any new project will push the building of the Type 6 brush trucks further out. The Type 6 apparatus can be deployed and make revenue for the district quickly, once built.

Dunn confirmed that Smith was building out a Type 6 brush truck for completion mid-November and the second would be built in December/January.

Note: The financial and department report can be found at www.bffire.org.

The meeting adjourned at 10:09 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. A work session is scheduled for Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. For additional special meeting notifications, joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit https://bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Sept. 5 and 18 – Interim fire chief on board; live fire training suspended

By Natalie Barszcz

The Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors held a “special meeting” on Sept. 5 to receive legal advice from attorney Dakota Spence-Zurek of Cockrel Ela Glesne Greher & Ruhland, P.C. (CEGR) Law regarding the hiring of an interim fire chief and to receive legal advice regarding the departure of former Fire Chief PJ Langmaid. The board approved the hiring of Battalion Chief Josh Bartlett as the interim fire chief.

At its regular board meeting on Sept. 18, the board heard the “live fire” training drill grounds were out of compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. The board received the 2023 audit presentation with a “clean opinion,” and received a petition to exclude 128 platted homes.

The board held an executive session to receive legal advice from CEGR Law regarding personnel matters relating to the second investigation into the allegations brought against Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg and Training Capt. Michael Torres during the investigation of the former fire chief. The meeting was preceded by the annual Volunteer Pension Board of Trustees meeting.

Special meeting executive session

At the Sept. 5 “special meeting,” the board promptly moved into executive session at 7:11 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4), (b) to receive legal advice on the departure of the fire chief and the appointment of an interim fire chief. See wp.ocn.me/v24n8bffrpd/

When the board returned to the regular session at 8:13 p.m., Chair Nate Dowden said the district needs an interim fire chief until the board conducts a search for a permanent fire chief. The interim appointment will help the department organize and return to normal operations, he said.

The board unanimously appointed Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) Battalion Chief Bartlett to the position of interim fire chief.

Bartlett will continue to maintain his career with CSFD during his temporary interim fire chief role. He has the necessary background and skills to provide the expertise needed for the department to regain its footing and is willing to take on the role, said Dowden.

The special meeting adjourned at 8:23 p.m.

Note: The district ratified an agreement with CSFD for the provision of interim Battalion Chiefs Bartlett and David Rocco to share the operational duties of the district from Aug. 1. The district is paying for both part-time employees.

Secondary investigation continues

The board moved into executive session at 7:52 p.m. on Sept. 18, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4)(b), to receive legal advice regarding personnel matters that have been subject to investigation.

When the board returned to the regular session at 9:06 p.m., the following action was taken:

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen made a motion to authorize Dowden to execute the terms of the separation agreement with Langmaid as presented by legal counsel. See https://krdo.com/news/2024/09/09/documents-claim-black-forest-fire-chief-choked-out-firefighters-fostered-fears-of-retaliation/

The board unanimously accepted the motion.

Dowden said the board was briefed by legal counsel on the status of the ongoing investigation, and the investigator is still working diligently and expeditiously to wrap up the investigations. It is a process, and everyone’s patience is appreciated as the district works through the investigations, he said. Legal counsel will apprise the individuals of the current status of the investigation, Dowden said.

Note: At the Aug. 21 board meeting, the board approved a second investigation into the allegations brought against Piepenburg and Torres during the initial investigation into allegations made against Langmaid. Piepenburg and Torres remain on paid administrative leave.

Fire Drill Grounds deemed unsafe

Dowden said that when the district retained Bartlett, the board asked him to examine the department’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), and he identified some issues with the Fire Drill Grounds. All of the directors have walked the training grounds with the chief except Director James Abendshcan, but a time will be scheduled to examine the grounds together. He asked Bartlett to explain the NFPA standard and what that means for the board representing the district.

Bartlett said the NFPA has standards “best practices for the industry” unlike Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, that are not mandated across the board, and said:

• The district has the ability to take on the NFPA standard or be compliant at the same level, backed up by a standard operating procedure or a standard operating guide to the same standard.

• After walking through the training grounds looking for compliance with the 2018 NFPA standard 1403, that relates to live fire props and burns, setting fires using wood and straw to create a realistic atmosphere for training, he found the grounds were outside the regulation, and the district would need to accept that liability.

• Training grounds come with a lot of liability, and one firefighter is on limited duty due to a recent injury on the training ground. It happens within the fire service, but the liability should always be reduced where possible while still maintaining realistic training grounds.

• He walked the training grounds with the acting captains and lieutenants, trying to find out about previous training experiences and how the district uses the training grounds, to determine if the district complies and whether the department can reduce the liability.

• Some challenges can be cleaned up, but the district is not in compliance with the 2018 NFPA 1403 standards.

Dowden said it sounds like the board and staff have a task to identify where the district goes, what we are doing, and what the district is doing as the jurisdiction accepting liability.

Bartlett said that as the district moves toward a permanent chief, he recommended implementing one-year, five-year and 10-year plans, with an initial cleanup to bring the training grounds into compliance, but it will take funding. Multiple departments use the training facility, and Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) runs a 16-week training academy at the facility.

Dowden asked if the district is still partnered to jointly host the academy with Monument Fire District (MFD) and PPSC to run a course.

Bartlett said the PPSC Firefighter Academy course is scheduled to begin January 2025, with candidates identified by the college and MFD, but the district is unsure if the budget will allow for firefighter trainees.

Dowden said that bringing the training grounds into compliance will require some budget needs for the fire academy between now and January, before the classes begin.

Bartlett said the district must be as compliant as it can be if it is to host training and ensure that everything has been done to reduce liability as much as possible before the classes begin. As of Sept. 18, live fire training at the district’s training facility is suspended until the modifications can be made to the fire drill grounds, and certified 1403 live fire instructors and safety officers are in place, said Bartlett.

Bartlett said the SWOT analysis of the department as a whole would hopefully be provided to the board in October. He continues to be employed with CSFD and is working part time for BFFRPD, and sharing duties with Rocco, he said.

Dowden said the board appreciates the continued support from both battalion chiefs.

Aspen Meadows development exclusion petition

Logistics Officer Rachel Dunn presented the board with a petition for exclusion for 128 platted properties in subdivision filing 4 in a development between Forest Meadows Avenue and Cowpoke Road.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said the district has not begun to receive property taxes for the development, and the exclusion would not take place until next year, but the district is dual responding with CSFD. The petition for exclusion is not part of the 2018 ongoing exclusion process of about 2,200 homes bordering the southern portion of Black Forest subject to dual taxation. If it takes that long to go through the court process, the district will receive revenue for the homes when they are built, he said.

Note: After the district approved the exclusion process in 2018, the process was slow until a number of residents questioned the delay in 2020. About 700 homes out of 2,200 homes were excluded at the end of 2021, and about 952 properties are pending exclusion as of December 2023. In August 2013, CSFD opened Station 21 to provide services in the area subject to dual taxation. The exclusion process was implemented incrementally, as agreed upon by all governing parties, to avoid losing about a third of the district’s property tax revenue all at once. See wp.ocn.me/v24n1bffrpd/.

2023 audit presentation

Auditor Tom Sistere thanked the executive staff and the Board of Directors for hiring Hoelting & Sons to conduct the 2023 audit and said the district’s financial condition is strong and the financial statements are presented fairly in all material respects. The audit result is an unmodified or a “clean opinion.” The audit gives two presentations, government-wide financial statements and fund financial statements, and Sistere said:

  • In the government-wide statement of net position, the overall cash and investments were up by about 26%.
  • Capital assets were down $147,000 as depreciation exceeded capital outlay.
  • Liabilities were up just $76,000 as the net pension liability was up $198,000. It was reduced by accounts payable and other liabilities being down by about $80,000.
  • The Firefighters Police Pension Association (FPPA) membership is a lot healthier than the Public Employees Retirement Association pension. The FPPA over the years has been more financially responsible in managing the pension funds.
  • The overall equity position was up $394,000.
  • The General Fund ratio of unassigned fund balance to expenditures has consistently landed over the past couple of years as having about 110-160 days’ worth of fund balance coverage. (The district needs to cover about three months into the next calendar year until property tax revenue is received in March).
  • Revenues were up about $54,000 (about 1%) due to additional tax revenues.
  • Expenditures were down due to less capital outlay.
  • Recommendations were made for the internal controls, but there were no negative findings.

Sistere said it was good first-year audit, and he thanked the staff for their help, noting the audit had already been submitted to the state

The board unanimously accepted the 2023 audit as presented.

Financial report

Hinton said that as of Aug. 31, the district had about $3.392 million in the General Operations checking account. It is about 7% under the anticipated budget for 2024, and it will add the unspent funds from the 2024 budget to next year’s budget.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

District Administrator Lisa Emry said the district had received $25,406 in ambulance revenue and received in total tax revenue of $47,790. The notable expenses were the following:

  • Painting of the new brush truck for $5,000.
  • Repairs to the Type 3 Engine for $15,596.
  • Annual renewal of contract with Stryker $7,123.

Logistics Officer Rachel Dunn said the district sold the Vermeer Skid Steer for about $12,577, and district mechanic Gavin Smith is building out the Type 6 brush truck and diagnosing the electrical issues on Engine 713.

The financial and department report can be found at www.bffire.org.

Impact fee study

Dowden said the department needs to be mindful of implementing impact fees, and he recommended the board begin formulating a request for proposal to find a consultant to conduct the impact fee study in October. He will request an update from Glesne for the October meeting, he said.

The meeting adjourned at 9:08 p.m.

Volunteer Pension Board of Trustees

Volunteer Pension Board Trustee Lisa Montijo was excused.

The board approved the minutes of the meeting held on Sept. 20, 2023.

Hinton reviewed the financial records for the volunteer pension fund and said:

  • The beginning balance six months ending June 30, 2024 was about $1.379 million in the FPPA volunteer pension fund.
  • Allocated income and expenses were about $66,991.
  • The ending balance was about $1.419 million.

The accountants find the fund over capitalized annually, but the district will continue to contribute $10,000 annually to the fund to gain the state contribution of $9,000.

The financial report was accepted as presented, 6-0.

Dowden asked board Secretary Donna Arkowski about the continued growth of the pension fund and questioned if the board should re-evaluate the district’s contributions.

Arkowski said the board has the latest actuarial report (generated every two years) stating the volunteer pension fund is overfunded, but the recommendation is for the district to continue funding to maintain the fund that has 20 volunteer pensioners and two spouse survivors receiving a monthly pension. It does not take much to go from overfunded to an “oops” situation, she said. The fund pays out about $37,000 monthly and when the last pensioner passes, the district will receive the remaining balance, said Arkowski.

Dowden said the advice for the board is to read the actuarial report carefully before making any changes.

The next annual meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17, 2025.

Arkowski and the board members thanked former Paramedic/Captain John Strupp for his volunteer service from 1993-2005. Strupp serves as a Volunteer Pension Board trustee.

The Volunteer Pension Board meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.

**********

Correction

In the September edition, the BFFRPD article should have stated “Acting Capt./Lt. Michael Alverado.” OCN regrets the error.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit https://bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Aug. 21 – Board action criticized; fire chief contract terminated; second investigation initiated

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Aug. 21, the board received criticism from attendees and pleas for fairness during public comments, and it held an executive session to receive advice from legal counsel Linda Glesne of Cockrel Ela Glesne Greher & Ruhland, P.C. (CEGR) Law relating to the status of a third-party investigation into the complaints received against Fire Chief PJ Langmaid. The board held an additional executive session to discuss a personnel matter involving the fire chief.

After the board returned to the regular session, Langmaid’s contract as fire chief was terminated, and the board approved the hiring of an interim fire chief and a second investigation into the allegations brought against Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg and Training Capt. Michael Torres during the investigation of Langmaid.

Langmaid and his attorney, Ian Kalamanowitz of Cornish & Dell’Olio PC law firm, attended the meeting.

Staff complaints addressed

Background: The board held an emergency special meeting on July 1 to convene an executive session with legal counsel after the board received emails from staff members citing allegations against Langmaid on June 28, June 30, and July 1. The board placed Langmaid on paid administrative leave and approved that legal counsel engage a third-party investigator to initiate and lead a comprehensive investigation into the allegations made against Langmaid and the claims and issues brought forward about the command staff and overall leadership culture within the department. The board unanimously approved limiting the actions of the command staff to operational needs.

At its July 17 board meeting, after receiving the preliminary findings of a third-party investigation, the board directed district counsel to proceed with a 360-degree investigation over a variety of matters brought to the board. CEGR Law retained Flynn Investigations Group to facilitate the investigation, and the board placed Piepenburg and Torres on paid administrative leave. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n8bffrpd.

Public comments request fair treatment

Before moving into executive session at the Aug. 21 meeting, the board called for an additional public comments section and received the following responses:

  • April Piepenburg, wife of Chris Piepenburg, said the following: “For the past 20 years, I have watched my husband pour his heart into the fire service, demonstrating unwavering dedication and selflessness, with a commitment beyond emergency response, and he is committed to stand by his fellow firefighters, valuing their wellbeing and safety both inside and outside the station. This commitment stems not from obligation, but from his genuine character. So, when a serious issue was brought to his attention involving the fire chief, he did the right thing and promptly reported the incident to the board. Unfortunately, this act of integrity resulted in an unjust and painful backlash. The board has cast doubt on his character and integrity, deeply damaging his hard-earned reputation in the fire service. Chris has faced humiliation via two local news outlets and three nationally recognized fire service publications that included false, unsubstantiated and biased attacks on both Chris and Capt. Torres with allegations made directly by a board member.
    • “Their work with educators and firefighters across the county has also been tainted by this scandal, spreading the damaging news far and wide, by lumping them into the same category with the fire chief who is the focus of this investigation. By placing Chris and Capt. Torres on administrative leave you have called into question their integrity, by implying they would have influence over staff during the investigation. In doing so, you have called into question the integrity of every member of staff has also been called into question suggesting they can be swayed into providing dishonest answers. Integrity is the corner stone of any organization, a core value adopted by the department, without integrity there is no credibility, without credibility there is no trust, and without trust there is no lasting success. By prioritizing personal relationships with the fire chief and focusing on punching the whistleblowers, rather than addressing misconduct, you send a clear message to the organization, their concerns are secondary.
    • “This approach not only undermines trust and signals that future issues will be met with retaliation and humiliation rather than resolved with fairness and integrity. As a result, the board has cultivated a climate of fear among firefighters, where speaking up and seeking help is met with intimidation, job insecurity, and public humiliation. Do you want a leader who stands firmly and fights for what is right or someone who will sweep issues under the rug to protect their own interest? Deputy Chief Piepenburg and Capt. Torres were fighting for their people, she said. See KRDO 13 https://krdo.com/news/2024/08/14/black-forest-fire-captain-claims-retaliation-after-being-put-on-leave-while-chief-is-investigated/
  • Yvette Torres, the wife of Training Capt. Michael Torres, said, “I am here representing and supporting my husband who was banned from the grounds and cannot speak on his own behalf. I am hoping to get some answers to the questions that Mike, myself and my family cannot seem to get.”
    • She said the following: “Personnel reported claims against the chief to Capt. Torres, who reported the claims via the chain of command to Deputy Chief Piepenburg, who then reported the claims to the board. At the July 17 board meeting the meeting concluded with a shocking decision to place both Mike and Chris on paid administrative leave, this transpired at 10 p.m. Mike was not present at the meeting having already left the meeting, and he was not informed by any board member or administrative staff that he was placed on paid administrative leave. On the evening of July18 at 7 p.m. he received a letter informing him he was not the focus of the investigation and would remain on paid administrative leave for an unknown duration during the process of the fire chief’s investigation. He was told by the investigator he would keep him updated; a month later he has not heard from anyone. How are these incompetencies being allowed? Where is the accountability? How do you put someone on paid administration leave and not provide them with a reason that is relevant to them. How do you place someone on paid administrative leave in good faith for the crimes of another? How do you leave the firefighters and officers without leadership, especially the very leadership that brought the allegations forward?
    • “The line members’ turnover rate has and will continue to be high and Black Forest will continue to lose good people if they do not feel supported, and have firsthand seen that when someone does stands up to protect them, they are retaliated against. How is it okay that taxpayer money is being wasted so brazenly, as most of the administrative personnel are on paid leave, and now third-party officers are provided coverage? In blogs and newspaper articles questions are being raised if the third-party individuals are being paid and why those individuals were chosen versus companies closer to Black Forest such as Falcon and Monument? How will it affect the future and future budget of the department? How do you disregard the lives of people like Mike and Chris who it is not just a job, this is their lives? Mike brought personal props, tools, and equipment to the department to allow him to give the best training to Black Forest firemen, but due to being banned from the grounds he has been denied access to those items that are his. When he has brought this up he hasn’t gotten responses, and continues to be treated as if he is the criminal being investigated. Both Mike and Chris pride themselves on making the fire service and Black Forest Fire Department a better and safer place yet both are on administrative leave which is tarnishing their reputations, while they have done nothing wrong.
    • “How does Black Forest feel knowing that the Fire Department regulations are not up to date due to Mike being banned from the grounds which has led to personnel not having appropriate training, being up to date on state required certifications, and taxpayer money again being blatantly wasted and abused. Why are you treating these men as criminals? And Jim, how are you going to the press, slandering their names and ruining their reputations? How can you all in good conscious think all of this is okay, and what are you going to do to make it right?” said Torres.
  • Yvonne Krcmer, speaking on behalf of her son-in-law, Michael Torres, said, “In all of the years I have known Michael I have always been impressed with his work ethic and passion for the fire service. He is a hardworking, loyal, dedicated, honest, and compassionate person. He has always put his heart and soul into fighting fires and helping his fellow firefighters in any way that he possibly can Through his many years of extensive training, he has a lot of knowledge to share. For 25-plus years, Michael has been taught to conduct himself in a professional and ethical manner at all times. He has gained the respect of his peers and supervisors through his actions, and if he makes a mistake, he is the first one to own up to it That being said, I truly cannot believe the disgraceful way that he has been treated. He reported some allegations to his supervisor that had been brought to his attention, from not one, but several fellow firefighters. These issues are not only considered unacceptable within the fire service, but in most jobs/careers. It is also unacceptable that these firemen did not feel safe to report the actions of the chief in fear of retaliation. It has been brought to our attention that a few board members are very good friends with the chief, and it strongly appears that they might be hesitant to take the appropriate action concerning their friend. Isn’t being a friend of the person accused a conflict of interest? Punishment is being given to a man who was only doing the right thing. The lack of communication is unbelievable, how do you put someone on extended paid administrative leave treat him the way he has been treated, without a clear explanation. What steps are the board taking to get Michael back to work? Michael has earned the right to be treated in a respectful way by the board and the community. Unfortunately, this is not the road this board has chosen to take. The actions by the board and the comments made to KRDO 13 seem to be calculated and unfair. By temporarily removing these men from their positions, what does that truly accomplish? It is terrible how this man has been building a positive reputation in the fire community for all these years to have this board tarnish his reputation. Our family hopes to get answers and all of this resolved in a timely manner, seen as it has been going on for far too long,” said Krcmer. See https://gazette.com/ttribune.com/black-forest-fire-chief-placed-on-administrative-leave-after-staff-complaints/article.
  • Note: Krcmer stated during her comments that the building access codes had been changed, but staff were willing to meet Torres at the perimeter of Station 1, to return his property.
  • Ryan Haynie, treasurer of the Del Norte Fire Protection District Board of Directors, addressed the board via Zoom and said, “I would like to remind the board that you have a duty to take care of your constituents, take care of your firefighters, and take care of the affairs of the district. Unfortunately, when these types of incidents happen it is a negative perception for the department and the fire service in general. Please be fair with everybody whose involved in this, please don’t create environments where members don’t feel safe to report things. Your obligation as board members is to do what’s best for that fire district, and when you have individuals that don’t feel safe to report allegations, or when they do report allegations, they feel that they have retribution against them for doing the right thing, that’s not fair. Please take care of your people, because without the people you don’t have anything left. Those individuals who go out on the trucks every day, who are training, who are doing everything that they’re doing, they are the ones who are keeping your district going; that’s who the people see every day and who the people trust. Take care of your people, treat them right, and keep them safe,” said Haynie.
  • Firefighter Michael Alverado requested the board allow additional public comments after the executive session before the regular session concludes, to allow educated comments.

Chairman Nate Dowden thanked Piepenburg, Torres, Krcmer, Haynie, and Alverado for their comments.

After the board returned from the executive session and all actions had been made, Abendschan addressed Torres and Krcmer regarding the accusations made during the first public comment session. He said he had not spoken with any media outlets and had he been asked to comment by the media, he would have declined and will continue to do so. The information KRDO News 13 and other media outlets repeated was sourced from the board minutes available on the district website, said Abendschan.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 7:33 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4), (b) to receive legal advice on the status regarding the investigation of complaints, and CRS 24-6-402(4)(f), to discuss a personnel matter involving the fire chief.

Board takes further action

When the board returned to the regular meeting at 11:26 p.m., Dowden confirmed the board had concluded the executive session and had not deviated from the agenda. He thanked the attendees for remaining during the evening and said the board had accepted the investigative report prepared by Karin Ranta-Curran with Employment Matters Flynn Investigations Group, and the investigation into the allegations brought to the Board of Directors on June 28 against the fire chief was closed.

The board unanimously approved Glesne negotiate the terms of departure for Langmaid and pursue the hiring an interim fire chief.

The board approved a second investigation into the allegations brought against Piepenburg and Torres during the initial investigation, in a 4-1 vote. Director Chad Behnken voted nay.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen said both employees will remain on paid administrative leave until the investigation is completed, and legal counsel will provide written instructions to both employees on Aug. 16.

Interim battalion chief’s contract

Before the first public comments session and the executive session, Chair Nate Dowden said the board authorized negotiations to begin at the July 17 meeting to identify interim battalion chiefs to temporarily handle the duties of the fire chief and deputy operations chief during the investigation. He requested the district ratify the agreement with Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) for the provision of interim Battalion Chiefs Josh Bartlett and David Rocco, who have been sharing duties since Aug. 1.

The board unanimously approved the agreement.

Logistics Officer Rachel Dunn confirmed to OCN that the CSFD interim battalion chiefs are not assisting with administrative matters or making financial decisions, but they are responding on calls, providing guidance and training to staff, and working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days per week, including weekends.

Financial report

Treasurer Jack Hinton said that as of July 31, the district had about $9.694 million in total assets (about $3.713 million in Operations Checking), the district is at 52% of the anticipated budget for 2024 and should be 58% of the budget for the time of year, but the district has been under budget for some time, said Hinton.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

District Administrator Lisa Emry said the district had received $18,785 in ambulance revenue and received $92,903 in total tax revenue. A notable expense was $30,488 for CEGR legal expenses.

Wildland deployments

Dunn said the district deployed a crew with the Type 6 brush truck engine to the Moss Mountain Fire in Oregon. A staff member deployed to California with the Cimmaron Hills Fire Department and one other deployed to the Alexander Fire in Larimer County.

Training update

Dunn said there were 1,383 training hours in July. Members of the department are still working on certification training so that nothing is lacking during the investigation process, she said.

The meeting adjourned at 11:32 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The board will hold a special meeting on Thu., Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wed., Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. and will be preceded by a Volunteer Pension Board of Directors meeting. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit https://bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, July 1, 6, 11 and 17 – Allegations prompt investigation

By Natalie Barszcz

The Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors held an emergency executive session on July 1 to receive advice from legal counsel Linda Glesne of Cockrel Ela Glesne Greher & Ruhland P.C. (CEGR) Law relating to complaints received against Fire Chief PJ Langmaid, who was placed on administrative leave.

The board held additional executive sessions on July 6 and 11 to receive legal direction and take further action to engage a third-party independent investigator. At its regular meeting July 17, the board, having received further information regarding the allegations, held two more executive sessions to receive additional advice on specific legal questions regarding the investigation of complaints. The board placed two additional executive staff members on paid administrative leave for two months and approved the retention of interim fire chiefs through a mutual aid agreement with Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD).

Treasurer Jack Hinton was excused from the July 11 and 17 meetings.

Note: This reporter was unaware of the special meetings held on July 1, 6, and 11, but received copies of the meeting minutes relating to the meetings at the July 17 meeting.

Board receives complaints against executive staff

Chairman Nate Dowden and Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen held an emergency special meeting on July 1 to convene an executive session with legal counsel after the board received emails from staff members citing allegations against Langmaid on June 28 and 30 and July 1.

The board placed Langmaid on paid administrative leave until July 17 in a 3-2 vote.

The board unanimously approved legal counsel to obtain a third-party investigator to initiate an investigation into the allegations made against Langmaid with the preliminary findings to be presented to the board by July 15. The board also unanimously approved legal counsel to explain the allegations made to Langmaid, with notification that an investigation would ensue, and legal counsel would provide legal notices as required.

A motion was made and unanimously approved to limit the actions of the command staff to only operational needs. All policy, personnel decisions, including modifications of positions, work schedules, and any hiring and firing decisions would require board approval. For the duration of the paid administrative leave, communication to the board would be made jointly to Dowden and Tarvainen.

The board approved Langmaid’s email be moved to Logistics Officer Rachel Dunn for appropriate filtering in a 4-1 vote.

The board appointed Dowden and Tarvainen to email staff about the start of the investigation for the allegations received on June 28.

The board acknowledged more information had been received identifying organizational leadership and cultural challenges in the department on June 30, and additional information was received from Langmaid on July 1 regarding the operational and cultural leadership challenges that occurred on July1.

On July 6, the board held an executive session relating to a personnel matter involving Langmaid (Tarvainen was excused before any decisions were made in the regular session). Langmaid attended the July 6 meeting. When the board reconvened in public session, a letter of no confidence regarding Langmaid was discussed by the board. The letter received on June 30 was from staff members but advised that it did not represent all members of the district.

Hinton stated that any investigation needed to be “360 degrees,” and he urged all members to assist during the investigation.

Director James Abendschan stated, “If we leave Division Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg and the Training Capt. Michael Torres in their positions the culture is untenable, the grapevine is alive and well, and the department is not a healthy working environment. We have a qualified administrator that can keep the ball running, and captains who are qualified to run calls.”

Hinton said, “If we place them on leave and get a fire, what happens?”

In a 4-0 vote, the board authorized CEGR law firm to initiate and lead a comprehensive investigation into the claims and issues brought forward about the command staff and overall leadership culture within the department.

The investigation is intended to identify the issues of concern, and all supervisory personnel are advised to adhere to all district policies, with special attention to Policy 203 regarding unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

A motion to extend Langmaid’s paid administrative leave to August and add Piepenburg and Torres lacked a second motion and died.

Based on further information disclosed to the board deeming the actions committed by Langmaid to be terminable, a motion was made to terminate Langmaid’s contract. The termination is consistent with paragraph 7.1, item 4, termination with cause, and based on Policy 100 and the violation of core values. With a 2-2 vote, the motion failed.

The board unanimously directed Dunn to contact the district’s information technology provider to provide forensic analysis of the potential unauthorized access of Langmaid to Dowden’s, Piepenburg’s and Torres’s emails.

The board unanimously approved a modification to extend Langmaid’s paid administrative leave to a time when all board investigations are completed.

On July 11, the board moved into executive session to receive legal advice concerning specific legal questions regarding the investigation of complaints. When the board reconvened, Dowden said the board had conferred with legal counsel and received legal advice. A discussion surrounding possible interim leadership for the department would continue at the July 17 regular meeting.

Board takes further action

At its regular meeting on July 17, before the executive session, the following comments were made:

Retired firefighter and former two-term board Director Richard Nearhoof said the department had come a long way since the Black Forest Fire in 2013. He thanked everyone in attendance and said the department is well-equipped and employs well-trained personnel. Langmaid has done a great job as fire chief, and despite some differences of opinion between the chief and the board, mutual agreements are usually reached. “I am proud of the department,” he said.

Tarvainen thanked all members of the BFFRPD in attendance and watching via Zoom for being invested in the department and community and said everyone is appreciated by each member of the board. She said she would send the following statement to all department members via email:

“The board has been made aware of some serious allegations that are now being investigated. The board requests each member fully cooperate to allow the board to fully understand all that has happened. The decisions made tonight will make it easier for the line staff and allow the investigators to do their job. As the board enters into executive session, think about what is written on the sleeve of your work uniforms, ‘They for THEM,’ and why you are a firefighter in the Black Forest community.

The residents have entrusted each of you with the stations, the apparatus, the equipment and each other, and they want you to protect the community. If the residents were to walk into the station their tax dollars have paid for, would they approve of all of the behaviors that are taking place, would they be OK with the culture that exists and how you treat each other? As a taxpayer of the community, a board member that has sworn an oath to ensure the district is doing what is expected, and a recently retired member of the fire service with over 30 years of experience, if the allegations are true, I am not OK with any of it; I am saddened, angered, and disappointed. We are going to get to the truth, make the necessary course corrections and allow the firefighters to perform their jobs with pride. The board is supporting the line staff and doing the right thing,”

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 7:24 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4), (b) to receive legal advice on specific legal questions regarding the investigation of complaints and the retention of an interim fire chief, and potential formal action regarding items discussed during executive session.

When the board returned to the regular meeting at 9:48 p.m., Dowden said he echoed the speech Tarvainen made and said it is a challenging time for the department and every member has questions. The board has directed the district counsel to proceed with an investigation over a variety of matters brought to the board. CEGR Law has retained an independent third party to facilitate the investigations. The unbiased process retained by district counsel has begun to investigate the allegations, and the lack of information provided at this time is to maintain anonymity and privacy for all parties involved. He requested the board remain professional and allow the third-party investigation process to continue.

In a 3-1 vote, the board placed Piepenburg and Torres on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the investigation after additional information was made known to the board during the investigation. Director Chad Behnken recused himself due to a conflict of interest.

In a 3-1 vote, the board authorized legal counsel to inform Piepenburg and Torres with the explanation of the paid administration leave and authorized both email accounts to be directed to Dunn for filtering. Director Chad Behnken recused himself due to conflict of interest.

In a 4-0 vote, the board approved Tarvainen and Dowden to work with Dunn to negotiate an interim operational fire chief from CSFD, for an anticipated period of not less than 60 days, with the ability to extend on a month-to-month basis as deemed necessary by the board.

The meeting adjourned at 9:56 p.m.

After the meeting, Dunn confirmed to OCN that all operational calls the chiefs would typically respond to would be handled by CSFD battalion chiefs until the investigation is complete.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, June 19 – Impact fee study discussed; additional funding received

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on June 19, the board received advice about implementing impact fees and heard the district had received the anticipated funding from the state. The board heard about the district’s wildland team deployment status and approved a proposal from Lexipol to develop the district’s policy manual. The board held an executive session to discuss negotiations regarding the district’s ambulance service.

Director James Abendschan was excused.

Special District Emergency Services funding

District counsel Linda Glesne joined the meeting via Zoom and advised the board on several changes in the state Legislature that allows Special District Emergency Services to increase funding. See www.ocn.me/v24n6.htm#bffrpd.

Glesne said the following:

  • The state Legislature passed SB24-194 allowing special districts that are not under the jurisdiction of another political body to develop impact fees.
  • The bill also allows for the creation of a sales tax within the district subject to voter approval.
  • The impact fee portion will need to be underpinned by a study demonstrating the need to establish impact fees for the operation of the district.
  • Specific language within the bill mandates a rational basis for adopting a fee that should be no greater than necessary.
  • Discretion should be in play, and the study should focus on a cap or ceiling and assess reasonable anticipated growth.
  • The impact fees can only be assessed for capital facilities, equipment, and apparatus wear and tear.

Chair Nate Dowden said the board had no appetite for collecting sales tax and asked if the Legislature limits the use of impact fees, noting the stipulation that fees cannot be used for additional staffing. Hypothetically, a development could necessitate a new station which would cost the most, and the fees would cover the construction but not any additional staffing, he said.

Glesne said that before adopting an impact fee, the study would look at the district’s projected growth overall and not just one development. The district can already provide service to multi-story buildings, but the study will address the latter not the former. The study will assess how much impact the growth will have on the fire district. Glesne also said:

  • The board should consider the impact fee and implement it Jan. 1, 2025, with a view to the future and an anticipated growth model.
  • The impact fees cannot be collected for any development already in the construction phase, and fees cannot be collected until after Aug. 7, 2024.
  • The impact fees will be applied upon construction activity when the building permit is approved, and the fee collected will be distributed to the district.
  • Any existing residence or commercial property that changes its footprint above a set square footage would also be assessed an impact fee.
  • The board will establish the fee and additional square-footage limits for existing properties and uniformly apply the fees.
  • The board can revisit the impact fee scale in the future but cannot charge fees on a case-by-case basis.
  • The bill allows fee waivers only for low-income and affordable housing units.

Glesne advised the board to begin pursuing the study and have all its “ducks in a row” ready to adopt the impact fees after Aug. 7. She suggested the board budget at least $20,000 and probably more for the study. Glesne added that a couple of completed impact fee studies with a skeleton request for proposal (RFP) would be forwarded to the board.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said he thought the study would likely be in the range of about $50,000 and it would be hard to appropriate funding for the study until the district receives the bids.

District receives state funding

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid said the day after the May board meeting the reimbursements for SB-23B-001 and SB-22-238 were deposited into the district’s bank account. The funds were allocated via the El Paso County Assessor’s Office with the property tax revenue in April. The additional funding is available for the board to move forward with the Lexipol policy manual development and conduct the impact fee study, he said.

Background: During the budget process in 2023, the district expected to incur lost tax revenue in 2024 of about $373,301, after Proposition HH failed on the November ballot and the state Legislature held a late November 2023 “special session” that resulted in a reduction in property taxes that took away tax dollars from special districts. See www.ocn.me/v23n11.htm#bffrpd. The state promised to reimburse fire district revenue losses, and the district received the following reimbursements:

  • $264,429 for SB-23B-001.
  • $213,440 for SB-22-238.

The state gave back more than anticipated for a total of $477,876, just over $100,000 in additional revenue.

Note: The Board of Directors adopted 14.951 mills for 2024, approving $4.969 million for the budget. The 2024 budget will require amending to reflect the additional funds received.

Wildland fire team deployments

Langmaid said the district was not deployed (at the time of the meeting) and it was uncertain if district would be needed in New Mexico due to torrential rains in mid-June, but the district is available to deploy with the Type 6 brush truck if needed. The wildland team would have deployed to California, but the Type 3 engine is not available due to a significant number of cracks in the aluminum body and mounts. District Mechanic Gavin Smith evaluated the engine and advised against deploying the Type 3 due to the cracks and risk to the engine. Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg and Smith have a plan to retrofit the Type 3 cab and chassis, allowing the apparatus to remain in service within the district and avoid the cost of replacing the apparatus.

Hinton said aluminum is fixable and he would like to see the damage.

Piepenburg said a new rear box (pump and tank) would typically be about $250,000, but the plan is to accomplish the retrofit for about $125,000.

Langmaid said he agrees with the retrofit, but the purchase will be dependent on the revenue generated by the wildland team deploying with the Type 6 brush truck in 2024.

Hinton said it is a problem if the wildland team cannot deploy and make money to pay for apparatus repairs.

Piepenburg said the Type 6 brush truck will eventually be deployed, but the requests from California are for a wildland team with a Type 3 engine only.

Lexipol proposal

Glesne provided advice to the board after reviewing the Lexipol contract and said the district’s right to terminate the contract will not be before the end of 2025. The board should allocate revenue to cover the year-and-a-half contract, she said. The contract will need to be corrected to renew Jan. 1, 2026 and not July when the pro-rated half year begins. The contract has limited indemnity, but that is not uncommon in IT contracts. The board could ask for that to be removed, but Lexipol may not be willing to make the change because it is not offering a lot. A lot of agencies are using Lexipol, and the scenario of a lawsuit is unlikely to occur. Lexipol provides a quality product and a warranty that states it is following all of the appropriate laws of the jurisdiction and U.S. laws, living up to the standard of professional service providers, said Glesne.

Hinton voiced concern over Lexipol removing the policy manual if the district decided not to renew the contract.

Glesne said the online portal would close and the district would need to download the policy manual before terminating the contract and make the necessary changes to the content before re-adopting the policies. The policies would be for internal purposes only, she said.

Dowden said the document may only be online and unavailable to print.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen requested clarification on the right to retain the policies produced for the district during the contract.

The board approved the Lexipol policy manual development contingent on the items that needed clarification or amending and authorized Langmaid to execute or nominate a designee in his absence.

Financial report

Hinton said that as of May 31, the district had about $2.7 million in the General Operations Fund and a combined total of about $3.654 million (includes reserve funds, deployment operations, and TABOR). The district received about $250,775 in county taxes and $337,000 in wildland deployment revenue. The annual payment of $45,000 was made for the 2022 Pierce Enforcer 4395 engine. The district’s total expenses year to date are about $2.4 million. The district is at 40% of the anticipated budgeted expenses and 1.66% below the projected expense budget, he said.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 4-0.

Langmaid said the only notable expense was $9,000 to Hoelting & Sons for the 2023 audit.

Chief’s report

Langmaid said:

  • He had been invited to speak at 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment at Fort Carson.
  • The board received two concrete proposals for review and discussion at the July meeting, approval in August with pouring of concrete in September.
  • Staff completed about 2,323 training hours in May.
  • The district continued EMS and fire training with Monument Fire District (MFD).
  • The district responded to a small structure fire on Highway 83 with MFD.
  • The fire danger signs around the district are checked daily and updated when needed as fire conditions change.

Fireworks concerns

Tarvainen asked about the district’s plans for the Fourth of July fire danger change in operations coverage.

Piepenburg said that depending on the weather conditions that are forecasted to be hot and dry over the next few weeks, extra precautions and upstaffing will likely be made on and around the Fourth of July holiday, as residents set off more fireworks than usual and the fire danger challenges become greater; it is always a dangerous day.

Langmaid said the big challenge is due to fireworks not being illegal in the county. State law only requires an evaluation one week before announcing any fireworks ban for the Fourth of July. A significant issue occurred July 4, 2022 in Black Forest when about 50 to 100 mortars were launched at a property and law enforcement almost brought in an explosive ordinance disposal team, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 8:34 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4), (e) to determine positions relevant to matters that may be subject to negotiations regarding the district’s ambulance service.

After the meeting, Logistics Officer Rachel Dunn confirmed that no action was taken when the board returned to the regular meeting and then promptly adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 17 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

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Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, May 15 – State funds exceed expectations; new bill approves additional revenue sources

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting May 15, the board heard about the district receiving additional funding from the state that requires an amendment to the 2024 budget, and the passing of Senate Bill 24-194 allowing Special District Emergency Services to generate funding from impact fees and seek voter approval to generate sales tax revenue. The board approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Pikes Peak Regional Fire Academy (PPRFA), the sale of a tender, and the consignment of a skid steer vehicle. Discussion continued on the Lexipol proposal (district policy manual management), and the district’s long-range planning options.

Director Chad Behnken was excused.

Unexpected additional revenue

Treasurer Jack Hinton said that during the budget process in 2023, the district expected to receive lost tax revenue in 2024 of about $373,301, after Proposition HH failed on the November ballot and the state Legislature held a late November 2023 “special session” that resulted in a reduction in property taxes that took away tax dollars from special districts. The state promised to reimburse fire district revenue losses, and the district received notification of the following reimbursements:

  • $264,429 for SB-23B-001
  • $213,440 for SB-22-238

The state is giving back more than anticipated for a total of $477,876, just over $100,000 in additional revenue. The district will need to amend the 2024 budget to reflect the anticipated additional revenue that exceeds 10% of the budget. It is unknown how any future state Legislature will affect the district’s budget; the district will need to add additional funding to the reserve funds. It is unknown when the additional revenue will be received, but the 2024 budget will need to be amended at the June board meeting, regardless of when the reimbursements are received from the state. A public hearing will precede board adoption of the amended budget, and then the revision will be submitted to the state, said Hinton.

Note: The Board of Directors adopted 14.951 mills and the 2024 budget was approved on an assessed $4.969 million.

Special District Emergency Services funding

Chair Nate Dowden said the state Legislature passed SB24-194 allowing special districts that are not under the jurisdiction of another political body to develop impact fees, and the bill also allows for the creation of a sales tax within the district subject to approval by the voters. The impact fee portion will need to be underpinned by a study demonstrating the need and the establishment and correlation of the proposed impact fees. He asked if District Attorney Linda Glesne planned to present a synopsis in June regarding the impacts of the new legislation.

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid said he had spoken with Glesne and suggested a legal briefing either in a special meeting or at the next meeting, and implement a study as soon as possible given other districts seeking the same path.

Hinton suggested the district act quickly to avoid being placed on the back burner, find a consultant and get the study completed, as other districts will be seeking to do the same.

Dowden requested the board be briefed by Glesne in June with a sample request for proposal, and the staff needs to identify revenue for the Lexipol proposal and the impact fee study. The impact fee study will likely cover the same information the other two proposed long-range planning studies would have covered.

Pikes Peak Regional Fire Academy

Dowden requested the district staff produce copies of the MOU for the PPRFA before the board could continue its review and approval, and the meeting paused for about five minutes. He thanked Logistics Officer Rachel Dunn for providing the MOU documents and asked which version had been presented.

Langmaid said the original version had been executed by Monument Fire District’s Division Chief of Community Risk Jonathan Bradley, but the MOU presented was not the original and had been reviewed by Glesne and the state. The state is waiting for the board’s signature after a few minor changes were made by Glesne to the original document, and no further modifications are needed, he said.

In a 4-0 vote, the board approved the MOU contract number PPSC24-090, with direction for Langmaid to execute filing the document with the state on behalf of the district.

Director Jim Abendschan said he appreciated the decision to develop firefighter training alternatives within the region.

Langmaid said the PPRFA has received a lot of positive feedback and attention.

Note: See accompanying photo of the graduating recruits from the inaugural Joint Regional Fire Academy graduation ceremony.

Financial report

Hinton said that as of April 30, the district had about $1.86 million in the general operations checking and a total of $2.81 million (includes reserve funds, deployment operations and TABOR). The district received $6,240 in deployment revenue and about $1.365 million in county taxes. The district is just slightly over budget year to date by 0.2 percent, said Hinton.

Note: The district engaged auditor Chris Banta, under Tom Sistare of Hoelting & Company Inc., for about $13,000 to perform the 2023 audit.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 4-0.

Proposed tender sale

Dowden said the board discussed the proposal to sell a tender that raised multiple questions.

Dunn said district Mechanic Gavin Smith said the pump is not fire rated, and the district has no other use to repurpose the apparatus.

Piepenburg said the chassis for the apparatus is outside of the 25-year fire service life-span usage.

Abendschan said it is a nice truck with hardly any use at all and brand-new Michelin tires and he wished the department had made better use of the apparatus.

Hinton asked about the 25-year lifespan stipulation on an apparatus with about 14,000 miles on the odometer.

Langmaid said the district is not bound by the National Fire Protection Association standard or any federal regulation. It hauls water and has a small pump and cannot relay pump. The new tender should not need replacing for the next 20 years, he said.

Dowden said the district had received an offer of $30,000 from Rock Bottom Propane Co. The buyer will remove the tank, pump, and body, and those items will be sold separately. He asked if there was any reason to believe the apparatus was worth more.

Piepenburg said the district was offered $20,000 intact by Brindlee Apparatus Sales, and Smith had done thorough research on the value. The department had used the apparatus in training and has done its due diligence trying to repurpose the tender, but it was no longer useful to the agency. See www.ocn.me/v24n5.htm#bffrpd.

After much deliberation from each director, the board reluctantly agreed to the sale of the tender in a 4-0 vote.

Langmaid requested the board also consider consigning the 2013 Vermeer Skid Steer 1004 vehicle that is constantly requiring repairs by Smith. Funds from the sale could be coupled with funds generated from the tender sale to purchase a front loader tractor.

Dunn said that Smith suggested the mini skid steer may generate about $15,000 if sold through GovDeals.com.

Hinton and Dowden recommended commercial equipment broker Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers, headquartered in Denver with an international reach, over GovDeals.com.

The district needs to identify its needs before purchasing an expensive front loader, said Dowden.

The board approved the consignment, 4-0.

Lexipol proposal

Dowden said the board had discussed the Lexipol proposal for district policy manual management at length last month, but the initial annual fee of $17,009 with an annual fee of $10,855 did not correlate with the figures presented in May. The fee appears to have increased to $21,055 for the initial fee and $13,029 for the annual renewal fee. The board had agreed to a pro-rated fee of $5,427 for the remainder of the year at the April meeting. Alternatively, the department staff could continue developing the policy manual or the district could contract with Lexipol. The district is expecting an additional $100,000 from the state that will require reworking of the 2024 budget. Since no line item exists in the budget to contract with Lexipol, the additional funding will need to be found with a rework of the budget.

Hinton said the proposal would also need to be sent to Glesne, incurring additional legal expenses.

Dowden concurred that district counsel provide at minimum a cursory review.

Langmaid said Lexipol provides updates, revisions, and review of case law changes quarterly.

Dowden recommended the proposal be forwarded to Glesne for a review of the terms and conditions. As presented, the proposal does not state the performance period for 2025, and he requested clarification that all five tiers be completed in the pro-rated portion and reflected in the proposal.

Hinton requested staff present to the board where the Lexipol funds will be found in the budget. The pro-rated amount can easily be found by manipulating the budget, but the board needs to know the fine details and decide where the payment of about $34,000 will be sourced from before making the payment in advance to Lexipol.

The board members agreed on the proposal but tabled signing it until the June meeting.

Long-range planning options

Dowden said the board had agreed to table the discussion of long-range planning options after no alignment between board members and staff was apparent to identify the needs of the district with a macro-strategic concept that neither AP Triton nor Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) was proposing.

Hinton said the planning proposals were quoted in the region of $58,000 and $68,000 and with limited space to be developed, two stations, and 17 apparatus, it will not fly with him to fund a study to tell the board what to do, he said.

Dowden suggested tabling the discussions of the two proposals until after the district discusses the recent legislation that may affect how the district is funded in the future. A needs-based study would be needed to develop the implementation of impact fees and most pertinent, it would be duplicative to pursue either the AP Triton or ESCI proposal.

The board approved tabling the discussion, 4-0.

Chief’s report

Langmaid said the following:

  • The district responded to two working structure fires near Black Forest and assisted Falcon Fire Protection District with a large wildland fire. A Type 1 Engine assisted Pueblo County with a wildland structure protection fire caused by a homeless encampment.
  • A few outstanding bills were found by Administrative Officer Lisa Emry that were lost inside retired Deputy Chief James Rebitski’s email account. The lost bills included a $30,723 bill for a Stryker Cardiac Monitor.
  • Dunn is seeking concrete proposals for both stations and a concrete pad for the training center to prevent injuries and reduce worker compensation claims.
  • The Personal Protective Equipment closets are being expanded to accommodate the additional staff and protect the district’s investment.
  • Staff are seeking quotes for some acoustic panels for the training room to make communication via Zoom easier to hear.

The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 19 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit https://bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Above: Board Director Chad Behnken administers the oath of office to the district’s five graduating recruits of the inaugural Pikes Peak Regional Fire Academy on May 3 at the Woodmen Valley Chapel, Monument. From left are firefighters Carlos Amaya, Alicia Nakada, Kevin Palm, Miranda Stinson, and Patrick Wolking. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Other fire district articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, April 13 and April 17 – Board considers policy solutions; discusses long-range planning; approves by-law changes

By Natalie Barszcz

The Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) board held a workshop on April 13 to discuss the policy-making authority, financial policies, long-range planning, and asset management planning. At the regular meeting on April 17, the board approved changes to its by-laws and considered a proposal from Lexipol to develop the district policy manual. The board discussed the long-range planning and asset management/maintenance plan policies and a proposal to engage a consultant to develop a district master plan. The board also discussed the sale of the reserve tender.

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid was unavailable during the April 17 meeting.

Board of Directors by-law revisions

Chair Nate Dowden thanked the directors, Langmaid, Logistics and Planning Officer Rachel Dunn, and this reporter for attending the workshop on April 13, and as discussed during the workshop recommended adopting multiple revisions to the board by-laws:

  • The vice chair shall preside in the absence of the chair.
  • The board may appoint an additional director to the Budget Committee. In the past the committee consisted of the executive staff and the board treasurer.
  • The Budget Committee shall be responsible for drafting the annual budget.
  • The board shall adopt the overall budget and make a resolution to do so.
  • Another director may be appointed to the permanent Annual Audit Committee.
  • The recording secretary shall keep the district seal.

The board unanimously approved the changes to the board by-laws as presented.

Dowden said the district’s attorney, Linda Glesne, confirmed that no restrictions are imposed when moving line items within the overall total approved annual budget.

Lexipol proposal

Dowden said the board directors had received the Lexipol proposal for consideration in the 2025 budget, should the board believe there is a need to develop a district policy manual. Lexipol provides a standard service to craft policies in accordance with applicable industry and regulatory standards. A considerable amount of time would be involved for staff to develop district policies, said Dowden.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said that after reading the Lexipol proposal three times, it presents as “boiler plate,” and he voiced concern about not receiving a tailored set of policies and would prefer incorporating the district’s existing policies. He wondered if the extensive Lexipol policies would then need approving by Glesne, further increasing the cost. The Lexipol cost for start-up is $17,802 with $10,856 for the annual subscription and additional attorney fees for 2025. He asked if something else presents during the year and the district needs another policy, would an additional fee be incurred. For example, the operation of the training trailer and the development of a policy for best practices regarding service animals, he said.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen said it would be beneficial to have the representative present via Zoom at the May meeting to answer the board’s specific questions.

Dowden said it makes no sense to continue writing the policy manual if the district decides to contract with Lexipol, and it would be useful to know if Glesne would need to provide additional review.

A Lexipol policy representative joined the meeting via Zoom at 8:03 p.m. and confirmed Lexipol employs retired firefighters that are knowledgeable about the Colorado Revised Statutes, state legislation, and any applicable federal laws, and said:

  • Lexipol can help develop content for additional policies and incorporate nuanced district policies, but ideally the district would adopt the standard polices in compliance with industry standards.
  • The district could receive guidance on how to write and draft additional procedures, but Lexipol would not advise as a lawyer.
  • The average district typically does not change more than 15%-20% of the content provided by Lexipol, but the district is more than welcome to restructure the language provided.
  • Revisions and updates are made quarterly.
  • New procedures can be made during the initial development of the district policy manual.
  • Lexipol can help build and organize procedures into the system but cannot review, verify, or validate whether it is constitutionally sound.
  • The district could pro-rate the subscription from July through December for about $5,428 and pay the start-up costs and the annual renewal when the budget resets in January.
  • Daily two-minute training bulletins and rapid interventions are included in the Lexipol subscription and are available to the district firefighters online and through the mobile app.

Hinton requested the executive staff find funding in the current budget to reallocate for a pro-rated subscription through 2024 and allow Lexipol to begin developing the district policy manual.

Long-range planning

During the board workshop, Langmaid said the district cannot hire additional line staff without additional revenue due to a lack of accommodation at both stations, and he recommended hiring a consultant to develop a master plan. Once the maximum exclusion of properties is reached at the southern portion of the district, a property tax revenue loss of about $500,000 will occur for 2025. See www.ocn.me/v24n1.htm#bffrpd. The district needs to know what the future will look like in the next five to 10 years and may need to look at partnerships beyond mutual aid and explore a fire authority, said Langmaid.

At the regular meeting, Dowden said the board and the executive staff had a difference of opinion on where the district needs to be on long-range planning, and he asked about the genesis of the consultant proposals from Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) and AP Triton presented to the board at the workshop.

Dunn said the executive staff began discussing engaging consultants last October and solicited the consulting options. Both companies are experienced in assessing the size and scope for large to small districts and can help project the revenue needed. The consultant firms can pull all the data, a task that would take district staff much longer. ESCI conducted master plans for Palmer Lake Fire Department and Monument Fire District (MFD), and AP Triton performs similar work, said Dunn.

Director Jim Abendschan said he experienced three master plans during his fire service career and the process is only valuable if the district has the means to act on the recommendations, otherwise it is a waste of money. The only three issues that could affect the district in the future are:

  • The development at Flying Horse North.
  • How much of the district the City of Colorado Springs might annex.
  • The possible creation of a Fire Authority with another department.

Other than those changes, a master plan would not have a big effect on the district’s long-range plan, said Abendschan.

Hinton said he seems to have opened a quagmire requesting a long-range planning tool. He wanted to keep it simple so the district can predict facility upgrades and apparatus and equipment needs in the future. He did not anticipate spending $20,000 hiring consultants to generate a master plan, just a simple document, a tool to provide solutions on when to make large purchases and renovations, said Hinton.

Dunn said she had begun a massive spreadsheet for equipment replacement, tasking the lieutenants to assess the station needs. A spreadsheet was created for each item, such as radios and the cost of extractors for decontaminating bunker gear, to include the depreciation value. If the district wants to hire additional staff, the existing 11 bedrooms between both stations will need to increase. After working through the procedure with Langmaid, they thought hiring a consultant to predict the districts future needs could be beneficial, said Dunn.

Hinton said the board does not know the time periods for when equipment is likely to expire, and it is often an educated guess but necessary for the budget development, but he did not mean the tool to become a full-blown master plan and a complicated mess, he said.

Dowden said the directors are looking heavily at proposed policies 400.11—Asset management/maintenance plan and 600.01—Long-range planning, and as discussed at the workshop the consensus of the board was to focus there. There was no appetite to engage in a 10-to-20-year strategic plan to know where Black Forest could be heading with proposed developments in the north and south of the district.

The board does not need that level of information today, and he recommended the staff focus on developing the spreadsheets for asset and equipment needs and depreciation. The board needs additional time to review the two consultant proposals, but there is no burning timeline to hire a consultant to develop a master plan, said Dowden.

The board tabled adopting policies 400.11 and 600.1 until the May meeting, allowing it additional time to review the consultant proposals and compare the policies.

Banking signatures

Hinton said the authorized bank signatures needed to be cleared up, and the process should be an action item after every board director election and when there is staff turnover. The bank needs to be informed of the staff and directors who leave the district, and district Administrative Officer Lisa Emry needs to be added as a point of contact with the bank, but not a signee. He requested Directors Abendschan, Tarvainen, and Chad Behnken complete a signature card with the bank.

Note: During the workshop, Hinton said the signature cards were out of date and two former board directors and the retired deputy chief were still recorded as signees at the bank.

The board unanimously approved the reaffirming of authorized signatures for the current directors to authorize and sign checks, and authorized Emry to initiate wire transfers with First National Bank of Las Animas.

Abendschan suggested a road trip to complete the signature cards.

Financial update

Hinton said the expenditures as of March 31 were at 24.8% and the district was under budget and should be about 25% of the annual budgeted amount. The district has about $3.941 million in assets (of which about $1.912 million is in the Operational Checking account for daily operations) and had received about $442,046 in revenue. The district received the final payment of $108,272 in wildland deployment revenue for the financial year 2023. He asked Dunn to discuss extra funds to invest before the next meeting.

Dunn confirmed the district had no outstanding revenue expected for wildland deployment from 2023 and the district received $30,725 in ambulance revenue.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

Chief’s report

Dunn presented the chief’s report for March and said the following:

  • The district acquired a 1999 Type 6 (brush truck) from MFD for $2,500. The apparatus will be used by the district Mechanic Gavin Smith as a fleet maintenance truck.
  • A state grant of about $8,000 was awarded for paramedic school, and the district submitted a grant request with Pikes Peak State College for Career Advanced Colorado Grants for the recruits.
  • An Assistance to Firefighters Grant for increasing the district’s Self Contained Breathing Apparatus units was denied.
  • The total monthly training hours was 1,569, including EMS and fire training with MFD, and night training on fireground operations.
  • The district had an average volume of 71 calls for service.
  • The tender was expected to be in service April 23 or 24.

Note: At the Feb. 21 meeting, the board approved the payment of a new tender truck to include a $3,000 change fee for painting for a total of $349,849.50. The board objected to an interest charge of $1,600 added by Front Range Apparatus, which was not included in the original contract, and subsequently the board did not approve the interest charge. The funds are being drawn from the capital improvement fund.

Reserve tender sale proposal

Dowden said the board received a request to sell the reserve tender 2883, a Type 24 freightliner, in service since 1999, purchased for $150,000, with an odometer reading 14,351miles.

Dunn said Smith had received an appraisal from Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus, Huntsville, Ala., for $30,000 to $40,000 in January 2023, but this February the quote was only $20,000. Rock Bottom Propane has offered $30,000 to purchase the freightliner without the pump, tank, and body that could be consigned for an additional $3,000-$5,000.

Fire/Medic Heather Heath said, “The tank leaks like a sieve.”

Dunn said the reserve tender is taking up space and has sat in the barn since 2021; the apparatus is depreciating in value.

The board was not prepared to sell the apparatus until further information can be found on the drive train, a tank replacement, or possible repurposing.

Mutual aid correspondence

Dowden conveyed notes of thanks for providing mutual aid on March 24 to the Armdale Heights duplex fire near Dublin Boulevard, and for assisting with the Boggsville Fire March 2-4 in the City of Las Animas, Bent County. The fires received mutual aid from multiple districts.

The regular meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May l5 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit https://bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at Admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, March 20 – District to provide clarity

By Janet Sellers

Note: this reporter attended via an online Zoom meeting. This article was based on the agenda available online at www.BFFire.org, her notes from the meeting, and notes from BFFRPD secretary Donna Arkowski. Some details from the meeting were unavailable to this reporter at this writing.

Black Forest fire district reaches full capacity for budget estimations

The Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) appears to have reached full capacity considering budget estimations and configuration of facilities. This provides staff the opportunity to focus on solidifying processes, structure, procedures, asset management, and long-range planning. Therefore, staff has reorganized to emphasize the roles, responsibilities, and accountability for each section, branch, division, group, unit, and team. The monthly department report reflects these changes providing simple, clear, and concise information regarding projects and data while eliminating areas that have “nothing to report.”

District to provide clarity

Board Chair Nate Dowden noted that Chief PJ Langmaid has been chief since June 2020. Dowden questioned if the board had been clear in their expectations with respect to Langmaid’s performance. Dowden stated he has not been clear and direct regarding expectations and wishes to provide clarity and boundaries for rules of engagement and performance to promote the chief’s ability to succeed. An annual evaluation of the chief has not been provided previously by the board, but this will be done in the future.

The goal for this segment of the board meeting was to clarify which subjects do or do not require board consultation before the chief proceeds with actions. Some examples given were staffing agreements with other departments, development of a fire academy, and the presentation of outside communications to the board.

Board members’ responsibility

All board personnel were given large three-ring binders that contained district policies with approvals pending and documents pertinent to the administration of district business and operations.

The board’s responsibility to the district extends beyond financial oversight and includes objectives such as whether the board wants the department to be an elite force or to focus on a capable force that performs well. Expressing concern about the designation of an elite force, Dowden stated each firefighter is highly qualified and experienced. Whether the district firefighters are more elite than city fire departments was discussed. The word “elite” was questioned as a possible hyperbole.

Treasurer Jack Hinton referred to proposal policies in the binder noting specific language in some and his recommendations on some financial policies and questioned processes surrounding others. Attorney Linda Glesne has reviewed all proposed policies. Also reviewing the proposed policies, the directors expressed concerns that there may be ambiguities between policies and questions of content versus intent.

Treasurer Hinton reported that the district has assets of $1.78 million and $2.66 million in total assets. The previous month’s revenues were ambulance receipts of $7,785 and tax revenues of $53,936 with notable expenditures of worker’s compensation, restocked uniform items, and reported monthly hours worked of 8,291.7 hours.

District mechanic Gavin Smith traveled to Florida for final inspection of a tender, and among a few items noted was a $3,000 change fee due to extra painting required for the tender in Colorado, which will be paid for on delivery.

Strategic summary by Langmaid

Langmaid laid out his primary focus and intent:

  • Leadership development and alignment for the entire organization.
  • Development of management structure and processes to improve efficiency and succession planning.
  • Succession planning and development for continuity of operations and service delivery.
  • Strategic planning and alignment for organizational sustainability and stability.
  • Building and maintaining relationships with strategic and tactical partners.

Despite the significant daily operational workload, the leadership within the organization is consistently focused on strategic planning for the next five, 10, and 20 years of professional and high-performing service delivery.

Emry to assume the section lead for finance and administration

The reorganization timing was predicated on the leadership team’s desire to begin developing more detailed long-range plans, detailed asset management plans, and the departure of Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid. The departure of the director allowed the district to bring on a very experienced paralegal from the District Attorney’s Office. Lisa Emry was with the office for 10-plus years, allowing her to now assume the section lead for finance and administration. This change now allows for Administrator Rachel Dunn to focus on logistics and planning. Dunn’s wildland background has been and continues to be in logistics and she has now assumed the responsibilities of being the section lead for asset management plans, long-range planning, and the daily logistics of the district.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 17 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit http://bffire.org or contact the director of Public Relations at Admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Janet Sellers may be reached at JanetSellers@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Feb. 21 – New tender truck issues discussed; properties included

By Janet Sellers

NOTE: This reporter was unable to make a recording or attend in person and attended via an online Zoom meeting. This article was based on the agenda available online at www.BFFire.org and her notes from the meeting. This reporter was unable to enter the Zoom meeting until 20 minutes had passed, and some details from the meeting were unavailable to her at this writing.

At the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Feb. 21, the board discussed the financial management plan, the budget execution, costs and delivery issues for the new fire tender truck, and authority regarding policies and procedures.

There was a discussion between the board and Chief P.J. Langmaid regarding policies and proposals as well as implementation of the policies as procedures. The board approved the stated contract expenditure for the tender truck at delivery and reserved conversation to a later time regarding any further fees from issues regarding a timely delivery.

Inclusion of properties to the district were requested and adopted at this meeting. There were no comments on workshops, and a resident asking about plans for more equipment was told that it’s in the long-term plan.

Chief Langmaid requested a public executive session with the board, and it was held at 8:50 p.m. The discussion centered on clarification for the chief and board duties of the district as an elite force and other terminology for policies and for terms on which the board requested clarification. Members of the board suggested that they address these issues later and not in this board meeting as the board members were not in agreement regarding the nature of the issues. They decided to announce a special meeting to clarify for all board members and when all board members are present. These comments ended the executive session.

Upon return to the regular meeting there were no more issues, and the meeting was adjourned at 9:27 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 20 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffir.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at Admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Janet Sellers may be reached at JanetSellers@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District,= articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Jan. 17 – Work session scheduled for April; financial plan on hold

By Janet Sellers

This reporter was unable to make a recording and attend in person. This article was based on the agenda available online at BFFire.org and notes from the meeting provided by Donna Arkowski.

At the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Jan. 17, the financial management plan was discussed as well as the 2024 fee schedule and 2024 board meeting schedule.

Work session for district operation policies and meeting dates approved

A work session will be scheduled for a Saturday in April regarding all the relevant policies for district operation. The BFFRPD board meetings will be on the third Wednesday of each month through 2024, except for December which will potentially be a week earlier.

Financial management plan on hold

The BFFRPD financial management plan is on hold and being studied. A discussion was held on how to handle and arrange for a professional engineer to review the issues regarding plan reviews that come from the El Paso County Planning Department to the fire district for comment.

Policy package requested

Chief Langmaid was requested to provide a complete package of all policies of the district to all board members and have a book with this information in place at the station for anyone who wishes to review it.

Fee schedule updated

The 2024 fee schedule was updated and is available online at bffire.org. Fee schedules include services such as research and retrieval, medical reports, property inclusion, commercial inspections, file permits, subdivision plan reviews, and others.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at Admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Janet Sellers may be reached at JanetSellers@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Dec. 28 – Exclusion process progressing; 2024 budget approved

By Janet Sellers

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Dec. 28, the board approved the exclusion process for 952 properties, approved a revised 2024 budget, and four probationary firefighters were sworn into the district, with families pinning on the badges. The district also announced a new volunteer, search-and-rescue dog Koda.

All five board directors were present.

Dual service area discussed

A discussion addressed budgeting issues related to the loss of property tax revenue that will occur when Colorado Springs residents in a dual service area, are excluded from the district. The residents in the dual service area (near Woodmen Road) are subject to dual taxation by the City of Colorado Springs and BFFRPD, but will be assessed fire and emergency services taxes only by the city when excluded from the district.

Background: Until August 2013, the properties in the exclusion areas received fire and emergency services from BFFRPD, and those residents were assessed taxes for fire and emergency services by the district. In August 2013, Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) opened a fire station to provide services in the dual service area and those residents then became subject to dual taxation. About 2,200 homes were subject to dual taxation when the board requested the exclusion process begin in 2018. The process has been slow and only about 700 homes have been excluded to date. See www.ocn.me/v21n9.htm#bffrpd and www.ocn.me/21n10.htm#bffrpd and www.ocn.me/v22n2.htm#bffrpd.

The board unanimously approved a resolution for the City of Colorado Springs to take action to exclude 952 addresses from the BFFRPD area of responsibility. The property addresses will be checked for accuracy. The property exclusion is still under consideration.

Homeowners petition for inclusion

The board unanimously approved 12 homeowner petitions for property inclusion into the BFFRPD service area.

Financial report

The directors discussed financial information, and Treasurer Jack Hinton reported $1.89 million in the bank with no funds from property taxes received in November. BFFRPD has $2.655 million in total assets with expenditures at 89% of the total budget. The financial report was accepted.

Repairs needed

The concrete floor for the training program has been finished, and repairs to the bay doors regarding the motors and heaviness of the doors due to the glass included are out for bids.

Department updates

The district has hired three people to attend the January 2024 Career Fire Academy. Fire training in 2023 included structure training with Falcon Fire District, heavy vehicle extrication training with Monument and Falcon fire districts, and live fire training with CSFD. The new tender that is being built will be inspected by Gavin Smith, fleet manager, in the first week of January.

2024 budget revised

A revised 2024 budget with wage and leave schedules, was unanimously adopted. The budget was originally built on a premise that proposition HH would pass. Since it failed, the budget needed revisions which included a 4.7% cost of living adjustment. However, this is not enough to remain competitive with other departments. The district will increase the operations staff from eight to 10 people with an unexpected increase of 8.75% in health insurance.

BFFRPD intends to close 2024 debt-free. The total revenues proposed for 2024 are about $7 million, to include a $373,301 reimbursement from the state under the SB23B-001.

Investment strategies discussed

A discussion was led by Hinton concerning the need for revamped financial policies and procedures that should be available to all department members and the public. These procedures would also cover investment strategies. Considerations for optimizing investment strategies were discussed. The changes incorporated into a document will be reviewed by the attorney for the fire district before being adopted, and this may need a work session. The subject was tabled until the January meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

**********

The January 2024 meeting was changed from Jan. 10 to Jan. 17. Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at Admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Janet Sellers may be reached at JanetSellers@ocn.me.

Natalie Barszcz also contributed to this article.

Other Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) articles

Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District – Virtual attendance unavailable

By Janet Sellers

On short notice, the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) did not provide a virtual attendance option for the Nov. 15 board meeting. This reporter was unable to attend in person and make a recording.

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For more information, updates, and Zoom meeting joining instructions, see www.bffire.org or contact Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn at 719-495-4300. Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month.

Janet Sellers can be reached at janetsellers@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Oct. 18 – Resolution opposes Proposition HH; preliminary budget proposed

By Janet Sellers

At the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Oct. 18, the board approved a posted resolution in opposition to proposition HH to inform residents about the potential effects on property tax revenue for the district and received a preliminary proposed 2024 budget. The board also heard about the hiring of four firefighters.

All the board directors were present

Proposition HH opposed

The directors discussed concerns about the potential loss of property tax revenue if Proposition HH passes in the Nov. 7 statewide election. In their resolution (which can be found under public notices at www.bffire.org) they stated, “the board were unanimously opposed to Proposition HH as it was not only about BFFRPD, it is also about Colorado special districts (there are over 2,500 special districts in Colorado). Special districts are an integral piece of local government in Colorado. Special districts provide vital life-saving and critical infrastructure services throughout Colorado. These services include fire protection, ambulance, healthcare, sanitation, wastewater, parks and recreation, and libraries. Local taxpayers and local elected officials should be making local tax decisions. The board approved the resolution to oppose Proposition HH.”

Proposed 2024 budget

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid presented the preliminary 2024 budget proposal and said it was earlier than the normal budget calendar due to the potential issues with the Proposition HH and increased property valuations. He suggested the board consider a budget based on a 15.24 mill levy to stabilize revenues and avoid a shortfall. He proposed eliminating the debt on the engine and the tender, providing a 4.7% cost of living increase for employees, and hiring six firefighters to enable the operation of the 2005 mid-mount aerial ladder truck.

Langmaid said budget savings have been possible due to the wildland fire deployments of personnel in 2023 covering wage expenses throughout the year. Langmaid said it is unknown how the budget may be affected in 2024 due to the increased property value assessments and the possible exclusion of dual taxation residents. He said the district is using foresight to make the budget decisions for 2024 based on the ballot initiative of 2018 rather than the decisions made by the City of Colorado Springs and the potential impact to revenue if Proposition HH is approved.

The board approved Resolution 2023-02, opposing Proposition HH.

Firefighters hired

Four employees were hired and began work on Oct. 16.

The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at admin@bffire.org or call (719) 495-4300.

Janet Sellers can be reached at janetsellers@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Sept. 20. 2022 audit is clean; 2024 budget direction explored

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Sept. 20, the board received the 2022 audit presentation, discussed the major 2024 budget priorities, and reviewed the board officer by-laws. The board also witnessed the swearing in of Capt. Michael Torres. A brief Pension Board of Trustees meeting preceded the meeting.

From left, Chair Nate Dowden administers the oath of office to the new Training Capt. Michael Torres at the beginning of the Sept. 20 Board of Directors meeting. Family members pinned on the badge and lapel pins during the ceremony. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: From left, Chair Nate Dowden administers the oath of office to the new Training Capt. Michael Torres at the beginning of the Sept. 20 Board of Directors meeting. Family members pinned on the badge and lapel pins during the ceremony. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

2022 audit presentation

Dawn Schilling, co-owner of Schilling and Co. Inc., Littleton, attending via Zoom, said the executive team had collaborated with her to complete the 2022 audit. She thanked the team and the district accountant for their assistance during the audit, and said:

  • The district received an unmodified or clean opinion as of Dec. 31, 2022, and the financial position of the district “presents fairly.” The opinion could not be higher and there were no significant delays in providing information or disagreements with recording transactions.
  • There was significantly more revenue than anticipated left in the budget at the end of 2022 due to deployments and special ownership taxes. The result left $951 in the budget at the end of 2022, as close to a zero-based budget as possible.
  • Investing in a local government investment such as ColoTrust could net the district 5.4% or about $54,000 a year.
  • There was a dip in assessed valuation of district properties in 2022, and the district attorney should be contacted to seek advice on Proposition HH. (Proposition HH is a question on the November ballot proposing a statewide bill that would implement property tax reductions and allow the state to retain and spend excess state revenue. For information on the fiscal impact of the measures visit https:/leg.colorado.gov/bluebook.) The changes would be significant for special districts if it passes.
  • The board received the audit on Sept. 20, and she would file the audit with the state the following week, allowing some time for questions from the directors, and in time to make the Sept. 30 deadline.

The board unanimously approved the 2022 audit.

Auditor search resumes

Treasurer Jack Hinton thanked the staff and the accountant and said the auditor always does a good job and her fee is reasonable, but the district gets put on the back burner, requiring a two-month filing extension with the state every year, and she almost did not make the meeting. Even though the staff began providing financial information in February, her questions were not received until August. If the district were ever to file a late audit, the state could begin cutting funding. Most auditors are charging much higher fees, but the district should conduct another search and bid out for another auditor to conduct the 2023 audit, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n3.htm#bffrpd.

Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn said a lot of questions were presented during evening hours.

2024 budget development explored

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid said the budget is usually submitted in October for board review, but because of Proposition HH and the increase in assessed property valuations, he requested the board consider:

  • A proposed budget based on the assessed property valuations provided by the county with an assessed 15.24 mills levy to maintain the revenue trajectory.
  • The board made a mill levy adjustment last year in line with the 2018 voter-approved ballot initiative, allowing a mill levy adjustment to compensate for revenue loss after the state dropped the assessment rates.
  • If the board decides to stick with a 14.951 mill levy, there would be a budget shortfall of about $101,000 for 2024. The board could dip into capital improvement funds to make up the difference. See www.ocn.me/v23n1.htm#bffrpd.
  • The key initiatives for the 2024 budget are to pay down the debt on the engine and tender.
  • A cost-of-living allowance increase of 4.7% based on the Front Range data from July/August 2023.
  • Hire six new firefighters to begin using the ladder truck with limited capacity. Three more officer positions will be required with the opening of the ladder truck.
  • The budget resolution will include the historical ballot language, approved by the voters in 2018, and be reviewed by legal counsel. See www.ocn.me/v22n10.htm#bffrpd.

Hinton said through staffing attrition the district has enough salary funding to cover additional staff. The wildland deployments of Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenberg and Dunn saved some salary expenditure. Another staff member was deployed for three months, he said.

Langmaid said if the board agrees, he would like to extend job offers to lateral firefighters the next day. There is a cost savings to hiring lateral entry firefighters due to the avoidance of a three-month fire academy delay, but it incurs an immediate job start and a higher starting salary. The Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) has reduced its Fire Academy Training to summer only, so slots for the district will not be available. Lateral entry firefighters are usually difficult to attract due to the district’s lower wage scale, and staff lose out on accrued benefits when moving organizations, so moves are usually due to family decisions. The district usually receives about 50 applications, but just five were received in the last hiring round, he said.

Hinton suggested moving forward with the hiring, and the determining factor on adjusting the mill levy will depend on the passing of Proposition HH. The city has not yet excluded the remaining two-thirds (about 1,466) of the 2,200 properties subject to dual taxation, and the tax loss for 2025 is unknown, he said. See www.ocn.me/v22n2.htm#bffrpd.

Langmaid also said:

  • Because of the increase in property values, it is not possible to know how much revenue will be lost when the dual taxation residents are finally excluded, but it could be 10% to 20% of the budget.
  • The City of Colorado Springs will be under tremendous political pressure to complete the process that the board gave the city permission to begin in 2017, and once the tax assessments are finalized, those dual taxation residents will be pressuring the City Council to complete the exclusion process.
  • He recommended the board make the budget decision based on the ballot initiative that granted permission in 2018, and not on decisions made in Colorado Springs.
  • Proposition HH, a state decision, proposes to continue ratcheting down the property assessment rates.

If the board agrees with the recommendations, the executive staff will begin developing the budget for 2024, he said.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen said the district purchased a ladder truck and should be able to use it.

Hinton said he is in favor of paying off the debt on the apparatus purchases and the staffing increase.

Director Chad Behnken said he is on board with the general vision.

Director Jim Abendschan agreed with the issues, but more clarification is necessary on how the property taxes will be impacted if the board implements the 15.24 mill levy to make up for revenue loss, he said.

Langmaid said he encourages dialogue and direction from the board before continuing to develop the budget for the first presentation in October, but the budget can be changed at any time until December. The original request for an aerial mid-mount ladder truck was to support the growth in Sterling Ranch and the Flying Horse North developments, and the plan was to open up the truck in 2025-26 when additional property tax revenue would have covered the cost. There is no pressure to staff the truck, it is not the main priority, but the district is unlikely to obtain a SAFER grant to hire firefighters and he was not anticipating any success with a potential government shutdown, he said.

Apparatus replacement plan

Langmaid presented the board with the final budget projection for the two Ford F-550 Type 6 brush truck chassis, with one being a full new build for $203,000. The funds will come from wildland deployment revenue. For information purposes, he also presented the cost of a Pierce Enforcer Engine for $868,684. See www.ocn.me/v23n9.htm#bffrpd.

Directors’ bylaws

Dowden thanked recording board secretary Donna Arkowski for providing the board with the updated bylaws, and he requested the following changes:

  • A change to reflect that the board may elect from its membership a secretary/assistant secretary, and/or assistant treasurer.
  • There may be a permanent budget committee with another board officer involved in the budget process.
  • There may be a permanent audit committee.

Arkowski said BFFRPD had not elected a board secretary for 45 years, but the option for both positions needs to remain in the bylaws until such time as the district does not have a recording secretary. The bylaws are not mandatory, just a suggestion by the district counsel, unless indicated that state law be followed as annotated in the bylaws, she said.

Hinton and Dowden questioned the board’s compliance when appropriations are made that exceed the approved budget during the year.

Langmaid said if the board passes an appropriation by resolution to make a purchase mid-year, they are not outside the bylaws, and that is why legal counsel is required to sign lease agreements. There is nothing to prohibit purchasing outright, and he recommended the board continue reading the bylaws and discuss appropriations with legal counsel, he said.

Arkowski said the bylaws set local government and state government apart, the board cannot spend more than they receive, and there are different rules for lease purchase agreements.

Dowden said he was inclined to agree with Langmaid, but clarification from district attorney Linda Glesne should be made to ensure the board remains in compliance.

The board unanimously adopted the bylaws subject to the changes.

Wildland deployment update

Piepenburg said the department still had crews deployed in California, and the U.S. Forest Service had hoped to keep them until November. But due to the government furlough and weather activity, crews will all be back in the district by the end of September.

Director Chad Behnken asked if the frequency of the 2023 deployments were comparable to the 2022 numbers.

Piepenburg said the district is ahead of 2022, with five 21-day deployment rotations, 105 days with the Type 3 (wildland fire engine) and 35 days with the Type 6 (brush truck).

Langmaid said the surplus revenue for 2023 is expected to be about $1 million, the same as for 2022.

August department reports

The August department report and the financial report can be found under Transparency at www.bffire.org.

Staff kudos

Tarvainen said she attended the Echelon Front Women’s Assembly with five colleagues from CSFD, and the women of BFFRPD in attendance were exceptional, and that is a testament to the leadership within the district.

Arkowski said former board member Bill Marchant praised the department for the professionalism demonstrated when his wife needed an ambulance during a life-threatening emergency.

Donation received

Dowden said the district received a note card from the High Forest Ranch community, thanking the department for keeping them safe. The card was accompanied with a donation of $1,370 from Monica Davis of the Social Committee of the High Forest Ranch Homeowners Association. He thanked the group for the generous donation.

Former board director remembered

Arkowski said former board Director Peter Burleson had recently passed away. He served on the board in the 1980s-90s for about 10 years.

The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

Pension Board of Trustees meeting

The BFFRPD Pension Board of Trustees held a short meeting to discuss the fund status, distributions, and expenses.

Pension Board Trustee John Strupp was excused. Trustee Lisa Montijo attended via Zoom.

The board approved the minutes from the Sept. 15, 2021 meeting, 6-0.

Hinton said the beginning balance for the Volunteer Pension Fund in 2023 was about $1.336 million and the ending balance was $1.383 million with a gain of $4,500 in interest. The distributions to the volunteer pensioners were $37,000. Expenses were $4,000, and the fund gained about $47,000, he said.

Arkowski said the financial statement accounted for the first six months of the year, and the actuarial report states that the pension fund is in good condition and a little overfunded. The report recommends the district continue to fund the pension annually, and the pension fund still has 27 members.

Montijo said it is important that the fund is in good shape, because she plans on living forever, and it is good that all the members are still around.

The board accepted the reports as presented, 6-0.

The next Pension Board meeting will be at the beginning of the regular board meeting in September 2024.

The Pension Board of Trustees meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Aug. 16 – Apparatus replacement plan revealed; chassis purchase approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Aug. 16 meeting of the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD), the board approved the purchase of Ford F550 chassis for two brush trucks, and approved seeking a proposal from Pierce Manufacturing for the potential purchase of a Type 1 engine.

At the end of the meeting, resident Linda Smith announced that former volunteer Public Information Officer Gary Watson had recently passed.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen attended via Zoom.

Note: This reporter attended via Zoom, but it was not possible to hear everything Hinton said throughout the meeting. Information was received via the board secretary and the administrative staff to make this article possible.

Apparatus replacement plan

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid said the department had a chance to purchase two Type 6 (brush trucks) F550 white truck chassis for $66,647 each. There is no delivery date, but the district did “miss the boat” on purchasing chassis for the past two months, he said.

Chairman Nate Dowden said the district needed to send a commitment letter by Aug. 18 to avoid losing its place in line.

Langmaid said there is a slim chance the district could get a black or red chassis, but failing that, the plastic stripping would need to be removed from the interior of the white chassis before the department colors black over red could be applied. It will be more labor intensive, but better than nothing, he said.

Dowden said originally the Ford salespeople indicated good availability for red chassis and suggested the district reserve red, and when they were gone, the district was told it should have requested black, and now they are unavailable. The salespeople were not helpful, he said.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said he would need to look at the numbers before an informed decision could be made.

Langmaid said the 2023 budget approved $65,000 for concrete, a capital improvement not acted upon, with no commitment to a contractor. The decision does not have to be based on where the money is coming from right now, he said.

Dowden requested the board approve the purchase of two chassis for a total of $133,294.

Tarvainen said she liked the idea of the “F550 Crew Cab” model after picking and choosing what gear to take to calls in the past, she was all for it, she said.

The board unanimously approved the purchase.

Pierce Type 1 Engine proposal

Langmaid also requested the board review and consider a planning proposal to purchase a Pierce Type 1 Engine for about $882,000. He said the purchase required no money down, with payments beginning in about two years, and if the economy does not allow the district to complete the purchase, it could be sold. Production time is typically two years or longer and costs continue to rise. The supply for this type of engine is dwindling and the configuration is never coming back, as the new EPA standards take effect. It will be a valuable commodity that other departments will want, he said.

Dowden said the board needs more data from Pierce Manufacturing and it could then consider approving a proposal in September.

Director James Abendschan recommended the department get on the list given the production timeline of two to three years.

Dowden requested the board approve that the fire chief proceed with a request for proposal to Pierce Manufacturing for a negotiation to purchase a Type 1 Engine for no more than $882,000, for further consideration by the board.

Getting on the list is a good idea, said Tarvainen.

The board approved the decision to request a proposal, 4-1, with Hinton dissenting.

Hinton expressed his disappointment with the method utilized to approve high-value purchases, stating that the board should be given more time beforehand to study information on the proposals and desired purchases. The board needs a clear definitive picture of what the financial status of the district will be before appropriating large sums of money, he said. More time was needed to study the proposals and take a more measured look at the financial situation and the future property tax assessments. It is disrespectful for the board to be bombarded with high-dollar requests for apparatus, he said.

Langmaid said he believed he was following the board directive to present information for consideration, and the board directed the staff to return with a proposal and pricing, he said.

Resident Smith asked if the district could conduct a search for a used engine. The district was successful last year and saved money by purchasing a used ladder truck in 2022, said Smith.

Langmaid said district mechanic Gavin Smith had looked for a Type 1 engine similar to the Pierce Type 1 Enforcer engine received last year, with just the following criteria: a 750-gallon water capacity, a 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump, and a low hose bed for firefighter safety, but nothing was available, he said.

Note: The board held a workshop at 5 p.m. before the meeting to discuss the apparatus replacement plan. The district purchased a Pierce Type 1 Enforcer engine in August 2022 via a 10-year lease-purchase agreement; and a tender truck that will cost $346,910 is expected to arrive in fall. See www.ocn.me/v22n9.htm#bffrpd. The district also purchased a used 2005 mid-mount aerial ladder truck in late 2022 that once equipped will require additional staffing. See www.ocn.me/v23n7.htm#bffrpd.

Financial report

Hinton said the district had about $4.1 million in total assets as of July 31.

The financial report provided to this reporter noted that as of July 31, the district had about $2.4 million for General Operations. Deployment operations revenue received year to date was $255,884, and 47.85% of the budgeted $534,729 year to date. The income received year to date was about $4 million, and 93.60% of the estimated $4.2 million. Expenses year to date were about $2.1 million, and 53.53% of the estimated $4 million budgeted for 2023. The financial reports can be found at www.bffire.org.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

Chief’s report

Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn said the department received about $5,047 in ambulance revenue, and the total tax revenue was about $79,108. A payment of $43,879 was made toward the lease-purchase of the Type 1 engine purchase in 2022. The department also received uniform items and forcible entry props for the training center, she said.

Langmaid said the following:

  • The training hours for June were off due to data entry issues, but July training racked up about 1,885 hours.
  • The department training trailer is complete and in service.
  • The department is advertising to hire a lateral entry level firefighter to ensure the board-approved minimum eight-a-day staffing model continues without forcing staff back on shift.
  • Two firefighters completed Driver Operator Pumper certification in Alabama.
  • The wildfire technicians assess the district fire danger and change the signs installed around the district. Signs may not need to change daily, but fuel moisture and weather are monitored for changes daily.
  • No significant calls of unusual nature in July.

Training Complex upgraded

Langmaid said the Training Complex was undergoing an upgrade with the removal of the dead trees surrounding the facility, but to hide the junk cars and Conex containers from neighbors, dirt berms were being formed. He thanked La Foret Conference and Retreat Center for providing the excess dirt, and although it was a lot of work for firefighters, they moved the dirt and the complex should be more appealing to neighbors. The project was a “win-win” for everyone, said Langmaid.

The meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m., and will begin with a Pension Board of Trustees meeting. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Fire Protection District, July 19 – Virtual meeting unavailable

By Natalie Barszcz

An article on the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) board meeting for this edition was not possible because this reporter was unable to join the meeting via Zoom due to a password availability issue. After reaching out to the BFFRPD staff to request a password to join the meeting, a response was received the following morning stating, “The administrative staff would try to ensure future Zoom meetings are not password protected.”

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, June 21 – Evacuation routes raise concern among residents

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on June 21, the board heard concerns over crowded evacuation routes fueled by increased development, discussed the lack of wildland deployments reducing anticipated revenue, and received a donation to equip the recently purchased 2005 Pierce tower ladder truck.

Director Chad Behnken was excused.

Black Forest Remembers

As the American flag was raised by Colorado Springs firefighters over the Black Forest Community Center on June 10, the 10-year anniversary of the Black Forest Fire, residents and victims of the fire gathered in the rain to pray and hear stories of the day the fire started, the loss of their homes, and the healing process. Many have rebuilt after nearly 500 homes were lost in the 10-day fire. Some moved on, but many have worked to clean up their properties and replant trees and build new homes. The work is still going on 10 years later. For information about fire mitigation and the slash/mulch program or to make donations to help with the cleanup process, go http://bfslash.org. Photo by Marlene Brown.

Evacuation routes raise concern

Resident David Haney of Arrowhead Drive said the planned development Kettle Creek North behind Pine Creek High School and west of Howells Road would bring a total of about 900 homes to that area. The residents living in his neighborhood are concerned about safety should evacuation be necessary in the event of a wildland fire, citing the increased traffic concerns and limited access roads that would hamper evacuation. When he contacted Fire Chief P J Langmaid three months ago, Haney learned the district had not been consulted by the Colorado Springs Fire Department during the process, but it is a fire issue and he had hoped the fire district had more clout when it comes to exits and evacuations. The residents are asking for help from the district, he said.

Langmaid said he advised Haney in March to approach the elected officials and leaders of the City of Colorado Springs. As fire chief, he has no legal standing or authority in that area of the city. See www.ocn.me/v23n4.htm#bffrpd.

Chairman Nate Dowden said he was 100 percent empathetic toward the position of the residents, but the district has zero standing with the Colorado Springs Planning Commission during the decision-making process.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said the Fire Department is limited in the decision-making process.

Langmaid said the district maintains a good relationship with Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), and recently spent 90 minutes discussing operational capabilities, working collectively to bring resources together if another large fire occurs, he said.

Haney said that in the wake of the 10-year anniversary of the Black Forest Fire, he is shocked that the department had not been taken into consideration, especially when many residents would need to depart quickly with animal trailers and motor homes. The traffic study was conducted when the senior high school students were not in class, he said.

Langmaid said typically no one is racing to get out of Arrowhead Drive and Howells Road during school entry and exit times.

Dowden said the wildland urban interface is a big issue with the district.

Zonehaven alerting

Langmaid said the district is working diligently with CSFD and Monument Fire District to address evacuation plans. Decisions are made quickly during a wildland fire evacuation, and this spring the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPCSO) purchased and adopted the Zonehaven software alerting system app for every agency within the county. The app allows information and evacuation instructions to reach residents quickly and accurately, and he highly recommended signing up for notifications.

Note: Residents need to sign up individually at www.bffire.org for Peak Alerts to receive emergency notifications. See www.ocn.me/v23n5.htm#mfd.

Wildland deployments lacking

Langmaid said he had received a request from California for wildland support and it was immediately rescinded, but the district is on the cusp of sending crews on wildland deployments. The district had hoped to purchase two new brush trucks with the net profits from deployment revenue, but district mechanic Gavin Smith conducted an extensive internet search and found three used brush trucks that were about $200,000 each, one had higher mileage than the district- owned brush truck. Wildland deployments have been few so far this year. The net profit from wildland deployments in 2022 was about $270,000; it will likely be less this year, he said.

Note: After the meeting, the district deployed four members of the Wildland Deployment Team for a two-week assignment, patrolling and assisting with a wildland fire in California.

Wildfire mitigation

Langmaid said the wildland crew recently had chance to chip up some neighborhood brush with a chipper borrowed from EPCSO, but that prompted Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg to request speeding up the program to purchase a district chipper. The district wildfire risk assessment includes mapping the whole district and working with property owners that have higher volumes of brush that could impact properties that are mitigated in the community. The decision on purchasing additional apparatus will be discussed after wildland deployment revenue for 2023 has been realized, he said.

Note: The El Paso County Slash and Mulch facility is located at 12375 Herring Road, Black Forest. For hours of operation, location, and information, visit www.bfslash.org.

Plan reviews prove time-consuming

Langmaid said the county has an expectation that he is trying to navigate regarding unfunded mandates on the fire district. Most of the day he had been reviewing contractor and developer project plans. The county agreed the district could charge a fee to review plans, but he is unsure if the developer will pay the fee or if the county is prepared to pay for the manpower or use a costly third party. The county is aware of the burden on the fire districts but is also concerned about conflicts of interest. There is more to unpack and unravel, he said.

Financial report

Hinton said that as of May 31, the district had about $2.2 million in the bank (with about $1.4 million for general operations, $567,908 in combined emergency and capital improvement reserves, and $137,400 in the TABOR reserve fund). The district received about $441,718 in county taxes. It had about $3.6 million in total assets (includes $631,554 for the 2022 Pierce Enforcer 4395 engine). The district was at about 37% of the budget year to date at the end of May.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 4-0.

Operations update

Piepenburg said the district responded to a significant structure fire with Falcon Fire Protection District in May.

Training update

Piepenburg said the following:

  • The weather had put a slight damper on training recently, but staff are still training outside despite the storms. The district completed 1,588 training hours in May, about 20% of their time on shift.
  • Live fire training took place with CSFD and Monument Fire District at the district training center.
  • Firefighter 2 and driver operator pumper practical tests were completed.
  • Orientation training has begun on the tower ladder truck.
  • The district hired Michael Torres as the new training captain to replace Jason Morrison. Torres arrives with 16 years’ fire service experience with the City of Chicago Fire Department and smaller suburban departments.
  • He and Lieutenant Chad Herdt attended Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) training in Lakewood. The hope is to include more staff members in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) USAR training in the future. Nationwide, about 28 teams make up the task forces that deploy to natural and manmade disasters.

Langmaid said besides CSFD and Fort Carson, the district is the only agency in the county that participates in FEMA USAR operations. Teams also deploy internationally to assist in disasters such as the recent earthquake in Turkey. Herdt and Piepenburg are a credit to the district, he said.

Note: Herdt and Piepenburg are members of CO-TF1 Lakewood, Colo., West Metro Fire Rescue FEMA USAR taskforce.

Facilities update

Dowden requested an update on the condition of Station 1 after the prolonged spring rains, in comparison to the leakage issues of previous years.

Langmaid said the repairs to the mezzanine appear to have been successful, and the rain had not affected Station 1. Unfortunately, the concrete and run-off repairs at Station 2 had not worked out as anticipated, and water is travelling down the walls and entering through cracks in the concrete. Staff are pushing water away from walls, and after an inspection that afternoon, he noted water entering the bay at Station 2, he said.

Donation received

Father Brad Noonan of Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church, Black Forest, presented Dowden with a $7,000 check on behalf of his parish. Noonan thanked the Board of Directors and the district for their support throughout the years, complimenting the board for its foresight in purchasing the ladder truck. It is a beautiful gift to the community, said Noonan.

Dowden thanked Noonan and the congregation for the generous donation. The district will use the funds to purchase equipment for the 2005 Pierce Tower Ladder truck.

In remembrance

Noonan asked those present to remember Benjamin “Ben” Weylin Montoya who passed away from COVID-19 pneumonia on Jan. 16, 2021. Montoya was an emergency medical technician with the department in the 1990s before moving to Kansas in 1998.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Black Forest Remembers

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, May 17 – Directors elected; ambulance sale approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on May 17, the board elected two directors, approved the sale of a surplus ambulance, and heard about a mass casualty incident (MCI) drill and the development of a regional training consortium.

Directors elected

Chairman Nate Dowden administered the oath of office to re-elected directors Vice Chairman James Abendschan and Treasurer Jack Hinton. Both directors were elected by decree and the May 2 election was canceled.

Board nominates director positions

Board Secretary Donna Arkowski said that officially, the board needed to nominate board positions.

The following directors were unanimously nominated: Dowden—chair, Kiersten Tarvainen—vice chair, and Hinton—treasurer.

Surplus ambulance sale approved

Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg said Peyton Fire Protection District (PFPD) was interested in purchasing the surplus 2007 ambulance for $5,000. The ambulance had about 285,000 miles less than the existing ambulance in service at PFPD, he said.

Hinton said the 2007 ambulance had been donated to Palmer Lake Fire Department in September 2020, but it was returned to the district. It is good to help neighbors, said Hinton. See www.ocn.me/v20n10.htm#bffrpd.

The board unanimously approved the sale.

Gary Nelson, president of Emergency Incident Support (EIS), said the nonprofit organization he leads would have thankfully received the ambulance as a donation if PFPD had not been interested.

Mass casualty incident drill

Dowden asked if a regional MCI training event was scheduled.

Piepenburg said the district was involved with active-shooter refresher training taking place that week with Monument Fire District, Monument Police Department, Palmer Lake Police Department and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. The district had attended previous events and will also participate in a large-scale MCI drill in June, involving multiple agencies region-wide to include area hospitals. The regional drill was developed by EMS Battalion Chief Sean Pearson and EMS Coordinator Stephanie Soll of MFD, he said. See MFD article on page < 17 >.

Nelson thanked the board for the great work they do and said EIS will support the MCI with logistics, catering, and rehab support. The group’s 35 volunteers will act as mass casualties. The MCI regional drill will be held at Don Breese Stadium at Lewis-Palmer High School, Monument, from June 12 to 16, he said.

Financial report

Hinton said as of April 30, the district had about $3.5 million in total assets, and that includes $1.3 million for General Operations and the reserve funds:


  • Money market deposit account, $137,235.

  • Emergency reserves fund, $236,751.

  • Capital improvement fund, $193,803.

  • TABOR reserve fund, $137,400.

The district received $471,744 in property and specific ownership taxes, and about $6,044 in ambulance revenue. The 2022 Pierce Enforcer 4395 has a loan for $356,731 and is shown in the total assets for the district. The true district assets are shown in the 2021 audit conducted in 2022. The district has spent about 31% of the predicted annual budget year to date, about 2% less than anticipated, he said.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

Wildland deployment reimbursements

Hinton requested Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn record the wildland deployment reimbursements received and the month the deployments occurred on the balance sheet. He explained the deployment line on the balance versus actuals sheet now lists deployments separately to show net income or losses. The precise breakout will provide a true depiction of how much the district makes or loses on deployments. State wildland fire deployment payments can take about six months to receive, and Federal Emergency Management Agency payments could take up to a year. The district had yet to receive payment of $45,128 for the last deployment, he said.

Dowden requested a better breakout on the balance sheet because the $380,060 listed on the balance sheet as receivable income was for deployments billed last year that had not been received.

Piepenburg said it is unfortunate the billing process for wildland deployments is not easy. The bills are loaded into the system and sent to a reviewer and turned around in 30 days. If the reviewer does not send the bill back for correction, the correction is made by the district before being resubmitted to another reviewer. The return process can happen again after being reviewed by another agency. If the process proceeds without delays, it can take just 30 days, he said.

Dunn said billing is usually submitted within 7-14 days, but typically 90% of the bills are returned due to incorrect Government Services Administration rates (per diem reimbursement rates). The deploying crews are required to have a resource order before responding to a fire. The coding process is the last step in the process and involves clarification from the agency responsible for fighting the fire. The bills can be returned at any phase in the process, but once accepted by the state, payment is usually received in 14 days, she said.

Dowden said the reimbursement process is a laborious paper chase.

Hinton thanked Dunn and said the breakout on the balance sheet will allow careful monitoring of deployment reimbursements, help the board make educated funding decisions, and assist with budget planning. The wildland deployment reimbursements are negative year to date, he said.

If the district submits the bills on time, it will not be cut off, and eventually it will receive payment, said Piepenburg.

Department report

Dunn said the following:


  • The 2005 mid-mount ariel ladder truck was received April 28 and is housed in the bay at Station 1.

  • The district received new uniforms.

  • Students at “The School in the Woods” received wildfire education.

  • Remodeling work continued in the training room.

Operations update

Piepenburg said the district responded to 10 fire-related calls and 53 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls in April. The district assisted Falcon Fire Protection District with a residential structure fire in Falcon and extinguished a small RV fire within the district. In April, the district deployed two crews to the Gageby Creek Fire, Las Animas/Bent County, for 72 hours with a Type 3 and 6 apparatus. A crew also assisted with the Rampart Range Fire, Teller County, for 24 hours in April, he said.

Training update

Piepenburg said staff had completed a combined total of about 1,281 training hours in April:


  • Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) Fire Academy attended Live Fire behavior training in April at the district training center, and the students were scheduled to return for additional training May 20-21 and again for two days in June before graduation.

  • Staff completed the ongoing monthly North Group EMS Airway training with Centura Health and MFD EMS staff.

  • MFD worked on second-floor Live Fire training for three days.

  • The district is joining a regional training consortium with MFD, CSFD, and possibly Fort Carson Fire Department in the future. The consortium is a path to training and working together more often, with similar training structures and mind set. The district regularly trains with MFD.

Hinton asked if districts with similar terrain and vegetation are taken into consideration when choosing training partners and if line staff also deploy to gain experience.

Piepenburg said the district does not pay too much attention to terrain, but more so structural and EMS training with regional partners. The district usually selects one large wildland training event in the spring with CSFD and MFD. The wildland techs hired to fill the deployment roster are the first to deploy with a Type 3 engine, but the line staff that want to deploy to gain experience take a Type 6 brush truck, he said.

The meeting adjourned at 7:41 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 21 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Director of Public Relations Brooke Reid at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, April 19 – Board approves wage compensation schedule; wildland technicians hired

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on April 19, the board held an executive session to discuss a wage compensation schedule and heard about the recently hired five seasonal wildland technicians and the ongoing preparations to combat wildland fires.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:50 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402 (3.a.V.), to discuss compensation matters that may be subject to negotiations with employees or employee organizations.

When the board returned to the regular meeting at 8:21 p.m., board Chairman Nate Dowden said a revised 2023 wage schedule had been proposed and presented to the board implementing some modifications for certain positions. He made a motion to adopt the wage increase proposal effective April 17, to align with the next pay period.

The board unanimously approved the new schedule.

Note: After the meeting, Fire Chief PJ Langmaid confirmed the wage increases were primarily to adjust the compensation for the paramedics and the public relations director. Salary increases were also applied to the following positions: fire chief, deputy chief operations, administrative officer, and Firefighter/EMT Class 3 and 4 positions.

Resident Linda Smith asked if the deputy chief of logistics position would be filled.

Langmaid said the position would not be filled. The executive team will fulfill the role and provide additional opportunities for personnel development internally.

Wildland fire preparedness

Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg said the district hired five new wildland technicians about a month ago. The wildland technicians are covering three shifts and work 24 hours on, with three days off, but all the new hire technicians were off shift for the mutual aid calls the district had recently received. The technicians will perform the risk assessments and mitigation efforts, change the fire danger signs, and operate the tenders for the district, he said.

Langmaid said the wildland technicians are working a 42-hour week and are paid with wildland deployment revenue.

Note: Rapid Wildfire Risk assessments continue on each property to help assess the wildfire hazard and mitigation needs within the district. Each property owner will be provided with a score card. To request a more detailed Firewise property assessment with helpful suggestions on how to make your property defendable and survivable, contact 719-495-4300 or email admin@bffire.org with your address and contact information. Additional details can be found at bffire.org.

Wildland fuel testing

Piepenburg said the district received a laboratory oven and supplies to conduct wildland fuels testing. The oven tests vegetation samples for moisture from three locations around the district every two weeks, but recent precipitation had prevented testing. The oven provides a moisture percentage to accurately predict the combustibility of fuels within the district, he said.

Langmaid said only two entities were testing for fuel safety within the county, and the district is happy to be the third entity testing.

Black Forest Fire lessons learned

Smith asked if any of the current staff had served the department during the 2013 Black Forest Fire, and if the fire could have been averted had the district had the current department.

Langmaid said he was unsure, but he and board members lost property and maybe one or two returning firefighters were around during the fire. Hypotheticals are always a challenge for firefighters, but based on lessons learned, under similar circumstances, the decentralized command model the district has in place will allow the shift commanders to make aggressive decisions without compromising safety, he said.

Piepenburg said that every staff member is well versed about the Black Forest Fire, and they know the story very well. It is the role of each staff member to do their very best to ensure it does not happen again. The district also maintains a nationwide wildland fire deployment program to allow staff to gain first-hand experience in operating under austere conditions, he said.

Smith said she feels more protected and safer with the new organization, the additional staffing, and all the training that takes place.

Dowden said hopefully any organization learns from the past, and thankfully the department has changed and improved after such a major impetus. Kudos to the team for moving the district forward, he said.

Community club requests assistance

Three members of the Black Forest Community Club 10th Anniversary of the Black Forest Fire Remembrance Committee requested department assistance in the form of a ladder truck to raise a flag, a Firewise booth to help educate the community, and participation in the form of a speech during the event on June 10.

Langmaid said that all decisions should be made by the committee, but the district staff were happy to help wherever possible. District Public Information Director Brooke Reid would assist with making connections. Langmaid suggested the committee contact the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for traffic control, and he would ask retired Deputy Chief James Rebitski if he could give a speech during the event, but the 2023 budget did not include any funding for the event, he said.

Facilities update

Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn said the district is still waiting for an inspection before the gas meter can be installed in the barn.

Dowden asked why the inspection had been lagging for so long.

Dunn said the 20-year-old building plans had to be tracked down before an inspection could take place, but the vendor now has the plans. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#bffrpd.

Piepenburg said the following:

  • The district staff are “crushing it” and had performed about 1,718 training hours in March.
  • Live Fire Training was taking place throughout the week with Monument Fire District scheduled to join in at the end of the week.
  • Staff continue to work on state certifications.
  • All staff completed a Wildland Refresher course and a Pack Test.
  • The recently hired staff completed a week of Wildland Training and Sawyer training.
  • The district assisted Falcon Fire Protection District with a structure fire and helped during the 125 Fire near Simla, in Elbert County, on March 30.
  • Langmaid said the following:
  • The remodel of the Station 1 community room has been paused to allow the community to use the room.
  • The 2005 Pierce mid-mount aerial ladder truck is close to being transported and delivered, but nothing had been confirmed.

Note: The district received the apparatus on April 26. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#bffrpd.

Extreme ownership

Director Chad Behnken thanked Langmaid for the invitation to attend the Echelon Muster Extreme Ownership Conference in Orlando, Fla., with Langmaid and three of the district lieutenants. Behnken said speakers at the two-day leadership conference presented the lessons they learned during war-time deployments and how those same lessons can apply to everyday situations. The conference teaches extreme ownership of tasks within organizations without looking to the top leadership to blame for missions that fail, how to empower staff, and to prioritize and create a strong organization, said Behnken.

The meeting adjourned at 8:34 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, March 15 – Board of Directors election canceled

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, March 15 – Board of Directors election canceled

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on March 15, the board heard the 2023 Board of Directors election had been canceled and that a new recruit had dropped out of firefighter training.

Note: The meeting was held in person in the boardroom at Station 1 due to the remodel of the community room.

Board of Directors election

Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn said the 2023 Board of Directors election had been canceled because there were only two candidates for two seats, saving the district $18,000. The paperwork had been filed with the state. The two incumbent self-nominees Treasurer Jack Hinton and Vice Chairman James Abendschan will serve four-year terms, she said.

Board Secretary Donna Arkowski said the two board members will be sworn in at the May 17 meeting.

Financial report

Hinton said the district received about $1.488 million in property taxes in March, and it is expected to receive about $77,000 for wildland deployments. The district had a total of about $3.475 million in total assets at the end of February. The largest expenditure was $25,840 for structural Personal Protective Equipment.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

2022 audit engagement letter

After the meeting, Dunn confirmed to OCN that earlier in March the district had engaged Schilling & Company Inc., Highlands Ranch, to conduct the 2022 audit. See www.ocn.me/v23n3.htm#bffrpd.

Tender sale discussion

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid said the tender truck sale discussion, although posted on the agenda, was postponed until further information on the market for tender sales could be provided to the board.

Note: The district is expecting to receive a new tender later in the year.

Department report

Dunn said the district received about $21,552 in ambulance revenue and there were no notable expenses for February. The remodel of the community room at Station 1 is still in progress, and the district is still waiting for an inspection to install a gas meter in the barn at Station 1.

Note: The district is installing heating in the barn at Station 1 to create a workshop for the district mechanic.

Recruitment update

Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg said the district had two new recruits enrolled in the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) Fire Academy.

Langmaid said the district hired three new recruits, but one quit the academy quickly. The district is changing its hiring process to avoid a future recurrence of issues with high altitude adjustment. The district conducts a nationwide hiring process, and an offer of employment was made to the next candidate on the list, he said.

Piepenburg also said:

  • The district assisted Falcon Fire Protection District with a barn fire.
  • The district assisted CSFD with a 15-foot trench rescue after a worker had fallen into it.
  • The on-duty crews received “Blue Card” command training to ensure the district is using the same language as neighboring departments.
  • Several staff members received their Ice-Rescue Certification at Fountain Fire Protection District.
  • The district completed a total of 1,452 hours of training in February.
  • Wildland Deployment requests for assistance are expected in the coming months.
  • The district’s Self Contained Breathing Apparatus Air-Pak units were flow tested.

El Paso County Emergency Incident Support

El Paso County Emergency Incident Support (EPCEIS) President Gary Nelson announced the organization supported on average about one incident per week in 2022. EPCEIS also provides support during firefighter training and open houses. With 36 active members, the organization is available 24/7, 365 days a year, he said.

Chairman Nate Dowden thanked Nelson and his organization for the continued support.

Langmaid said the department had partnered with EPCEIS in the past and donated an ambulance to the organization in September 2020. EPCEIS volunteers provide countywide food and shelter to first responders in all weather conditions, he said.

For more information on the 501c non-profit volunteer organization, visit https://epceis.com.

Public comment

Two residents of Arrowhead and Mountain View Drives voiced concern over first responder access, the planned paving of Howells Road, the anticipated increased traffic due to new developments, and the two neighboring District 20 schools that would further burden Old Ranch Road.

Langmaid said Howells Road had been annexed into the City of Colorado Springs, and the intent is to pave the road. He said he had received telephone calls on the subject recently and he advised the residents to reach out to the City Council members, the mayor, and the planners.

Dowden thanked the residents for voicing their concerns and said he wished the board could help, but the problems were out of the fire district’s and board’s responsibility.

One resident asked if placing a cistern on her property would be helpful.

Langmaid said water is always helpful to firefighters, and he directed the resident to research cistern recommendations at www.bffire.org.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:31 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(3.a.V.), for the purpose of discussing compensation matters that may be subject to negotiations with employees or employee organizations.

Dowden said before the executive session that no action would be taken.

The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11455 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District articles

Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Feb. 15 – Audit officer search continues; replacement firefighters hired

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Feb. 15, the board approved the hiring of a new auditor and heard that replacement firefighters had been hired. Some of the logistics duties performed by recently retired Deputy Chief James Rebitski could be handled out of district. Also, the board learned that the scarcity of parts for the 2005 Pierce mid-mount aerial ladder truck had further delayed delivery.

Director Kiersten Tarvainen attended via Zoom.

2022 audit officer update

Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn said she had contacted several audit companies last week and is waiting for price quotes.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said the district budgeted $10,000 for the audit, but it is getting “kicked down the road” for larger audit jobs by Schilling CPA. Over the past three years, the district’s audit has consistently been late, and it was pushed back two months last year. Schilling was unable to visit the district staff last year, but after Hinton complained about the audit delay, the audit was presented at short notice by Dawn Schilling at the September board meeting, he said. See www.ocn.me/v22n10.htm#bffrpd.

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid said there had been a litany of excuses from Schilling, to include moving the business and the hiring of personnel that did not prioritize correctly. The audit needs to be completed by September to allow the district to establish the fund balance before developing the next budget, he said.

Hinton said the district ideally needs an auditor at the beginning of the year and cannot wait until the March board meeting to hire a new auditor. He requested the board approve a cap of $12,000 to conduct the 2022 audit, and after the district receives price quotes, permission for himself, Langmaid, and Dunn to conduct interviews with potential auditors, with selection and hiring to be completed before the next board meeting.

The board unanimously approved the hiring of a new auditor.

Replacement firefighters hired

Langmaid said the entry-level testing had been completed in January, and three new employees were hired to replace the three who had left the department. The district received 54 applicants, but some applicants were not qualified to take the test and others did not have the opportunity to test. The district keeps a list of applicants that have completed testing for future offers of employment, but the firefighters at the top of the list are usually unavailable when positions become available, he said.

Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg said there are many firefighting jobs available nationwide, and it is not like the fire service that he knew 28 years ago. The job search was tight when he entered the profession, he said.

Chairman Nate Dowden said he recently read a report that firefighters and emergency medical technicians are the second happiest people in their jobs, with physical therapists occupying the top position.

Vacant position undecided

Vice Chairman Jim Abendschan asked if the district would be filling the deputy chief of logistics position.

Langmaid said that he had not decided on the right course of action. The district is looking at all possibilities, and other agencies had approached the district about partnerships. Monument Fire District (MFD) has two full-time EMS staff that could place medical supply orders, reducing duplicated efforts. BFFRPD have an asset with Administrative Assistant Brooke Reid and could reciprocate by providing public relations support to MFD. The district is looking at the true pay scale for some of the tasks that Rebitski carried out. The fire marshal responsibilities on the development side could be handled by the City of Colorado Springs with the current memorandum of understanding in place, he said. See MFD article on page < 14 >.

Note: Rebitski retired from the fire service in January after serving over 32 years. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#bffrpd.

Financial report

Hinton said the district had about $2.298 million at the end of January (includes four reserve funds totaling about $704,000). The district received about $64,600 in combined revenues. The district is in good shape and remains below the predicted budget expenditure for January, he said.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

Dunn said the district received $16,275 in ambulance revenue and paid $69,461 for the annual liability insurance policy coverage.

Department liability coverage

Dowden asked how much general liability insurance coverage would be provided should a claim of negligence be made against staff rendering aid during duty.

Langmaid said the district has four separate policies, and all district personnel are covered, including the medical directorate and the board directors. He said he is fairly confident the district is fully covered, and by law the district is required to have coverage, he said.

Dowden said he is overly sensitive to litigation against staff performing their duties, and the district must have protection against frivolous lawsuits. He requested that over the coming months the executive staff ensure the existing policy provides adequate legal protection.

Abendschan asked how many district firefighters were members of a local chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), indicating another avenue for legal protection.

Langmaid said none of the BFFRPD firefighters were members of a local chapter. In order for a Local chapter of the IAFF to step in and help a member during a legal process, the community would have to recognize a local chapter and allow for a labor law, instead of the current compliant law, he said.

Fleet and facilities update

Langmaid said the following:

  • The 2005 Pierce mid-mount aerial ladder truck is further delayed at Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus of Alabama due to the undelivered parts needed to complete the replacement waterway. According to district fleet mechanic Gavin Smith, the parts should take only one day to install. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#bffrpd.
  • The district had not heard any further information on the Ford chassis production. See www.ocn.me/v22n11.htm#bffrpd.
  • The cabinets for the training room will probably be delayed, but he is doing a lot of the work on the renovation project for the training room at Station 1. The project is expected to be completed in April or May.

Operations and training update

Piepenburg reported that staff had completed 1,453 hours of training in January and said:

  • The district responded to three working fires (two with Falcon Fire Protection District and one within the district).
  • The department responded to a total of 104 calls for service in January.

Board director election update

Dunn said the district had received one nomination for the May Board of Directors election.

The meeting adjourned at 7:33 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 15 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit www.bffire.org or contact Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

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