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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.

**********

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

Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Sept. 27 – Board meeting canceled

By Natalie Barszcz

On Sept. 27 at 2:09 p.m., this reporter received notice that the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District Board of Directors had canceled the scheduled meeting due to the lack of a quorum. For the Joint Factual Summary for the Donald Wescott sub-district dissolution regarding ballot questions 6A and 6B, and information about the October public hearing for the 2024 budget presentation, visit www.monumentfire.org. For details on the proposed 2024 budget, information, and upcoming events see the Monument Fire District article on page < 1 > and the calendar on page < 26 >.

**********

Meetings are usually held every other month on the fourth Wednesday. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 4:30 p.m., at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Zoom meeting instructions, agendas, minutes visit www.monumentfire.org or contact Director of Administration Jennifer Martin at 719-484-9011.

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

Other Donald Wescott Fire 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

Monument Fire District, Aug. 23 – Station 3 rebuild plans revealed; Station 5 remodel approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Sept. 23, the board received a presentation for the rebuild of Station 3, approved a contractor and funding for the Station 5 (Highway 83/Stagecoach Road) remodel, approved securing the production of two engines with a proposal for purchase, and held an executive session to discuss a land purchase agreement.

Secretary Jason Buckingham and Director Tom Tharnish attended via Zoom. Directors Randall Estes and Roger Lance were excused.

Station 3 future rebuild plans revealed

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs introduced Principal Lead Architect Kevin Schaffer and Associate Principal Architect Eric Becker of OZ Architects, and John Sattler, vice president of NV5 Program Management, representing the district during the Station 3 rebuild and the remodel projects for Stations 2, 4, and 5.

Becker and Schaffer gave a presentation on a preliminary design for Station 3, and said the following:

  • The team conducted a feasibility study in 2022 and realized the existing site on Woodmoor Drive did not meet the district’s needs. See https://www.ocn.me/v22n9.htm#mfd.
  • Three sites were selected within the district and the best location for the Station 3 rebuild was determined to be a site north and adjacent to the YMCA on Jackson Creek Parkway.
  • The site is far enough away from Station 1 on Highway 105 and will include the district administration offices, and meet the needs of the growing community.
  • The plan includes four apparatus bays, administration and living areas, bunk rooms, kitchen, a gym, combined workstation areas, apparatus support area, decontamination area, bathrooms, and a workshop.
  • A training and community room function will be included, community accessible, but will remain separate from the fire crew.
  • The site leaves some room for growth and expansion of the station and area, with the possibility of adding an additional bay.

Division Chief of Administrative/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner said the original Station 3 on Woodmoor Drive was built in 1973.

Vice President John Hildebrandt asked if any lessons were learned from the remodel of Station 1 that was completed in fall 2021.

Kovacs said the Station 1 design lacks office space and wished that it had been included earlier in the project, but that has been addressed in the design for the Station 3 rebuild. Quiet space to allow study time for promotional or degree exams will be incorporated into the dorm areas, he said.

Note: The Station 1 remodel added 1,800 square feet of space to include dorms, kitchen, dayroom offices, a training classroom and gym.

The team from OZ Architects answered the board director questions and said:

  • The Station 3 design will be solar ready.
  • Apparatus bays will be 64 feet deep and 78 feet wide to allow double stacking/additional apparatus parking.
  • The selection of room types is standard for today’s fire stations.
  • The original Station 3 site has shared access with Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, with restricted room to expand the footprint. The new station is estimated to be about 20,320 square feet.
  • The build time will be about 10-14 months depending on when the construction begins.

Kovacs said the district’s administration offices will be located at the new Station 3, architectural design will be incorporated, with parking spaces a priority, and the design will ensure it meets the future needs of the district, he said.

Station 5 remodel

Kovacs said Sattler had reviewed three bids and identified Flintco LLC as the recommended vendor to perform the remodel of Station 5. He requested the board approve authorization for Flintco to perform the Station 5 remodel and approve $422,562 to fund the project. The original budget allowed $250,000 each for the remodels of Stations 5 and 4 (Gleneagle Drive), and just over $1 million for Station 2 (Roller Coaster Road)—all were underestimated. He suggested the board consider completing Station 5 this year, begin Station 4 in early 2024, and begin Station 2 in 2025, and that will allow funds to be rolled over to complete each station. Station 5 was prioritized to accommodate extra staff from Stations 4 and 2 during the remodels, he said.

Sattler said mechanisms are built into the contract to deal with building materials, shortages, and rising costs of steel. The bid is locked in on the prices for a period, and once the contract is executed it is difficult to change prices. This type of contract reduces if not fully eliminates downstream costs for escalation, and it will be the contractor’s duty to demonstrate rising costs beyond its control, but “sometimes monkeys fall out of trees.” Flintco estimates starting on Oct. 10 with completion on Jan. 24 2024 if permits are received on time. The contract is a payment performance bond, said Sattler.

The board authorized Flintco to complete the Station 5 remodel in a 5-0 vote.

Fleet purchase proposal

Bumgarner said ordering engines in 2023 will guarantee receiving the current type of engine before the EPA standards change. Fleet purchases before 2010 were budgeted out for 10 years, and the department staff identified the apparatus, received board approval, ordered the apparatus, and received it within 12 months. Post 2020, the process is the same except chassis are in short supply, difficult to find and can involve using different manufacturers. Availability is delaying production, including motor and engine availability, and when production began again after the pandemic it was slower. Prices will continue to escalate, and the district staff is planning three to five years out. He requested the board scrutinize the apparatus plan to allow the executive staff to make quick decisions, without coming back to the board.

Kovacs requested the board approve the immediate purchase of two engines, for $946,336 each, with financing from OshKosh Capital Credit Union. The executive staff is ensuring only three apparatus are financed at a time, and there are no prepayment penalties. By the time the new engines are delivered, the two engines with the most use will be ready to go into reserve. The new engines have reduced overall height and length, carry 750 gallons of water, and lower hose beds for safety. The shorter wheel base provides greater maneuverability, and the district would expect an August 2026 delivery, he said.

President Mike Smaldino said he appreciated what Bumgarner has taken into consideration, and the district is just one accident from having an engine out of commission, with no backup.

Kovacs asked the board to approve the purchase and allow the executive staff to move quickly in the future to make purchases.

The board approved proceeding with securing production of the engines, 5-0.

Bumgarner said he will sign to secure production and the board will be presented with the purchase agreement next month.

Kovacs said the two stock engines the district recently purchased carry 1,000 gallons of water, and that is causing excessive tire wear and maintenance issues. The district is planning to purchase smaller fire engines in the future after recently spending $20,000 and $15,000 on repairs to engines, he said.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly read the financial report as of July 31, and said the following:

  • Property taxes received year to date were about $10.9 million, representing 100.4% of the budget with projected annual revenue.
  • Overall revenue received year to date was about $14.3 million, representing 86.3% of the projected income budget set at about $16.5 million.
  • Overall expenses year to date are about $8.2 million, representing 58.9% of the projected total expense budget set at about $14 million.
  • The larger payments were: $6,508 to Rhode & Associates for Wildfire Pre-plans, $69,680 to OZ Architecture for station designs, $20,568 to Seawest Fire Fighting Equipment for Personal Protective Equipment, $9,009 to Wex Bank Inc. for the fleet fuel, and $4,465 to Motorola Solutions for radios.

The total checking and savings balances went up about $3 million from about $13.8 million to $16.8 million; the majority was transferred to the Operations/General Fund that increased from about $7.3 million to about $10.4 million.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 5-0.

Technology for the board

Bumgarner said the district had identified purchasing seven iPads to assist the board with notifications and board documentation for about $7,000 ($1,000 per Apple iPad) and about $35 each per month for cellular, and with Microsoft Office licenses the annual cost will be about $3,528 after the initial purchase of the iPads. The technology will be a good depository for documents, allowing directors to search prior information, and the district will be able to provide information quickly via the included app, he said. Each director will have a district email address.

Smaldino requested the iPad technology for the board at the June meeting to save printing documents and to aid communication. See www.ocn.me.v23n8.htm#mfd.

Kovacs said if the board is in agreement, the cost will be added to the 2024 budget.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said the following:

  • In the latest meeting with state senators, he discussed the issues regarding the state Legislature and the potential impact that Referendum HH might have on fire districts.
  • The district was scheduled to receive the initial property tax assessment in August, but it could change after the election. The outcome of the November election is likely to have a large impact on property taxes.
  • Battalion Chief Shannon Balvanz has taken over as the district training officer.
  • Firefighter/Paramedic Taylor Neill is leaving the district to join the Grand Junction Fire Department. The vacated position will be filled.
  • The mutual aid agencies in El Paso County that respond to American Medical Response (AMR) mutual aid requests are proposing the Colorado Springs Fire Department put its squads into service before AMR calls other agencies.
  • The frequency of AMR requests for assistance continues to trend lower, and the district is billing for the calls.
  • The ambulances take on wear and tear, and a new Frazer ambulance is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024. The district has three ambulances in service at Stations 1, 4 and 5, and requests from AMR will not be accepted if an ambulance is needed in the district.

Note: The entire chief’s report can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:42 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(e) to develop strategies for and instruct negotiators on negotiations for a land purchase agreement.

After the executive session, Kovacs confirmed to OCN that no action was taken.

The meeting adjourned at 9:49 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Zoom meeting instructions, agendas, minutes, and updates, visit www.monumentfire.org or contact Director of Administration Jennifer Martin at 719-484-9011.

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

Other Monument Fire District articles