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Monument Fire District Articles

Monument Fire District, June 25 – Board vacancy filled; workforce study approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District (TLMFPD) dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on June 25, the board filled the vacant board position, approved funding for a workforce analysis study, and received presentations on the MFD and the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) 2024 audits. The board received multiple updates and heard about the search for an accreditation manager and the delay in re-occupying the remodeled Station 2 (north Roller Coaster Road).

The board also held a public hearing before approving an inclusion of property, accepted a petition for an inclusion of property, and set a public hearing for July 23.

The meeting was preceded by a MFD (formerly DWFPD) Volunteer Pension Fund Board of Trustees meeting.

Director Randall Estes attended the meeting at 4:40 p.m.

Board director vacancy decision

President Mark Gunderman said the board had reviewed letters of interest from Tim De Leon and Andre Mouton as potential candidates willing to serve the remaining two years of former board Secretary Jason Buckingham’s term.

Both candidates introduced themselves, gave career and neighborhood background information, and answered several questions from board members relating to availability to attend meetings and why they want to serve the community.

Vice President John Hildebrandt said, “It was like the National Football League draft, a difficult decision, both great candidates, and in two years another board vacancy will become available; the district would love to have both candidates.”

In a 4-2 vote (Treasurer Tom Kelly/Estes) the board elected De Leon, deputy chief of Colorado Springs Fire Department.

Note: All seven board members reside in unincorporated El Paso County, with four members residing in the former DWFPD area of coverage.

Financial update

Kelly said the district is at 41.6% of the total budget year to date as of May 31, and presented the following:

  • The combined overall revenue received year to date was about $12.922 million, or about 53.3% of the 2025 income projected annual revenue set at about $24.235 million.
  • Overall expenses year to date were about $7.412 million, and about 39.5% of the projected expense budget set at about $18.764 million.
  • The district had about $22.182 million in total checking/savings with about $16.981 million in the General Operations Fund.

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

Property inclusion petitions

Gunderman opened a public hearing for a petition for the inclusion of real property into the district, for joint owners Chad Calvert and Sara Hagedorn, for 0 Walker Road, Colorado Springs, or 4165 Vista Heights Drive, Colorado Springs (pending). Hearing no opposition, in a roll call vote the board unanimously approved Resolution 2025-06 granting the inclusion into the district.

The board unanimously accepted a petition for inclusion from Walton Ranch LLC located at 16750 Thompson Road, Colorado Springs, and set a public hearing date for July 23 at 4:30 p.m.

2024 audit presentations

The board received the 2024 audit presentations for DWFPD and MFD from auditor Mitchell Downs of CBIZ. Downs said the document was still in draft form and will undergo three more reviews before being finalized. He said a lot of hard work had gone into the audit compared to previous years, and the presentation was at the request of Director of Administration Jennifer Martin, however no major changes were anticipated.

Martin requested Downs forward a letter to confirm no other issues are found when the audits are finalized.

Workforce analysis study

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said as part of the accreditation peer team evaluation in May, one of the recommendations was to add staff to help with the burden of all the administrative duties and relieve some of the workload, recommending an administrative assistant to support Martin. When the district seeks accreditation in August, the board will expect to see some recommendations implemented. He said the study would be looking at the following additional positions:

  • Eliminate the rotating executive battalion chief position and replace with a division chief of Operations position to reduce the fire chief’s span of control.
  • Two fire inspectors for 2025 to assist Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley with the Wildland Urban Interface home and commercial building inspections, and public education events.
  • A part-time or full-time administrative assistant in 2025 to assist the director of Administration position.
  • Internal IT director to support the accreditation manager.
  • A district mechanic to maintain the fleet.

Kovacs requested the board approve MiXx Consulting to perform a workforce analysis, not to exceed $20,000, with funding sourced from the administrative expenses/consulting fees budget.

The board unanimously approved the study.

Sun Hills Property

Gunderman said he and Kovacs had discussed the sale of 15000 Sun Hills Drive, the former DWFPD Station 3. Former Wescott Director Charles Fleece had asked about the status of the property. When the district moves into 19775 Mitchell Ave. this year, the Sun Hills property will not be needed for storage, and it is a liability for the district to keep it, Gunderman said. There are no restrictions to selling the property, but the Sun Hills HOA has concerns over the sale of a small parcel property that could lead to 5-acre lots being subdivided. The homeowners association board may have an interest in purchasing the property for a community center if they can meet the price. The property was assessed at about $400,000 during the merger process, said Gunderman. See https://wp.ocn.me.v24n7mfd.

Kovacs said the board may want to consider the impact to Emergency Incident Support, a non-profit group using the property for vehicle and supply storage.

Station 2 remodel update

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said due to the HVAC system not cooling correctly, the re-occupy of Station 2 has been delayed. The final punch list is 98% complete and crews will move in when fully completed, he said.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said:

  • The district is actively recruiting for the accreditation manager position and has received several applications. The position is being vacated by Battalion Chief Scott Ridings, who is retiring from duty on Aug. 9.
  • Lt. Kevin Richmond will retire on July 31 after over 30 years with 15 served in district.
  • The district staff completed 656 hours of training in May.
  • A new ambulance has been received to replace the 6-year-old ambulance at Station 5. The front-line ambulance will be placed into reserve with about 300,000 miles on the odometer.

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

Department communications

Gunderman thanked board Chair Kiersten Tarvainen of Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) for attending the meeting and said he plans to attend the July 16 BFFRPD Board of Directors meeting in an effort to keep the lines of communication open between the two boards.

The meeting adjourned at 6:09 p.m.

Volunteer Pension Fund Board of Trustees meeting

Trustee Mike Badger said that legally the former DWFPD Volunteer Pension Fund (VPF) is now known as the TLMFPD VPF, as indicated on the financial packet the board received before the meeting. The financial packet was incomplete without the allocation report, and after speaking to the Firefighters Police Pension Association before the meeting, no one has access to the report, but that will be rectified, said Badger.

Badger also said:

  • The pension fund began 2024 at $914,896 and ended the year at $927,462, with a $12,565 increase for the year.
  • Due to all of the volatility in the stock market in the first quarter of 2025, the pension fund is at $912,849, likely due to investments.
  • In the past the pension fund has been gaining funds, but the pension is stock market dependent and will fluctuate.
  • Another former volunteer has become age eligible for a pension and he has applied for a pension. There is one other former volunteer eligible to apply in a couple of years.

By the time the board meets again on Nov. 12 at 4 p.m., the second- and third-quarter figures should be available, along with the actuarial study. In the interim if any other information becomes available, the board will be forwarded the information, said Badger.

The meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 23 at 4:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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

Monument Fire District, May 28 – Lease/purchase agreement revised; board secretary recognized; board vacancy

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on May 28, the board recognized Secretary Jason Buckingham for serving nine years as a board director, welcomed Director Cody Peterson, allocated the board positions, and discussed filling the seat vacated by Buckingham.

The board approved revised financing terms for the $18 million lease/purchase agreement for the rebuild of Station 3 and an engagement letter with Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP for the lease/ purchase agreement. The board accepted a petition for inclusion of property, approved district finance guidelines, and received multiple updates including the status of the stations and the district administrative offices.

Director Randy Estes attended via Microsoft Teams.

Board director recognized

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs recognized Buckingham for serving in various capacities as a board director. Buckingham moved out of the district’s area of coverage in May and is no longer eligible to serve as a director. He thanked Buckingham for supporting the district, and he presented a commemorative plaque in recognition of his service to the district.

Battalion Chief Micah Coyle presented Buckingham with a commemorative firefighter statue on behalf of the Local 4319 International Firefighters Association members. He thanked Buckingham for his years of service and contributions to the district and said it is through dedicated board directors like Buckingham that the district has become a different organization over the past nine years.

Buckingham said the district has changed quite a bit since first joining the board and that the administration team has done a fabulous job turning the organization around. The last few years have been exciting with all the changes made, he said, with new stations and remodels, and he thanked the board and staff.

Above: From left, Battalion Chief Micah Coyle, Secretary Jason Buckingham, and Fire Chief Andy Kovacs are pictured at the May 28 Board of Directors meeting after recognizing Buckingham for his service to the district. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Board positions assigned

Kovacs welcomed Director Cody Peterson, a battalion chief at Hudson Fire Protection District. Peterson is filling the seat vacated by former President Mike Smaldino, and he requested the board assign the director positions.

The board unanimously approved the following board positions:

  • President Mark Gunderman
  • Vice President John Hildebrandt
  • Treasurer Tom Kelly
  • Secretary Duane Garrett

Board vacancy

Kovacs said the district has four residents known to the district with an interest in serving the remaining two years of Buckingham’s term. The board should consider letters of interest from the interested residents and interview the candidates before the next board meeting to allow the vacant seat to be filled within the allotted 60 days, said Kovacs.

In response to this reporters suggestion to consider a director that resides within the town limits, Hildebrandt said, “The board had entertained looking at different geographical areas when the districts came together with the merger.” Kovacs said the district does not currently elect directors via geographical areas, but it could be considered during this process.

The board unanimously approved of the four interested residents submitting letters of interest to Kovacs before board review.

Note: The board is made up of three directors from the former Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, and the remainder reside in unincorporated El Paso County.

Station 3 revised financing terms

Background: The board approved financing with Flagstar for the rebuild of Station 3 on April 23, with a lease/purchase agreement for $18 million at a fixed interest rate of 4.40%. The total cost to rebuild Station 3 is expected to be about $20.249 million, with $3 million already allocated in the 2025 budget. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n5mfd./

Bond counsel Tim David said that because Flagstar will not be earning any income from the escrow funds, it is required to increase its interest rate by 10 basis points. This changes the approved 4.40% to 4.50%. The prior annual payment would have been almost $1.372 million, but will increase by $11,969, for an annual payment of almost $1.384 million. Flagstar has waived the $10,000 fee and is unable to hold the escrow account. He suggested the board decide on one of three presented escrow account choices.

In a roll-call vote, the board unanimously approved the revision to the Station 3 financing terms, and approved COLOTRUST as the escrow account holder.

The board also unanimously approved an engagement letter with Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP for the lease/purchase agreement.

Financial update

Treasurer Tom Kelly said all revenue streams look good as the district is at 33.3% of the total budget year to date as of April 30. Impact fees are lagging but that will come along, he said. The combined overall revenue received year to date was about $9.330 million, or about 38.5% of the 2025 income projected annual revenue set at about $24.2 million. Overall expenses year to date were about $5.952 million, and about 31.7% of the projected expense budget set at about $18.7 million. The district had about $20.392 million in total checking/savings with about $14.721 million in the General Operations Fund, said Kelly.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

Accreditation process

Kovacs said, “The Peer Team site visit from the Center for Public Safety Excellence for the accreditation program had gone well. The team are unpaid but compensated for travel, lodging, and food by the district. Accolades to Battalion Chief Scott Ridings for working diligently to prepare the district for the accreditation process. The team appreciated the district’s honesty, transparency, and hospitality, and made 14 recommendations to initiate before the district answers the commission’s questions in August. The district will have five years to complete the recommendations.”

Gunderman said, “The peer team indicated 14 recommendations, that is nothing compared to other districts seeking accreditation; kudos to the staff and Ridings for their hard work.”

District finance guidelines

Kovacs requested the board approve the district finance guidelines, and thanked Director of Administration Jennifer Martin for developing basic written guidelines for future staff to follow and in support of the district seeking accreditation. The accreditation program encouraged the district to create documents to explain district practices within each department, said Kovacs.

The board unanimously approved the district’s finance guidelines.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Division Chief of Community Risk Jonathan Bradley said the district’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan document was under final draft review by the Colorado State Forest Service and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. The document describes the district, outlines risk assessment pertaining to wildland fires, shows how the district prioritizes mitigation projects and protects roadways’ ingress/egress, vegetation management, evacuation plans, and how the district works with governmental and non-governmental agencies. The document will help the district stay on task and prioritize, and allows access to grant money. The final draft will be used in planning for the 2026 budget, he said.

El Paso County Hazardous Materials Unit

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said that during the now-complete accreditation program, the district was required to identify the potential hazards within the district area of responsibility such as I-25, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway, and the Air Force Academy. The district has a partnership with the El Paso County hazmat team, and they requested the district host a team truck, already striped for the district, maintained by the county. The district staff are trained to respond to hazmat situations as certified hazmat operators, he said.

Station/construction updates

Bumgarner gave the following updates and said:

  • The district is on track to break ground for the Station 3 rebuild and is still projecting site prep and earth moving to begin in September/October. The construction phase is expected to take 12 months, for a late 2026 completion.
  • Crews are expected to re-occupy Station 2 on June 16. The remodel includes a fire pole to be installed in late June. A grand reopening is planned for July.
  • The district continues to work through the process of replatting the Station 1 property to accommodate a training center. The district has worked through the size of the building and what the district needs to fit on the site, and is waiting to receive the preliminary grading plan and pricing before approaching the TOM again for approval. Nothing will likely happen on the site until late August/September. The grading will likely be completed in time to install a training tower in July 2026.
  • Construction has begun at the rental property at 19775 Mitchell Ave. The building is receiving additional offices and bathrooms to accommodate all of the administrative staff. The property’s existing offices could be occupied in July by staff, and the construction phase is expected to be complete in August. The board approved up to $500,000 for the remodel project. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n1mfd/.

Kovacs said the Administrative Office Suite 102 at 16055 Old Forest Point is being rented back to the district by the new property owner until the move is made to the Mitchell Avenue property.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said the staff will recommend an increase to impact fees during the 2026 budget, for implementation Jan. 1, 2026. And said:

  • The district is actively recruiting for FF/EMT and FF/Paramedic positions.
  • The Local 4319 presented four local high school students with $1,500 scholarships for higher education purposes.
  • The district staff completed 1,000 hours of training in April.
  • Black Forest Fire Protection District (BFFRPD) received 36 applications, with some out-of- state applicants, for the permanent fire chief position. He will be involved with the selection process in June.
  • The district responded to 12 EMS calls in the jurisdiction of BFFRPD in April, as part of a closest-unit response agreement between the districts.

Petition for inclusion

The board unanimously accepted a petition for inclusion of real property for joint owners Chad Calvert and Sara Hagedorn, and set a public hearing date of June 25, at 4:30 p.m., for 0 Walker Road, Colorado Springs, or 4165 Vista Heights Drive, Colorado Springs (pending).

The meeting adjourned at 6:14 p.m.

Above: From left, President Mark Gunderman and Firefighter Chris Harrison take a bucket ride on the new Pierce ladder tower truck/Engine 531 on May 28 at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105, Monument.
Above: The ladder was operated by Driver Operator/Engineer Tyler Brickell (pictured below the ladder). Vice President John Hildebrandt and Treasurer Tom Kelly also took a trip above the station in the bucket before the board meeting. Photos by Natalie Barszcz.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 25 at 4:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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

Monument Fire District, April 23 – Station 3 financing approved; board president recognized

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on April 23, the board approved financing for the rebuild of Station 3 and recognized board President Mike Smaldino for his services to the department. The board also received multiple updates to include the status of the new district administrative offices.

Treasurer Tom Kelly and Director Duane Garrett were excused.

Station 3 financing decision explored

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said that at the March meeting Tim David, president of Centennial National Finance Group, presented the board with three financing options for an $18 million lease/purchase agreement for the construction of the Station 3 rebuild and, as instructed by the board, David has found options for the district to make a little bit of money to help offset some of the costs for the project.

Background: The rebuild of Station 3 is expected to cost about $20.249 million with $3 million already allocated in the 2025 budget. The district has spent about $188,000 this year for costs associated with architects, project management, and site and plan approvals. The land purchase phase is approaching, and after the board approves financing the district can begin drawing the expenses from the loan.

David provided three loan options with updated rates for the board to consider as follows:

  • A 20-year lease/purchase loan with Webster Bank with a 4.81% interest rate.
  • A 20-year lease/purchase loan with Capital One with a 5.19% interest rate.
  • A 10-year balloon payment loan with Flagstar with a 4.4% interest rate with the balance due at 10 years.

He noted that the lower rate on the 10-year option would give some flexibility for other projects that could occur. Flagstar would like to be the escrow provider and has offered 4.1%, alternatively the district could use ColoTrust, a pool the district is already affiliated with, to earn interest with a financial organization that has proven investment policies and provides good interest rates, he said.

Director Randall Estes asked if dividing the cost with a series of incremental loans for $3 million, then $5 million, and a final $8 million or $10 million loan, would be beneficial and allow the district to keep control of its money.

David said the loans would be subject to interest rate changes; it would be three times the work and would not save much. With each loan or refinance, the district would incur additional fees for the title work involved with the real estate transaction, and it would be time consuming for the district.

Estes said the following:

  • The district could avoid a lot of expense with the interest on $115,000 per month for the first year, but after that the funds would all be dispersed.
  • Kelly had indicated that in 2026 the district will have $6 million in funds for a down payment.
  • The district could make a down payment of $6 million and take out a $12 million loan over 11 years and pay back about $15.259 million in interest, and the monthly payment would be the same, within $50 per month, but save $6.5 million in interest which is more than the downpayment.
  • An $18 million loan over 20-years payback with interest is about $27.775 million, a difference of $12.516 million over the nine additional years.

“I am totally for this project, cannot wait to see it, and have it done, but I would love to slow down and look at every financial angle, but we are a year too soon to do the best financial job for the district,” said Estes.

John Sattler, vice president of NV5 Inc., project management and representing the district during the rebuild of Station 3, said it is hard to predict escalation in construction costs. From 2020 through 2022, construction costs increased by almost 38% and 3-5 years before the pandemic cost increases averaged about 5% annually. The cost increase of materials and labor has stabilized since 2022 to about 3.5% annually, but the district could see an escalation of about $900,000 by delaying the rebuild project. But if other unknown economic factors come into play, they could have a more significant impact, said Sattler.

Estes said he respectfully disagreed with Sattler’s projected escalation in cost for labor and materials.

Kovacs said he is not sure where the anticipated $6 million down payment would come from, and costs are anticipated to increase over time. The timeline delay could affect the sale of the existing Station 3, and that revenue was anticipated funding to pay for the rebuild project. The district delayed investing in some upgrades to the existing station, but a delay would necessitate some minor upgrades, because the district was anticipating moving the firefighters in 2026. There are many unknowns such as revenue and the Wildland Urban Interface state code that may mandate the need to hire additional staff, and there is some risk to thinking the district will have $6 million available, he said.

David said the Flagstar loan gives the district the best option, and at the 10-year point the district would owe about $11.6 million.

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said that after running the numbers proposed by Estes in comparison to the Flagstar proposal, the numbers were about the same. The district does not have to put down $6 million, and the balloon payment will give the district time to save money over 10 years and pay the lump sum down.

Smaldino said, “If the rebuild was the only thing going on, it would easy to delay the loan, but having a known number helps Kovacs balance the budget and keep the lights on.”

“I do not want to tie future boards into trying to secure funding and kick the can further down the road for the firefighters,” Smaldino said.

Director Mark Gunderman thanked Estes and said he was aligned with Smaldino and the 10-year Flagstar option was his preference. “Everything is progressing, and there are unknowns to delaying the project. After several visits to Station 3, I am not a fan of asking the firefighters to continue operating out of that building.”

Vice President John Hildebrandt (attending via Microsoft Teams) concurred with Smaldino and Gunderman.

Estes thanked David and said he has been a builder for the past 40 years and is a small developer in Monument. The prices for materials soared in 2020, but have decreased close to where they were before the pandemic, he said. He gave examples of materials and labor costs he had experienced building his apartment complex on Front Street, and said, “You cannot wait for the highs and the lows, and the numbers presented by David were wonderful.”

Estes made a motion to defer a decision until the board could meet in executive session within the next two weeks to allow Kelly to offer his opinion. The motion died 1-4.

In a 5-0 roll call vote the board approved an $18 million 10-year balloon loan to finance the rebuild of Station 3 with Flagstar.

Kovacs said the financing details would be available at the May meeting. He confirmed to this reporter that the district anticipates receiving $1.260 million from the sale of the existing Station 3 at 1855 Woodmoor Drive, and about $1.096 million for the administrative office sale at Old Forest Point.

Station 3 rebuild update

Bumgarner said the district will be on track to break ground after the district and developer have submitted the final site plans to the Town of Monument for approval. The district is still projecting to begin site prep and moving dirt in August, then a 12-month build time for a late 2026 completion, he said.

Board director recognized

Kovacs recognized Smaldino for serving 11 years in various capacities as a board director. He thanked Smaldino for supporting the district, and for becoming a good friend, and he presented a commemorative plaque in recognition of his service to the district.

Engineer/Local 4319 President Christian Schmidt presented Smaldino with a commemorative firefighter statue on behalf of the Local 4319 members, and he thanked him for his years of service. “In that time, you have made great contributions to the district, and have always been a strong supporter of the local,” said Schmidt. See photo below.

Smaldino said, “It has truly been an honor to be here and to do this, but at the first meeting I attended, the district was tackling a Station 2 septic system failure, an accountant resignation, two engine rebuilds, using borrowed apparatus, there was no maintenance plan, or a plan on how to buy the next engine. From where we were 11 years ago to where we are today is a huge achievement, and the district has had amazing board members the entire time.” Smaldino thanked the crews for the tough conversations, and said, “The local and the department are working well together, but it is time to move on and let the new members of the combined districts take over, thank you for the opportunity.”

Hildebrandt thanked Smaldino for his leadership and said he had done a fantastic job.

Note: Cody Peterson will be sworn into a four-year term at the May board meeting to fill the seat vacated by Smaldino.

Above: From left are Fire Chief Andy Kovacs, President Mike Smaldino, and Engineer Christian Schmidt, president of the Local 4319 Monument International Association of Firefighters. Smaldino was recognized for his service. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Martin.

Mitchell property remodel

Bumgarner displayed a tentative floor plan for the additional office layout for the rental property located at 19775 Mitchell Ave. The remodel includes enlarged public restrooms for ADA compliance, the addition of two showers, and six additional offices in the warehouse space. The goal is to move the front office staff in by the end of May with some office sharing, and the rest of the project will be completed in late July. The board approved up to $500,000 for the remodel project. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n1mfd/.

Financial update

Secretary Jason Buckingham said the district is at 25% of the total budget year to date as of March 31, with the combined overall revenue received year to date about $7.832 million, or about 32.3% of the 2025 projected annual revenue set at about $24.2 million. Overall expenses year to date were about $4.595 million, and about 24.5% of the projected expense budget set at about $18.7 million. The district had about $20.7 million in total checking/savings with about $14.5 million in the General Operations Fund, said Buckingham.

Push-in ceremony

A push-in ceremony to celebrate placing the new Pierce ladder tower truck into service will be held on May 3 at 9 a.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105, Monument. The truck was ordered on Jan. 30, 2022 with an anticipated arrival date of October 2023. The district finally received the apparatus in December 2024. Before placing the apparatus into service, equipment is installed and the firefighting staff receive operational training on the truck. The district is using a lease/purchase loan to acquire the apparatus for about $1.6 million (includes $20,000 in equipment).

BFFRPD

Kovacs said the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors had moved in the direction of hiring a permanent fire chief. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n4mfd/.

Note: BFFRPD was exploring the possibility of alternative fire service delivery options with multiple fire departments over the past several months.

See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n2bffrpd/. For updates visit www.bffire.org.

The meeting adjourned at 6:17 p.m.

Corrections

Secretary Jason Buckingham was excused on March 26, however the meeting minutes confirm he did join the executive session at 6:28 p.m. In the April edition of OCN Buckingham was noted as absent on March 26. The April edition stated the sale of Station 3 expects to generate $499,000. It should have read that it expects to generate $1.260 million. OCN regrets the errors.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 28, at 4:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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.

Monument Fire District, Feb. 26 and March 26 – Long-term goals revealed

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Feb. 26, the board approved a petition of real property inclusion in the eastern portion of the district, received an update on impact fees, adopted the Community Risk Assessment (CRA) and Standards of Cover (SOC), and awarded funds for the northside completion of Station 4 and the Mitchell Avenue rental property remodel projects. The “Chief’s Coin” was presented to two citizens for a life-saving event. The board held an executive session to review and discuss the fire chief’s contract.

A strategic workshop was held on March 15 to discuss long-term goals for the district.

At the March 26 meeting, the board discussed an $18 million lease/purchase agreement to construct the rebuild of Station 3 and approved $85,000 in additional funding for the Station 2 remodel. The board director election was canceled, and the board heard that Front Range Fire Apparatus will not build at Station 1. The board held an executive session to discuss personnel matters involving the fire chief contract, to instruct a negotiator, and to develop a strategy for negotiating a possible agreement with the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD).

Director Randall Estes was excused on Feb. 26.

Directors Mark Gunderman, John Hildebrandt, and Tom Kelly attended the March 15 workshop.

Directors Jason Buckingham and Mike Smaldino were excused on March 26.

Petition for inclusion

At the Feb. 26 meeting, the board held a public hearing for the inclusion of 106.6 acres of real property off Gambler Place, Colorado Springs, owned by Thaddeus J. Jarosz, to be developed into 10 single-family dwellings that will be included into the district for services. Hearing no public comments for or against, the board approved Resolution 2025-03 in a 6-0 vote, granting a petition for the inclusion of real property within the district.

Impact fees

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley said the district engaged BBC Research and Consulting to complete another impact fee study for about $12,000 to look at updating the impact fees they recommended 10 years ago, which have been set at $771 since 2016. State law changed in 2024 to allow the collection of impact fees to include unincorporated El Paso County without the consent of a municipal government. The county had opposed the district’s collection of impact fees outside of the town limits in the past. The final report has been sent to the Housing and Building Association, and a meeting will be set to discuss the significant increase in fees with the builders. The impact fee increase will be recommended to the board for adoption, with implementation in 2026 after the discussion with the builders, said Bradley.

Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said the districtwide agency accreditation-seeking process was about 95% complete, and he requested the board approve Resolution 2025-04, adopting the 2025 Monument Fire District Community Risk Assessment (CRA) and Standards of Cover (SOC). The peer assessors will begin reading the self-assessments created by different department managers between May 11 and 15. The peer assessment will verify and validate the managers’ answers before the district requests accreditation to the Center for Public Safety Excellence commission in August.

The board approved the CRA and SOC for 2025 in a 6-0 vote.

Fire Station 4 northside remodel completion

The board awarded Flintco LLC the Station 4 (Gleneagle Drive) northside remodel completion for a sum not to exceed $157,067. Flintco completed southside remodel at Station 4 in 2024 for about $1 million. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n7mfd/.

Mitchell property remodel project

The board awarded the Mitchell Avenue rental property remodel project contract to Flintco for a sum not to exceed the budgeted amount of $500,000. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n1mfd/.

Recognition

Kovacs presented the “Chief’s Coin” to Jenna Honeycutt for her quick response that helped save her father’s life on Dec. 4. A second coin and letter of commendation written by the attending firefighters and paramedics was presented to the assisting dispatcher at the El Paso County dispatch office on Feb. 12 for her ability to coach Jenna during the cardiac arrest.

Community risk reduction efforts

Bradley said the Monument Professional Firefighters Local 4319 would assist the residents during the chipping season. Multiple day events would not be available during the 2025 chipping program to enable double crews to assist in two communities during some weekends and conduct half-day events. The schedule will allow for single alternate crews to maintain the chipper. The sign-up began on March 15 and the calendar has 25 homeowners associations lined up for “community chipping events” scheduled to begin May 17 this year.

Executive session

The Board of Directors moved into an executive session at 6:10 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-402(4)(f), to review and discuss the fire chief contract.

When the board returned to the regular meeting at 6:58 p.m., no action was taken and the Feb. 26 meeting adjourned at 7 p.m.

Long-term planning

The minutes of the workshop held on March 15 stated Kovacs will review the district’s long-term fiscal sustainability, focusing on the impact of growth in the Monument area. Although several department managers suggested additional staffing positions during the workshop presentations, he will adopt a conservative approach to staffing since property tax revenue could fluctuate and cause an impact to overall revenue. Revenue sources will be reviewed to assess the possible need to implement higher impact fees, evaluate ambulance transport rates, increase the mill levy, and possibly the addition of a sales tax.

Note: Implementing a sales tax would require approval from the eligible voting residents of the Town of Monument (TOM) (about 60% of the voters reside east of Monument Marketplace in the area known as Jackson Creek).

Kovacs also summarized the district’s involvement with Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) and said there are no current merger talks, and should that be a question in the future he would evaluate the decision based on whether it would be a good fit. The cultures of both departments are very different, and the district would need to evaluate long-term financial sustainability, he said.

Note: BFFRPD has been exploring the possibility of alternative fire service delivery options over the past several months. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n2bffrpd/. For updates, visit www.bffire.org. The topic was discussed in executive session at the March 26 meeting.

2025 board director election

At the March 26 meeting, Kovacs said the district election that was scheduled for May 6 to fill five board director positions had been canceled due to a lack of additional candidates. The directors will hold the following terms:

  • Duane Garrett two-year term
  • Gunderman four-year term
  • Hildebrandt four-year term
  • Kelly two-year term
  • Cody Peterson four-year term

Note: Peterson is a resident of the former Donald Wescott Fire Protection District and will be sworn into the seat to be vacated by Smaldino in May. All board positions will then be occupied by unincorporated El Paso County residents. The district does not maintain term limitations for board directors.

Kovacs said he was meeting regularly with Monument interim Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek to share resources and “do business better” with the town and partner on projects and initiatives.

Financial update

Treasurer Kelly said the overall revenue year to date as of Feb. 28 was $668,554 and is about 2.7% of the projected 2025 income projected annual revenue of about $24.2 million. Overall expenses year to date were $3.09 million and about 16.4% of the projected expense budget set at about $18.7 million. The district had about $15.244 million in checking/savings with about $8.5 million in the General Operations Fund, said Kelly.

Station 3 financing

Tim David, president of Centennial National Finance Group, presented the board with three financing options for an $18 million lease/purchase agreement for the construction of the Station 3 rebuild.

The board favored a 20-year loan but after an extensive discussion, the board requested David also provide three construction loan proposals for comparison before any decision could be made.

David said it was unlikely that the interest for the construction loans would be less than the three lease/purchase proposals presented, and banks will not lend $18 million without collateral.

Bumgarner said the rebuild of Station 3 is expected to cost about $20.249 million with $3 million already allocated in the 2025 budget. The district has spent about $188,000 this year for costs associated with architects, project management, and site and plan approvals. The land purchase phase is approaching, and after the board approves the $18 million loan the district can begin using the loan to pay expenses related to the rebuild. The construction phase is expected to take about a year to complete.

Kovacs said the district expects to receive $499,000 for the existing Station 3 at 1855 Woodmoor Drive when it is sold to Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, said Kovacs.

Station 2 remodel additional funding

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner requested the board consider additional funding for the Station 2 remodel for Brian Pierce Roofing LLC to replace the original leaking flat roof that was requiring about $10,000-$15,000 in repairs. The cost is estimated to be about $71,000-$74,000 for the replacement with a 20-year warranty, and the station also requires some additional interior paint work for about $10,000, said Bumgarner.

Kovacs said the additional funds for the remodel would be sourced from capital expenditure funding, and some items allocated in the budget expenditure would not be purchased in 2025.

The board approved up to $85,000 for the additions.

Station 1 Training Center update

Bumgarner said OZ Architects had delivered the cost to grade the Station 1 property, and the site design group needs to meet to discuss options. Front Range Fire Apparatus no longer wants to purchase part of the Station 1 land due to the high cost of grading the property. The district is helping Front Range Fire Apparatus find another site in Monument, said Bumgarner.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 6:02 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-402(4)(f), to discuss personnel matters involving the fire chief contract.

The board also held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-402(4)(e), instructing a negotiator, and developing a strategy for negotiating a possible agreement with the BFFRPD.

Kovacs confirmed to this reporter that when the board returned to the regular session, the board took action to renew the fire chief’s contract in a 5-0 vote.

The meeting adjourned at 7:14 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 23 at 4:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Feb. 26 – Board meeting held after publication

By Natalie Barszcz

The Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba: Monument Fire District scheduled its Board of Directors meeting on Feb. 26 after this issue of Our Community News had gone to press. News from that meeting will be included in the April 5 issue of Our Community News.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26 at 4:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Jan. 22 – Wildfire Mitigation remains top priority

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Jan. 22, the board heard about the district’s desire to step up mitigation efforts in light of the recent fires in Southern California, efforts to stabilize revenue for special fire districts, accepted a petition of inclusion, and set a public hearing for a 106.6-acre parcel of land in the eastern portion of the district. The board approved the 2025 board director election, and received multiple updates, to include staffing and apparatus.

Director Randall Estes and Mark Gunderman were excused.

Mitigation effort requested

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said after witnessing the multiple fires over the past several weeks in Southern California, and having worked in that region for almost 30 years and knowing some of the people that responded to those incidents, it gave him pause for thought on what the district has accomplished over the past four years, but there is a lot more work to be done.

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley has received many phone calls and emails from concerned citizens trying to find ways to get actively involved in mitigation efforts. It prompted an open letter to the community via this publication and although this community may never see fires of the magnitude seen in California, locally it has happened before with the Waldo Canyon Fire, the Black Forest Fire, and the Marshall Fire in Boulder County, said Kovacs. See letter on page < 16 >.

Bradley said a new Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code is expected to become law later this year, based on the International Code Council, the WUI code, along with several others, and using insurance codes for reference. The law will mandate the use of limited combustible and non-combustible building materials and meet a vegetation management plan for all new construction, remodels, and refits over a set percentage located in the WUI. There will also be some changes regarding building code/fire marshal officials that could create another layer for the district, said Bradley. See htps://www.dfpc.colorado.gov and NEPCO article on page < 15 > and letter on page < 16 >.

Revenue stabilization

Kovacs said he is a member of one of three committees the State of Colorado identified to discuss revenue stabilization for special districts and special fire districts. Gov. Jared Polis indicated in a recent visit to southern Colorado that public safety is a priority. The district has sent a letter to the legislative aides expressing the district’s concerns about property taxes and how that impacts special districts. The Legislature is back in session, and 10 bills regarding fire districts will be considered. The state fire chiefs were set to attend on Jan. 23. The intent is to work with the authors of the legislation “so we are off to the races again with all of that” with the goal of adopting the state WUI code, and the single staircase for large buildings, five floors or less, that is being driven by developers in large municipalities to maintain a smaller footprint and allow infill within cities for affordable housing. It would have less concern for small municipalities such as MFD, but it is a step backward from a life safety perspective, said Kovacs.

Petition for inclusion

The board accepted a petition for inclusion and set a public hearing for Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. for 106.6 acres of real property off Gambler Place, Colorado Springs, owned by Thaddeus J. Jarosz to be developed into 10 single-family dwellings that will be included into the district for services.

2025 board director election

Kovacs said the district will hold an election on May 6 to fill the Board of Directors positions currently held by Duane Garrett, Mark Gunderman, John Hildebrandt, Tom Kelly, and Mike Smaldino. Three seats will be for four-year terms and two seats will be for two-year terms. Any eligible elector of the special district who desires to be a candidate for the office of special district director must file a self-nomination and acceptance form with the designated election official at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 102, Monument, no later than close of business on Feb. 28. The district does not maintain term limitations for board directors, and if the district does not receive additional electors the election will be cancelled.

In a 5-0 vote, the board approved Resolution 2025-02 calling for the 2025 regular district election and appointing Kovacs as the designated election official, setting the precinct and polling place location, delegating to the designated election official the authority to appoint judges of the election, and setting the compensation of the appointed election judges at $14.42 per hour.

The board also approved the electronic posting of notices on the district website.

Kovacs said the district is no longer legally required to post notices in hard copy at the fire stations, but besides the district website, meeting information will continue to be posted in both places.

Staffing update

Kovacs said that Battalion Chief Micah Coyle had returned to his previous role as shift battalion chief, and he thanked Coyle for his one-year administrative duty as executive battalion chief. Battalion Chief Janaka Branden has replaced Coyle as the executive battalion chief for 2025.

Paramedic Stephanie Botkin is attending the Pikes Peak State College Recruit Fire Academy with two recently hired paramedics. Firefighter/Paramedic Rachael Peters accepted the EMS coordinator position, while Botkin attends the academy through May. Two paramedics accepted jobs in Adams County and South Metro Fire Rescue, to be geographically closer to home. Paramedics Andrew Dore and Taylor Lindsey were sworn in at a ceremony after the meeting, said Kovacs.

Apparatus update

Kovacs said the district had taken possession of a new ladder truck and the staff training is complete. The process of outfitting the apparatus has begun. The district anticipates receiving two engines (approved about two years ago) in early 2026, a year early than expected. The district expects to receive two ambulances in late 2025, has a Type 6 chassis ready for assembly at Boise Mobile Equipment, Boise, Idaho and is expected by mid-year. A water tender purchase will be included in the 2026 budget, said Kovacs.

The chief’s report and the November and December financial reports can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

The meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Dec. 4 – Board approves administrative office lease agreement

Table of Contents

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Dec. 4, the board approved a lease/purchase agreement for administrative offices, the 2025 Board of Directors schedule, and the 2025 Employee Handbook. The district confirmed the revenue amount received from state to compensate for the 2024 property tax revenue loss. The board also received updates on the development of the Training Center at Station 1, the Fire Station 3 rebuild, the land purchase for a future Station 6, and the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) unification.

An executive session was held to discuss Fire Chief Andy Kovacs’ annual performance review.

The meeting was preceded by a DWFPD Volunteer Pension Board of Trustees (VPBOT) meeting.

President Mike Smaldino was excused.

Lease agreement—administrative offices

At the Nov. 27 special meeting, the board approved the sale of the district’s administrative office suite at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 102 to Mason Law LLC.

Background: The district purchased Suite 102 in September 2020 with a 10-year lease/purchase agreement with Community Bank of Colorado for about $1 million.

At the Dec. 4 meeting, Kovacs requested the board approve a 10-year commercial lease agreement on Dec. 5 with JKerr Properties LLC for the property at 19775 Mitchell Ave., Monument, and said:

  • The district will pay about $18,417 per month for the first year, and from years two through 10 of the agreement, the rent will increase annually by 3.5% from the prior year’s monthly rent commencing Jan. 1, 2026.
  • The district will be responsible for all maintenance except for the structural integrity of the building and the HVAC system.
  • The district will take possession of the property on Dec. 3, and it expects to move into the leased space around April/May 2025 after it hires a contractor to refit and refurbish the building for office spaces.
  • The district will conduct the move in-house using the existing office furniture.
  • The new location will house the district administration offices, some district vehicles, and the lessors’ personal vehicles.
  • The lessor has agreed to pay a portion of the remodeling costs up to $73,666.

The board approved the lease agreement in a vote 6-0.

2025 board director election

The district will hold an election in 2025 to fill the Board of Directors positions currently held by Smaldino, John Hildebrandt, Mark Gunderman, Duane Garrett, and Tom Kelly. Any eligible elector of the special district who desires to be a candidate for the office of special district director must file a self-nomination and acceptance form or letter with the designated election official. The deadline for filing must be 67 days before the date of the regular election in May 2025. The district does not maintain term limitations for board directors.

Contact Director of Administration Jennifer Martin at jmartin@monumentfire.org for additional information and assistance with application forms.

The board approved the 2025 election, 6-0.

Other approved items

The board also approved the 2025 Board of Directors schedule, with the new meeting time of 4:20 p.m., and the 2025 Employee Handbook with minimal changes.

Additional revenue received from state

Kovacs confirmed at the request of this reporter that the district received about $1.367 million in backfill revenue from the state with the annual property tax revenue income in March/April. During the finalization of the 2024 budget, Kovacs anticipated a total loss of about $990,000 in combined property tax revenue ($747,000 for MFD and $243,000 for DWFPD). See https://wp.ocn.me/v23n11mfd/ and https://wp.ocn.me/v24n2dwfpd/.

The state distributed revenue to special fire districts to compensate for any loss of property tax revenue incurred from the Legislature passing SB23-001 and SB22-238 in November 2023. See BFFRPD article on page 12.

Financial report/chief’s report

Due to the earlier than usual board meeting, the November financial report and chief’s report will be presented with the December financial report at the January meeting.

Station 2 remodel update

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said the first pre-construction meeting and on-site construction for the Station 2 remodel had taken place. The crews were scheduled to move out of Station 2 on Dec. 12 and 13, and the internal demolition process was set to begin on Dec. 16. The crews are expected to move back in at the end of May or early June. Golden Triangle Construction was awarded the contract at the November meeting, said Bumgarner. See https://wp.ocn.me.v24n12mfd/.

Kovacs said 90% of the contents of Station 2 are mill work, lockers, beds and furniture that are incorporated into the new design, and the contents will be sold or given away, he said.

Executive Battalion Chief Micah Coyle said the engine company and brush truck will relocate to Station 5, and the squad unit and tender will move to Station 3 for the duration of the remodel. The second tender is currently “out of service” undergoing repairs, he said.

Training Center and future station development updates

Bumgarner gave the following updates:

  • The final documentation for the Station 1 Training Center development is under review with the Town of Monument (TOM). The public hearing with the Planning Commission will be held in 2025.
  • The district is still in a holding pattern working with the developer and the TOM to complete the platting for the Station 3 rebuild on a 2-acre property north of the YMCA.
  • The land purchase contact for a potential future Station 6 on about 2 acres owned by QuikTrip at Terrazzo Drive is moving forward, but the owner’s representative for the site was unsure if platting before signing the contract was necessary. An addendum adding the plat specifics may be required in the future. The additional adjacent acreage the district decided not to purchase has been sold.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session around 7 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(f), to discuss personnel matters relating to the fire chief’s annual performance review.

Martin confirmed that no further action was taken when the board returned to the regular session at 8:11 p.m., and the meeting promptly adjourned.

DWFPD unification update

The board received an update on the unification process before the merger of DWFPD and MFD is finalized on Dec. 31. For additional information see DWFPD article on page 15.

DWFPD volunteer pension fund

Volunteer Pension Board Trustee Mike Badger explained the pension fund status to the MFD Board of Directors and said the balance as of Sept. 30 was about $944,624 (after all payouts and incoming receivables). The fund grew by about $30,000 in 2024 and is stronger than it was in January, he said.

Gunderman explained the fund was net positive and funds are not being added.

Badger said the fund has 13 members drawing pensions, three spouses and two inactive members due to begin drawing pensions within the next couple of years. The fund will grow stronger now that it is a closed pension and participants will only decline, he said.

Kovacs said the Firefighters Police Pension Association conducted an audit in 2022, encouraging the Wescott board to add funds. However, district attorney Emily Powell explained the fund was 114% funded and drawing down participants, therefore no funds were needed.

Badger said the actuarial study is conducted every other year and forecasts up to 20 years to include all possible participants and spouse recipients. Spouses receive 50% of the pension after the serving member passes, and after all participants have passed any remaining pension funds will be turned over to the district. The next actuarial study will be available in 2025, and the Board of Trustees can request hypothetical predictions before requesting any increase to pensions. Any increase in pensions for retirees will be approved if the fund is doing well, said Badger.

Vice President Hildebrandt said it is a good idea that the recipients receive any excess gained revenue.

Gunderman confirmed the pension was increased by $50 for a maximum full pension of $500, but the pension cannot be decreased once an increase is implemented. District funds would need to be added if it became underfunded, he said.

Badger said he had received a few calls from pension recipients for another “bump up,” but due to the political environment the board needs to let the fund sit awhile. The board of directors have always been conservative because the fund has lost a little in the past. The fund balance is provided quarterly, and the end-of-year financial report will be available in January.

Martin confirmed the next DWFPD VPBOT meetings will precede the MFD regular meeting at 4 p.m. on June 25 and Nov. 12, 2025.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 22 at 4:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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

Monument Fire District, Nov. 13 and 27 – 2025 budget approved; mill levy certified; wage schedule increases

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District (TLMFPD) dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Nov. 13, the board held a public hearing for the 2025 budget and approved it and the wage and fee schedules. It awarded a contract for the remodel of Station 2 on Roller Coaster Road. A public hearing was held before receiving approval for a petition for real property inclusion into the district. The board held a special meeting on Nov. 27 to approve the sale of the district administrative office suite at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 102, Monument.

The meeting began at 6:34 p.m.; President Mike Smaldino joined the meeting via Zoom at 6:43 p.m.

The special meeting began at 1 p.m.

Director Randall Estes was excused from both meetings.

2025 budget

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said a final edit had been made to increase the Community Risk Training budget by $18,600 for various training, but primarily for training personnel to conduct business fire protection inspections in 2025. He requested the board review and approve the 2025 budget, certify the mill levy, and adopt the employee wage schedule and the fee schedule.

Note: The projected property tax revenue is about $18 million (combines both MFD and about $4 million in Donald Wescott Fire Protection District property taxes). In addition, the district anticipates miscellaneous revenue, specific ownership tax, ambulance revenue, an EMS supplement, the remaining balance on the DWFPD contract, and wildland deployment revenue to total about $24.235 million (up about $2.189 million from 2024 revenue collection). The projected expenses are estimated to be about $18.727 million for 2025, with about $11.725 million dedicated to wages (includes a 6% increase), and about $3.5 million for benefits.

The L4319 President/Engineer Christian Schmidt thanked the board for establishing collaborative negotiating for 2024 and for approving the improved pay and benefits package. There were several meetings with the executive staff over the past several months, and the line staff is very grateful, he said.

Vice President John Hildebrandt opened a public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget, and hearing no comments from the public, promptly closed the meeting and requested the board approve Resolution 2024-13 approving the 2025 budget and setting the mill levy for appropriating property tax revenue, and the corresponding appropriations.

Mill levy certification

In a roll call vote, 6-0, the board certified an 18.4 mill levy for the district’s property tax assessment.

Station 2 remodel bid approved

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said the district received nine bids for the remodel of Station 2 on Roller Coaster Road. After a department review with John Sattler of NV5, the district’s owners representative, the recommendation was to award Golden Triangle Construction LLC (GTC) the contract for about $1.611 million. The district budgeted about $2 million for the project in 2024 and the remodel is scheduled to begin in January 2025.

The board approved Resolution 2024-14, awarding the contract in a roll-call vote, 6-0.

Fee schedule

Kovacs said the fee schedule for 2025 had no significant increases, but the district will contract an independent NEXUS study in 2025 to determine future impact fees (that will include the construction of residential and commercial property within the district’s jurisdiction). The impact fee remains unchanged for 2025, but there will likely be changes for 2026 after the study results are known, he said. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11mfd/.

Hildebrandt said the impact fee of $777 for a single-family home has remained the same since the 2008 recession. As costs increase for the department, fees should also increase incrementally, he said.

The board approved the fee schedule in a roll call vote 6-0.

Note: The board approved the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) state statute retrieval fee increase at the June 26 board meeting. The CORA retrieval fee increased from $30 per hour to $41.37 per hour effective July 1, 2024. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n7mfd/.

Inclusion request approved

The board opened a public hearing for the petition of inclusion for the McDonald and Enloe property at 5775 Mountain Shadow View, Colorado Springs. After hearing no opposition, the hearing was closed and the board approved Resolution 2024-12, a request for inclusion of property, in a roll call vote, 6-0.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly said that as of Oct. 31, the district is 83.3% of the total amount to be considered in line with annual projections. Overall revenue year to date is about $22.8 million, about 103.4% of the projected revenue and $762,000 above projection. Most income is on target, but ambulance revenue is lagging by 4.4%. The 2024 income budget was set at about $22 million. Overall expenses year to date are about $13.9 million or 85.1% of the projected expense budget set at about $16.336 million. Overtime is at 113.52% year to date or about $95,969 over the $710,000 annual budget for the shift workers. The board reviewed 23 electronic transactions over $2,500. Of note were:

  • $84,198 Flintco LLC Station 4 remodel
  • $40,078 Low Voltage Station Alerting System
  • $21,660 OZ Architecture Architectural Fees
  • $8,810 Wex Bank Inc. Fleet Fuel
  • $5,985 Gary Sandstrom IT Contract

Every transaction appeared appropriate and within the 2024 budget, Kelly said. As of Oct. 31, the checking and savings accounts totaled about $19.428 million with about $12.2 million in the Operations and General Fund, he said.

District Administrative Officer Jennifer Martin said the ambulance revenue is below projection since the district’s ambulance billing company merged with eight nationwide insurance companies on April 1. The old billing system has not yet caught up, but more revenue is expected.

Kovacs said the Cimarron Hills Fire Department uses the same billing vendor and they are also behind in ambulance revenue collection.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 5-0. Smaldino was absent for the vote.

Community property mitigation/risk reduction

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley said a mitigation risk trail is located near Monument Lake and south of the dam. The demonstration area was created using a grant to install signboards to show property owners before-and-after examples of property mitigation. Across the district, the communities have removed more than 250 tons of vegetation chipped by district staff throughout 2024. The U.S. Forest Service is using satellite imagery to discover areas that need mitigation, and there is lots going on for fire prevention but there is a lot more to do, said Bradley.

Chief’s report

Note: The chief’s report and the financial report can be found at www.monumentfire.org. This reporter attended via Zoom.

Special meeting—administrative office sale

On Nov. 27, the board held a special meeting to approve the sale of the district administrative office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 102.

In a 6-0 vote, the board approved the property sale.

The meeting adjourned at 7:41p.m.

The special meeting adjourned at 1:03 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. A Volunteer Pension Fund Board of Trustees (Legacy) meeting for the former DWFPD volunteer firefighters will precede the regular meeting at 6 p.m. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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

Monument Fire District, Oct. 8 and 23 – 2025 proposed budget presentations

By Natalie Barszcz

The Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) held a special meeting on Oct. 8 after the Sept. 25 meeting was postponed due to a lack of quorum. The board received the first presentation of the 2025 budget and accepted a petition for inclusion of real property, before setting a public hearing for the special meeting on Nov. 13.

At the regular meeting on Oct. 23, the board received the second presentation of the 2025 proposed budget with some minor updates. The board heard about a study of impact fees and sales tax collection and received updates at both meetings on the remodel of Stations 4 and 2, the Station 1 training center, the Station 3 rebuild design, and the land purchase for a future Station 6.

For updates on the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) merger process, see the DWFPD article on page < 7 >.

Vice President John Hildebrandt was excused on Oct 8. President Mike Smaldino was excused on Oct. 23.

2025 proposed budget presentations

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said a few changes were made to the proposed 2025 budget after the first presentation on Oct. 8, and he reviewed the budget highlighting the following:

  • The projected property tax revenue is about $18 million (combines both MFD and about $4 million in DWFPD property taxes) and the district anticipates, with miscellaneous revenue, specific ownership tax, ambulance revenue, an EMS supplement, the remaining DWFPD contract, and wildland deployment revenue, a total of about $24.235 million (up about $2.189 million from 2024).
  • The projected expenses are estimated to be about $18.727 million for 2025, with about $11.725 million dedicated to wages and about $3.5 million for benefits.
  • The district will maintain a competitive salary and benefits package, and is thankfully not losing employees to South Metro and other agencies that are of like size and comparable to the district.
  • The district will maintain training and educational opportunities.
  • Benefits continue to rise, as the workforce is marrying, having families, and driving costs up for health insurance and overtime during maternity and paternity leave.
  • The district will begin a hiring process on Jan. 1, 2025 for a part-time bookkeeper position with a salary of $50,000. The district has had about four or five since he became fire chief, and he proposed cancelling the existing contract. A part-time bookkeeper will save several thousand dollars.
  • The ending general operations fund balance is expected to be about $4.673 million and necessary to cover operating expenses for the first quarter of 2025. The bulk of the property tax revenue is received in March. The district general operations (wages and benefits) cost is about $1.5 million per month.

Treasurer Tom Kelly said the bulk of the district expenses is used for human resources, and the district did not spend all of the allocated funds for the capital improvements in 2024.

Kovacs said the processes for the capital improvements are taking longer than anticipated.

Note: The public hearing for the proposed 2025 budget will be held at the special meeting on Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Property tax revenue decrease

Kovacs said that although the district is not proposing a mill levy increase for 2025, it is anticipating a property tax valuation decrease of about $1.242 or about 6.4% in FY2025 due to the state Legislature passing SB 24-233 and HB 24B-1001, in response to the failure of Propositions 50 and 108 in November 2023. The future economic situation of the district could be impacted due to some of the legislation that passed earlier in 2024 and the increased cost of human resources, apparatus, material goods, and services, he said.

NEXUS study required

Kovacs said the department is considering diversifying revenue sources and seeking impact fees and levying sales tax as a result of SB24-194 passing in early 2024. Fire protection districts are now permitted to collect impact fees in unincorporated areas of the county and collect sales tax to boost revenue. In the past, the district was permitted only to collect impact fees for properties built within the Town of Monument (TOM). Fire chiefs had requested county-wide impact fees through the El Paso County Board of Commissioners in 2018, but those requests were denied. The state fire chiefs successfully presented the need for impact fees in unincorporated areas to the state House of Representatives in early 2024. The 2025 budget includes $20,000 to engage a consultant to conduct a NEXUS study that is required before implementing the impact fees and/or sales tax, he said.

Future hiring

Executive Battalion Chief Micah Coyle said the district had received 152 applications for future firefighter positions, a record number for the district. About 75 applicants passed the written exam for an entry-level firefighter position and about 55 have been selected for an oral board interview to create a list of potential hires.

Kovacs said the high number of applicants was due to the district’s social media company “Red Energy,” but the district is not hiring firefighters until the financial future is known. However, an eligibility list will be retained in the event that retirements or resignations occur.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly said that as of Sept. 30, the district is at 75% of the total amount to be considered in line with annual projections. Overall revenue year to date is about $22.5 million, approximately 102% of the projected 2024 income budget set at about $22 million. (That includes a little over $2 million for the Wescott contract for services). Overall expenses year to date are about $12.527 million or 76.6% of the projected expense budget set at about $16.336 million. Overtime is at 107.16% year to date or about $51,000 over the budgeted $710,000 annual budget for the shift workers. The board reviewed 30 electronic transmissions over $2,500 for August at the Oct. 8 meeting, and 22 for September on Oct. 23. Of note were:

  • $118,470 PNC Equipment Lease Engine Lease Payment
  • $80,208 OZ Architecture Training Center/Fire Station 2 & 3
  • $82,336 Flintco LLC Station 4 remodel
  • $9,935 Wex Bank Inc. Fleet Fuel
  • $36,998 Elevate Healthcare EMS Mannequin
  • • $24,330 Strategic Site Design Training Center
  • $8,186 OZ Architecture Fire Stations 2, 3, and 4
  • $141,473 Flintco LLC Fire Station 4
  • $8,552 Wex Bank LLC Fleet Fuel
  • $107,700 TLMFPD Gen Ops Fund Deposit Reserve Account

Every transaction appeared appropriate and within the 2024 budget, Kelly said. As of Sept. 30, the checking and savings accounts totaled about $20.534 million with about $13.2 million in the Operations and General Fund, he said.

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

Kovacs said multiple factors were causing the increase in overtime hours for the shift workers, such as the DWFPD staff moving to the MFD payroll and maternity/paternity leave, and the district has experienced the highest number of workers compensation injuries in 2024.

Station 4 remodel

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner thanked the board for approving the remodel of Station 4, Gleneagle Drive. He received numerous positive comments from the residents and the crews at the ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 12. The district has budgeted about $8.632 million to complete the northside paramedic accommodation at Station 4, Gleneagle Drive. See snapshot on page < 21 >.

Station 2 remodel

Bumgarner said the district received nine bids for the remodel of Station 2, Roller Coaster Road. John Sattler of NV5, the district’s owners representative, will review the bids and the recommendation will be presented to the board on Nov. 13. The district budgeted about $2 million for the project scheduled to begin in January 2025.

Station 1 Training Center

Bumgarner said the district is ready for a public hearing with the Town of Monument Planning Commission in late January or early February and a hearing with Monument Town Council in March. The district will likely be moving dirt and installing infrastructure for the training center at Station 1 in mid-2025, and building could begin in early fall. He has been attending meetings with the town planners to work through the process to plat the site.

Fire Station 3 update

Bumgarner said the final site plan for the platting of the lot north of YMCA, the future Station 3 location, is almost finished. The district will likely break ground in late 2025 due to the site development taking up most of the year. The district expects to close on the land purchase mid-year, and the building phase will take at least two years until completion.

Land purchase future Station 6

Bumgarner said due to the district having no site plan for the 2-acre parcel the district is planning to purchase from QuikTrip for a future Station 6, the TOM is taking a different direction on the plat approval for the land. He is working with the town planners to develop a site plan, but the cost will be to the district to plat the site. It is a difficult not knowing what the district will develop on the site in the future, he said.

Vehicle storage agreement

The board approved an Assignment and Assumption agreement for vehicle storage at its Sun Hills Drive property, the former DWFPD Station 3. See DWFPD article on page < 7 >.

Inclusion request

At the Oct. 8 meeting, Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley said the district had received a request for inclusion into the district in a rural area of the district at 5775 Mountain Shadow View, Colorado Springs.

The board approved the request for the inclusion, pending the public hearing on Nov. 13.

Note: The chief’s report and the financial report can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

The special meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m. on Oct 8. The regular meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. on Oct 23.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Sept. 25 – Meeting postponed due to lack of quorum

By Natalie Barszcz

The Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Sept. 25 was postponed after 15 minutes when the participants realized a quorum could not be reached. A “special meeting” will be scheduled in early October to allow the board to receive the first presentation of the 2025 budget, updates on the Station 1 training center, the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) merger process, the Station 3 rebuild design, and the land purchase for a future Station 6. The board will also be presented with a petition for inclusion of real property.

President Michael Smaldino, Vice President John Hildebrandt, Secretary Jason Buckingham were excused. Directors Randall Estes and Duane Garrett did not attend the meeting.

Station 4 remodel ribbon cutting celebration

The public is invited to celebrate the completion of the Station 4 remodel ribbon cutting on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. at the station, 15415 Gleneagle Drive.

Annual Pumpkin Giveaway!

The L4319 Monument Professional Firefighters will hold the Annual Pumpkin Giveaway on Oct. 19 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Monument Marketplace Clock Tower, 15986 Jackson Creek Parkway. The firefighters are accepting non-perishable food items to donate to the annual food drive for Tri-Lakes Cares.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. A “special meeting” to cover the agenda items for the postponed regular September meeting will be held on Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Aug. 28 – District opposes ballot initiatives 50 and 108; station 3 design revised

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Aug. 28, the board received a presentation on the updated design for the new Station 2 from OZ Architecture, and approved Resolution 2024-11, opposing ballot initiatives 50 and 108. The board also received updates on the Station 3 rebuild design, the merger process, and a closest response unit agreement with Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD). The board held an executive session to develop a negotiation strategy and instruct negotiations on possible lease purchase of real property.

President Mike Smaldino and Vice President John Hildebrandt did not attend.

District opposed to ballot initiatives

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said two ballot initiatives for the November ballot would have significant financial impacts to fire districts and other “special districts” in Colorado. The initiatives are attempting to cap property tax revenue for fire districts to the district’s detriment. The Colorado Legislature convened for another special session this week on the subject of property taxes that will likely continue for a couple more days, because there has not been much consensus on what to do. A new state Senate bill is being proposed to make modifications to SB-233 (approved earlier this year), and if approved, the author of initiatives 50 and 108 will remove the two initiatives from the ballot. Unfortunately, SB-233 does not bode well for fire districts either, because it will also reduce property tax revenue. Fire chiefs from across the state were hoping for an amendment to carve fire districts out of the bill, but it was defeated, he said.

The district will start to develop the 2025 budget with a 20% reduction in property tax revenue, and likely extensions will be given for the deadline submittal of the 2025 budget, delayed again due to the late changes in legislation. The district has been in contact with local elected officials, expressing concerns over the legislation, so the district will take a cautious fiscal approach to 2025 with no plans to hire firefighters, said Kovacs. He requested the board approve Resolution 2024, opposing initiatives 50 and 108.

Treasurer Tom Kelly said he had read an article that morning that mentioned state backfill to fire districts for the loss in revenue next year would take about a third of the general fund, so backfill from the state next year cannot be counted on. See TMD article on page < 16 >.

The board approved Resolution 2024-11, opposing initiatives 50 and 108, in a 5-0 vote.

Station 3 rebuild update

Kovacs said the staff had gone back to the drawing board with OZ Architecture at the direction of the board to refine the details for the Station 3 rebuild, after the first presentation on May 29. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n7mfd.

Kevin Shaffer from OZ Architecture presented the potential design for the rebuild of Station 3 on a 2-acre lot north of the YMCA, Jackson Creek Parkway, described the floor plan changes, and said:

  • The floor plan is similar to the last presentation and still presents with the potential for future administrative offices.
  • The design still shows four apparatus bays, storage space, bunker gear, and decontamination area.
  • An 825-square-foot training room will be larger than the Station 1 training room.
  • The size of the courtyard is reduced, and the entrance has a similar sequence as the initial plan.
  • The bedrooms are now organized away from the mechanical equipment.
  • The layout is slightly different, with room to add administrative offices at a later date.
  • A six-to-eight-person elevator is included to reach the accommodation area on the second floor. All two-story and above public buildings are required by code to include an elevator. An ADA compliant bathroom will be located in the lobby.
  • The training tower was moved to a central location, and the interior mezzanine can also be used for training purposes.
  • The size is reduced considerably from the previous design of about 23,000 square feet with the administrative offices, to 18,328 square feet with room to add office space later.

Eric Becker of OZ Architecture showed a series of early concept perspective views, all depicting a reserved modern design with glass to provide natural light, and a mostly brick exterior, incorporating soft grays and tans, with some wood for the soffits, using natural materials. He said the station will have:

  • Window controls and black-out shades.
  • Tower with potential for light on-site training and allowing daylight into the bays and mezzanine with room for storage and creating that civic landmark that says “fire station.”
  • The dynamic roof form design will provide coverage and draw the eye to the horizon and beyond.

The board thanked the team for the presentation and said they were impressed with the revised conceptual design.

Shaffer said the design is quite a departure from the previous concept, and the interesting thing about the site is there is not a lot of contiguous contexts. There is an opportunity to make a civic expression, he said.

Above: OZ Architecture exterior design for the rebuild of Station 3. Image courtesy of MFD.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly said that as of July 31, the district was at 58.3% of the total amount of the predicted budget and considered in line with projections. Overall revenue year to date is about $20.166 million, about 91.4% of the projected 2024 income budget set at about $22 million. (Includes a little over $2 million for the Wescott contract for services.) Overall expenses year to date are about $9.649 million or 59% of the projected expense budget set at about $16.336 million. The board reviewed 22 electronic transmissions for July over $2,500, and of note were:

  • $10,000 Midwest Fire Water tender down payment
  • $107,493 OZ Architecture Training Center/Fire Station 3 and 4
  • $128,371 Flintco LLC Station 4 remodel
  • $8,602 Wex Bank Inc. Fleet fuel
  • $16,934 CBIZ 2023 audit

Every transaction appeared appropriate and within the 2024 budget, Kelly said. The checking and savings accounts totaled about $21.749 million (about $16 million in the Operations and General Fund). The General Operations Fund increased by about $5 million from the June 30 financial report; the primary increase was based upon the new inclusion of property taxes, said Kelly.

The board accepted the financial report as presented in a 5-1 vote.

Training center update

Kovacs said the training center project continues as scheduled and is going through the PUD and re-platting of the property to accommodate district partner Front Range Apparatus on 2 acres of the 14-acre site adjacent to Station 1. The district received some documents earlier in the week validating the submittal to the Town of Monument for approval, so the project is moving forward as scheduled, he said.

Merger update

Kovacs said that as part of the merger process, he will accompany Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) legal counsel at the end of September when they go before the county judge for the hearing to approve the dissolution of DWFPD. There are a few loose ends to tie up before the end of the calendar year, just finishing up some of the final details with the Firefighters Police Pension Association, specific to the Volunteer Firefighters Pension Association Fund, but everything is on track and looking favorable, he said. The district does not expect any concerns to present, and the two districts will officially be unified by the end of the year in readiness for the 2025 fiscal year. “We are in the home stretch,” he said.

Closest response units

Kovacs said the district has developed a specific closest response unit arrangement with BFFRPD. The arrangement includes EMS and engine units and is in addition to existing mutual aid partners. The agreement will provide the public with a faster unit response, he said.

Note: The chief’s report and the financial report can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:18 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(e) to develop a negotiation strategy and instruct negotiations on possible lease-purchase of real property.

Kovacs confirmed to OCN that after the board returned to the regular meeting at 8:12 p.m., no further action was taken by the board.

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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

Monument Fire District, July 24 – Gas odor increases call volume; district recognized for supporting prescribed burn

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on July 24, the board heard about an unprecedented temporary call volume increase, witnessed district recognition for its support, approved the Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) Volunteer Firefighter Pension Plan (VFPP) Affiliation Agreement, a part of the merger process, and a board meeting time change for 2025. The board also received updates on the Station 3 rebuild design, the merger process, and a mechanical CPR device.

President Mike Smaldino and Secretary Jason Buckingham were excused. Director Randall Estes did not attend.

Gas odor increases calls

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley said the district received an unprecedented increase in calls July 13-14 due to a Black Hills Energy (BHE) failure of the auto injecting Mercaptan (methanethiol, a harmless pungent smelling gas) that odorizes the odorless natural gas was far higher level than recommended. That led to over 70 calls from residents concerned about gas leaks in homes in Woodmoor and other communities from the evening of July 13 onward. BHE crews identified and fixed the problem, but due to low gas usage during the summer, the problem persisted.

BHE purged a gas line north of Kings Deer on the afternoon of July 14 and call volume lowered, but it did not solve the problem. After purging another line near the U.S. Forest Service on the west side of Monument on the morning of July 15, the call volume dropped immediately. The district was receiving calls every 10-15 minutes during the weekend and responding about 2.5 times per hour.

Bradley said 911 Dispatch did a nice job cueing calls, and the district adapted quickly and found some ways to do things better. BHE kept the district informed and was working as hard as they could to resolve the problem, Bradley said. BHE did not put out a statement on its website during the failure in case a real gas leak emergency occurred. The districts’ response was tested and modifications were made to allow crews to respond to the true emergency calls, he said.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said he was surprised to learn that a sensor to monitor the Mercaptan level is not in place. The district will set up a time for an after-action review with the BHE staff to discuss a future response plan.

District receives recognition

Fire Management Officer Tim Ross of the Pikes Peak Ranger District (PPRD), serving with the U.S. Forest Service, recognized MFD for supporting the prescribed burn and the Monument Fire Center during the burn on June 12 and 13 in the area known as “The Preserve” in Monument. See wp.ocn.me/v24n7mfd/ and the caption and photo inset of the presentation. Ross thanked the district for its continued support and said the PPRD looks forward to returning with the prescribed burn effort in the future. Ross also said the prescribed burn went well and stayed where it was supposed to, and nobody was injured.

Two-thirds of the effort was accomplished, and in hindsight the third day burn of about 300 acres could have taken place and the burn would be done, but the decision not to burn on the third day was based on the precipitation that never came. The partnerships and training aspect, the people on the ground implementing the burn, and the public education went well, Ross said. It was a successful prescribed burn that will encourage re-growth, he said. The goal was not to eliminate any one species but an attempt to return the area to its original state and restore the balance with not as much scrub oak, hence the mosaic burn pattern, said Ross.

Above: From left, Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley receives a geographical framed map of the burn area from Fire Management Officer Tim Ross of the Pikes Peak Ranger District during the July 24 MFD board meeting. Ross said Bradley displayed superior efforts in bringing the Monument prescribed fire to fruition. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: From left, Fire Chief Andy Kovacs is presented with a watercolor rendition of Monument Rock from Fire Management Officer Ross at the MFD board meeting on July 24. The district supported the U.S. Forest Service in the preparation for the prescribed burn, and during the event on June 12 and 13 in the area known as Monument Preserve. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly said all funding streams look good and ambulance revenue is right on target half way through the budget year as of June 30. Overall revenue year to date is about $13.659 million, approximately 61.9% of the projected 2024 income budget set at about $22 million. Expenses are all tracking with wages coming back in line and overall expenses year to date are about $8.347 million or 51.0% of the projected expense budget set at about $16.336 million.

The board had 23 electronic transmissions over $2,500, and of note were:

  • $63,498 Liquid Structures Station 4 concrete apron
  • $20,147 NV5 Inc. Station 3 agreement
  • $216,671 Flintco LLC Station 4 remodel
  • $10,303 Wex Bank Inc. Fleet fuel
  • $104,390 PNC Equipment Finance Engine lease payment

Every transaction appeared appropriate and within the 2024 budget, and the checking and savings accounts totaled about $16.743 million (about $10.833 million in the Operations and General Fund), said Kelly.

Kovacs said the increase was due to the transfer of funds from DWFPD and additional property tax revenue, he said.

Note: District revenue increased by about $1.581 million from the May 31 financial report.

In a 4-0 vote, the board accepted the financial report as presented.

2024-25 budget update

Kovacs said the district will amend the 2025 budget after the 2024 audit presentation. A significant amount of funds is allocated to the district’s capital projects, but because of the length of the planning processes, funds have not been spent in 2024. The district will be rolling over funds into fiscal year 2025 and will be under budget in totality at the end of 2024, even though the Station 4 remodel is over budget, Kovacs said. Funds will be re-allocated from the unspent budgeted capital expenditure for the additional expenditures, he said.

Station 3 rebuild update

Executive Battalion Chief Micah Coyle said the rebuild of Station 3 on a 2-acre lot north of the YMCA on Jackson Creek Parkway is still in the discovery phase, and the district is working with the seller to get the plat and site plan approved by the Town of Monument (TOM). See wp.ocn.me/v24n7mfd/.

Vice President John Hildebrandt said the district has been waiting on the plat approval for quite a while and he questioned the delay.

Bradley said the TOM moratorium on plat approvals expired last week, and even though the district’s plans were not technically subject to the hold, a lot of projects will now be submitted to the Planning Department. He attends a standing weekly meeting with the planning team to review pre-applications and plans, but it is unknown where the plan is in the process with the team of planners, he said. See MTC article on page < 1 >.

Kovacs said the developer is still making amendments, not only to subdivide the 2-acre parcel the district is purchasing adjacent to the YMCA on Jackson Creek Parkway but also the entire 11-acre property that will require subdividing into lots, he said.

Merger update

Coyle said Emily Powell of Ireland Stapleton Pryor Pascoe PC law firm is ready to file the dissolution request with the courts on July 26, and the process could take up to 50 days.

Affidavits from the three eligible voting members, two board directors and a spouse supporting the dissolution of the district will be presented, but the presiding judge could call for a three-person election on Dec. 3. See DWFPD article on page < 8 >.

Hildebrandt asked why an election might be necessary now and said it had not been part of the original plan. He said he thought the process was to just absorb the two remaining properties and the dissolution would be finalized sooner.

Kovacs said the judge could technically call for a vote of the three remaining residents, and the earliest date would be Dec. 3, but if the judge is reasonable the election process will be skipped due to the three remaining eligible voters signing affidavits approving the dissolution. Powell is confident an election will not be necessary, he said.

Director Mark Gunderman said Powell has worked many fire district mergers, and an election is a worst-case scenario. In most cases, an election has never been necessary, he said.

Powell is confident the merger will be “buttoned up” by the end of the year, said Kovacs.

Volunteer Firefighter Pension Plan

Coyle requested the board approve the DWFPD Volunteer Firefighter Pension Plan (VFPP) Affiliation Agreement. See wp.ocn.me/v24n7dwfpd/.

Kovacs said the agreement was missed during the document signing last month. This agreement allows the district to assume management of the VFPP.

Hildebrandt asked if the VFPP would have any liabilities on MFD.

Gunderman said the VFPP is solvent on its own because of how it has been run, and no other recipients will be added to the fund, and it will continue to be fully funded.

Kovacs said the VFPP is self-funded, and a healthy account and the actuarial report are used to determine increased funding. A line item will be added for the 2025 budget for the VFPP, but the district will not add funds this year because the fund is so healthy, he said.

The board approved the VFPP affiliation agreement in a 4-0 vote.

Meeting time change

Hildebrandt said the meeting time was changed a few years ago from 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., when the Woodmoor Fire Department and Tri-Lakes Fire Department merged. He said it would be his preference to keep the same time to allow working board members and residents to attend.

Kelly said at the June board meeting he had requested the board review the meeting time in the interest of overtime savings and fiscal responsibility. Changing the meeting times to earlier in the day would prevent overtime costs when staff must stay for meetings. The goal is to continue fiscal responsibility with the increase of capital improvements and remain prudent with the district funds, said Kelly.

Kovacs said the executive branch including himself, Bradley and Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner are exempt from receiving overtime, and it depends on the length of the meetings, but an average meeting is about two hours, so about four hours of overtime is incurred monthly for Coyle and for Director of Administration Jennifer Martin because their work day ends at 4:30 p.m.

Gunderman said he never witnessed a difference in attendance during his time on the Wescott board that typically meets at 4:30 p.m., and due to COVID-19 restrictions the regular resident attendees joined via Zoom and continued to do so, and the in-person attendees continued to show up. Working from home, he sets his own schedule and is flexible and has never seen any public push back even if the meeting is earlier than 4:30 p.m. Gunderman said he would not have a problem with an earlier meeting but suggested no earlier than 4:30 p.m.

Director Duane Garrett confirmed that whenever he had a work conflict during his tenure on the Wescott board, he joined via Zoom and rarely missed a meeting.

This reporter suggested the board consider saving half the overtime costs by meeting at 4:30 p.m., since the DWFPD meetings will no longer be held in 2025.

Kovacs said it is not uncommon for attendees to hang around between meetings, but moving the meeting to 4:30 p.m. would not entirely save on overtime costs, but it may be more convenient, and if it does not work the board can always change the time, he said.

Hildebrandt said it would have been difficult when he worked full time to attend at 4:30 p.m.

Kelly made a motion to change the meeting time to 4:30 p.m.; it was seconded by Garrett.

The board approved the time change, with meetings held on the fourth Wednesday, beginning in 2025, in a 4-1 vote; Hildebrandt dissented.

EMS calls

Coyle said the district purchased a LUCAS device that administers mechanical CPR, all crews have trained on the unit, and it is in service on Squad 575 at Station 5. It will be used during all district cardiac arrest calls.

Hildebrandt asked if the device would be better located at Station 4.

Kovacs said the district hopes to purchase a device per year, if finances are available, to have three total for each ambulance. Squad 575 with a lieutenant and engineer is the support for the first responding unit to cardiac arrest calls.

Hildebrandt said a potentially life-saving piece of equipment could not be farther away from a good portion of the district as you can get and Station 1 is a prime example.

Bradley said the device is not necessarily a first-response device, and it does not matter where the device goes. The decision to place the device on Squad 575, a non-transport vehicle, was made to ensure it is always available in district until enough devices are available for the ambulances, he said.

Note: The chief’s report and the financial report can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

The meeting adjourned at 7:51 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Microsoft Teams virtual joining 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 (MFD) articles

Monument Fire District, June 26 – Controlled burn successful; station rebuild design approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on June 26, the board heard about the outcome of the controlled burn in Monument Preserve, approved the Station 3 rebuild design and a land purchase for a future station, received updates on the station remodels, approved the transfer of the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) Volunteer Firefighter Pension Fund (VFPF), and approved a quit claim deed to transfer the Sun Hills property to the district. The board accepted the 2023 audit presentation.

President Mike Smaldino and Director Duane Garrett were excused. Director Randall Estes did not attend.

Controlled burn outcome

Division Chief of Community Risk Jonathan Bradley, acting as liaison to the U.S. Forest Service and the community for the controlled burn in Monument Preserve, said Congress designated the forests along the Front Range from Fort Collins to Pueblo as high risk for wildfire, and that allowed the individual forest districts to access funds for mitigation projects.

The plan was to masticate areas and then conduct a controlled burn, far more effective than one without the other. The complexity of burning an area surrounded by homes on three sides was challenging, but burning fuels in the winter months would not have been as effective, and windy, dry conditions throughout the spring would have had a greater impact on the residents. Fifty members of Team Rubicon mitigated the undergrowth in the area adjacent to Shiloh Pines and Forest View Acres; the district assisted with two chipping crews. The weather and fuel moistures dictated the time of the burn, combined with when the leaf-out period began.

The initial plan was pushed back by a day and began on June 12 and ended June 13. Two sections did get hotter than planned and some trees were burnt, but it opened up the canopy a little bit, the insects and woodpeckers are taking advantage of the dead trees, and the scorched trees will recover. The 600-acre burn went as planned, and the U.S. Forest Service met many of its objectives despite not burning the third day. The 300 acres in the third area may be burned in 2025 or 2026, said Bradley.

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said the Interlaken Fire began on the same day the prescribed burn commenced, and that fire was contained due to previous forest mitigation efforts.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said a good working relationship has been established with the U.S. Forest Service and the district ranger. The district had units assigned to the area to assist, and it was a great success, he said. See the On the Trail column on page < 19 >.

Station 3 rebuild design

The board held a workshop on May 29 to discuss the Station 3 design. The presentation detailed four options for the rebuild of Station 3 on about 2 acres adjacent and north of the YMCA on Jackson Creek Parkway. OZ Architects gave a two-hour presentation with board discussion. The general feeling of the board was to proceed with caution and remove the administrative office option to reduce costs.

At the June 26 meeting, Bumgarner requested the board approve one of four design options to allow the design concept to be submitted to the town for approval. The design concept is required during the land approval process, he said.

Treasurer Tom Kelly said he favored the phased approach, which will jack up the cost in the long run by adding administrative offices at a later date, but it will meet the immediate need with room for growth and is the optimum design, he said.

Kovacs requested the fourth option Kelly suggested for about $18 million to construct a two-story, 17,000-square-foot fire station with 10 dormitories (allows option to add additional firefighters), four bays, and space to allow the addition of administrative offices. The design adds $1 million to the cost but allows enough space to grow and was the staff’s selection.

The administrative office space at Old Forest Point meets the current staffing needs, but property tax revenue changes could affect special districts. The budget coordinators are working on requests that are due in August in preparation for the 2025 budget. This year, the district took on the largest one-time hiring of nine firefighters and may not hire any more in 2025 or add any additional administrative staff. The district will make do with the existing space, but it would be preferable to have a secure facility, Kovacs said.

Note: Removing the administration offices saved about $4 million.

Kevin Schaffer of OZ Architects said if the planning approval phase is shortened, the district could expect a 10- to 14-month construction phase, and assuming the project takes 12 months the rebuild could be complete around February 2026.

Kovacs said the district is taking a responsible approach, building with quality materials to last 75 years, a balanced approach sensitive to the conservative nature of Monument, he said.

The board approved the design, 4-0.

Station 6 land purchase

Bumgarner said the QuikTrip property of about 4.7 acres at Baptist Road and Squadron Drive is available for the district to purchase, in total or just the 2 acres facing Baptist Road. Another property owner had offered the district a 2-acre parcel off Old Denver Road for the same price as the 2-acre QuikTrip property.

Kovacs said Battalion Chief Scott Ridings mapped the QuikTrip parcel and found that a future Station 6 on the QuikTrip site would serve Struthers Road better than existing stations. The land price and timing are right, as the real estate is being bought up, but when the decision to build arrives the district will have land available to house a single engine company staffed with four personnel. Had the board pursued 4 acres at the QuikTrip property, funding for other capital improvements would be deferred. Ultimately future boards and staff could decide to sell the 2 acres, he said.

Kelly said the district is going high on expenditure with the Station 3 rebuild and is 214% over budget on the Station 4 remodel. The district needs to stick to what is required and within the budget for the land purchase. Funding to cover the over-budget Station 4 remodel still needs to be found; “it’s requirements not desirements,” said Kelly.

Kovacs said the district budgeted $500,000 in 2024 for the Station 6 land purchase and will use $500,000 from collected impact fees. The land is expected to cost about $1.2 million for the 2 acres.

The board approved pursuit of the 2-acre land purchase from QuikTrip.

Overtime savings

Kelly requested the board consider changing the meeting times to earlier in the day in an effort to prevent overtime costs when staff must stay for meetings. The goal is to continue fiscal responsibility with the capital investments and remain prudent with the district funds, just as the residents requested during the meeting on the proposed Station 1 training center in April, said Kelly. See www.ocn.me/v24n5.htm#mfd. The meeting time change will be discussed at the July meeting.

Facility remodel updates

Bumgarner gave an update on the ongoing station remodels and said:

  • Station 4 had some minor delays, and the move back into the station will occur around mid-September. The north side of the station is operational with an added shower to allow operations to continue with Engine 514 crews. The bid at about $900,000 includes fire sprinklers, dampers, heaters in the bay, a concrete pad that was additional to the contract for about $60,000, and an increase to the water line was necessary. Donala Water and Sanitation District had originally advised against replacement, but it was deemed necessary during construction. The remodel is about 50%-70% done, and the final cost will be known closer to September. The ambulance is located at Station 3 on Woodmoor Drive.
  • The remodel of “Shamrock” Station 5 (Highway 83) cost just under $500,000.
  • The Station 2 remodel plans have been submitted to the Monument Planning Department and once approved the district will have a year to commence the construction process. Crews will likely move to Station 5 during the five-month remodel.
  • After attending a station design conference with Lt. Curt Leonhardt, the district is looking at replacing bay doors when funds permit with a transition to bi-fold doors to reduce maintenance.
  • The Station 1 Training Center plat has been submitted to the town and will include Front Range Fire Apparatus. The maintenance facility location in Fredrick Firestone is used by the district for apparatus repairs, and the additional location in Monument will save additional overtime, manpower, time out of district, and fuel costs.

2023 audit gets unmodified opinion

Mitchell Downs of CBIZ said he had been working on fire district audits in El Paso and Teller counties for about 25 years. Five adjustments were made, including one Martin requested, and they mostly involved the DWFPD VFPF, due to actuarial liability and a lag in asset reporting and based on the 2022 numbers. There were no big internal control problems, and the district received a clean or unmodified opinion. In the future the audit will be performed with a few different procedures due to CBIZ owning the company, said Downs. See DWFPD article on page < 12 >.

The board accepted the presentation of the audit.

Wescott merger transfers

Kovacs said before the meeting the Wescott board approved the transfer, along with a quit claim deed for the Sun Hills property, an exclusion of two properties, and the substantial transfer of funds to MFD. He requested the board approve the transfer of the Wescott VFPF to MFD for future administration and said Wescott had a number of volunteer firefighters coming in and out of the district over the years, but the program was discontinued at the beginning of the merger.

The fund had about 20 volunteers and about $930,000 at the end of the first quarter. Volunteers receive a monthly stipend based on the number of years served. The account is well funded and growing, although the FPPA always recommends adding funds. Ultimately, the Board of Trustees decides if the fund needs additional funding. One volunteer has yet to receive funds, and one passed away last year.

Director Mark Gunderman said the board did increase the stipend by $50 a few years ago to allow a full pension of $450, but a lot of the volunteers were hired full-time before qualifying for the volunteer pension at five years’ service. The volunteers are eligible to receive a pension at age 55, and the amount is based on time served, he said.

District Administrative Officer Jennifer Martin said that adding funds to the plan is based on the actuarial study.

The board approved the fund transfer to MFD, 4-0.

Sun Hills former Wescott Station 3

Kovacs requested the board approve the quit claim deed transferring the Sun Hills (former Wescott Station 3) property that is being used for storage by the district and two nonprofit groups. The property was sub-divided by a former Wescott fire chief and can only be used as a fire station, the property is tired and packed to the gills, but it is serving a practical purpose, he said.

Gunderman said the property can be sold, despite rumors it could not, but the Homeowners Association (HOA) raised concerns other property owners would seek to sub-divide. The district agreed to consult the HOA before selling the property to find a mutual agreement. The property could be returned to the original property, but that owner would be responsible for demolishing the building, he said.

The board approved the quit claim deed for the former station, 4-0.

Colorado Open Records Act

Martin requested the board approve the Revised Standard Operating Procedures, with the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) retrieval fee change from $30 after the first hour to $41.37 as of July 1.

The board accepted the CORA policy fee change.

Fire technician hired

Bumgarner said the district hired Joseph Valdez for the fire technician position about two weeks earlier. Valdez is studying to be an EMT.

Note: The chief’s report and the financial report can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

The meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For virtual joining 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

Monument Fire District, May 8 and 22 – Staff promoted; controlled burn days announced

By Natalie Barszcz

The Monument Fire District (MFD) board held a special meeting on May 8 to approve the final property inclusion from Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD). At the regular meeting on May 22, two firefighters were promoted to engineers before the meeting, and the board was introduced to the district’s nine graduates of the Pikes Peak Regional Fire Academy (PPRFA).

The board heard about the seasonal mitigation efforts and the planned control burn in Monument Preserve, received updates on the potential for additional district funding sources, and heard about other projects in progress. Former Wescott board Directors Mark Gunderman and Duane Garrett were welcomed by the board and staff.

President Mike Smaldino and Vice President John Hildebrandt attended via Zoom at the May 22 meeting.

Directors Randy Estes and Duane Garrett were excused from the May 22 meeting.

May 8 – Merger update

At the May 8 special meeting, the board held a public hearing pursuant to a published notice to consider proposed Resolution 2024-10 and to certify an order approving two properties for inclusion into the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District’s jurisdiction. The remaining real properties, identified in the assessor schedule numbers as 6132001022 and 6206304013, belong to the remaining two DWFPD board directors. There were no public comments made for or against during the public hearing.

The board unanimously approved the inclusion of property in a 5-0 vote.

The meeting adjourned at 3:32 p.m.

May 22 meeting

At the May 22 regular meeting, Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said the merger process remains on target to meet the timeline. The Transfer of the Volunteer Firefighters Pension Fund to MFD will be reflected in the 2025 fiscal year. Wescott district attorney Emily Powell and MFD attorney Maureen Juran anticipate the conclusion of the consolidation of the districts in November 2024.

Inaugural Pikes Peak Regional Training Academy

Kovacs said the first PPRTA graduation ceremony took place on May 3 at the Woodmen Valley Church North and was made possible with a second-to-none collaboration between the district, Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, and Pikes Peak State College, and the college’s instructional cadre put together a great product. The recruits scored well during the state testing process, and some improvements will be made to future firefighter academies. Division Chief of Community Risk Jonathan Bradley and several others scrambled together the academy in short order last September to ensure a fire academy was available when other options were unavailable.

The 2025 hiring process is in discussion for budget development, and the hiring process will begin in June to establish an eligibility list in the event the district loses staff over the next year. The staff developed a great hiring process and are selecting fantastic individuals to join the organization, Kovacs said. See accompanying photo.

Mitigation efforts underway/controlled burn plan

Bradley said the 2024 chipping program had added more neighborhoods, and about 60 resident volunteers began chipping on May 11 in the areas adjacent to Monument Preserve. The district typically stacks double chipping days with two chippers, but due to a failure with one chipper, volunteers and chipping crew will return to complete the mitigation efforts in time for the U.S. Forest Service to begin the prescribed burn. Chipping events will continue every weekend throughout the combined district until Oct. 12.

Bradley laid out the plan and premise for the prescribed burn and said:

  • The mitigation efforts on the west side of Monument in the area known as Monument Preserve will cumulate the efforts of residential mitigation and the mastication over the past three years with a three-day prescribed burn of up to 900 acres.
  • The residents were involved in the planning and preparation for the event with the goal of removing the understory of the forest in Monument Preserve.
  • U.S. Forest Service efforts removed a large amount of scrub oak and thinned the pine forest, but the scrub oak will continue to grow back until the prescribed burn removes the new growth. The result should create a healthy ponderosa pine forest.
  • About 100 firefighters will be on-site during the burn planned by the U.S. Forest Service, and the burn could begin as early as June 10, weather permitting.
  • The burn start point will be in the northeast section of Shiloh Pines and work back to Mount Herman Road on the first day. The burn will border Forest View Acres and Forest View Estates, but not Red Rocks Ranch.

Kovacs said he, Bradley, and the on-duty crew attended the annual Wildland Fire Preparation Workshop at Palmer Ridge High School. The turnout was lower than in recent years due to snow conditions, but it is always a good opportunity to educate the community on the dangers of wildland fire danger and preparedness, he said. See snapshot section on page 20.

New board members welcomed

Treasurer Tom Kelly welcomed former DWFPD Director Mark Gunderman. Gunderman said that ever since the merger journey several years ago, the organization has been moving in the right direction, and the department is aiming to be self-sufficient in a responsible way. He is glad the merger has worked out and the district is now taking part in a successful firefighter training academy. He appreciates the opportunity to serve on the MFD Board of Directors and hopes to continue long-term support for the district and the community.

Kovacs said he had worked closely with the Wescott board to consolidate the two districts and in the process an excellent working relationship had formed. He is excited that Gunderman and Garrett are joining the Board of Directors as representatives of the former Wescott community. Both directors will be able to provide vision, knowledge, expertise, and direction to the district in the future, he said.

Station 3 rebuild update

Kovacs said the staff is working closely with OZ Architects on the Station 3 design. A couple of directors sat in on the May 8 presentation from OZ Architects. Another presentation of the design is scheduled for the end of May to collectively decide on the final station design, the footprint, and what the station will look like on the parcel of land. After the plans have been submitted to the Town of Monument and approval is received, the district can proceed with the land purchase adjacent to and north of the YMCA.

Station remodel updates

Kovacs said a new concrete apron had been installed at the bay entrance of Station 4 (Gleneagle Drive) to replace the asphalt surface that is not designed for heavy apparatus. The crews co-located at Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) Station 22 (Voyager Parkway) will return to the district at the end of May. When the remodel is complete, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be scheduled in September to showcase the updates to the community. The Station 2 (Rollercoaster Road) full remodel is ready to go to permitting and the remodel will begin in late September or October. All stations will have incredible working conditions for the firefighters by the end of 2025, Kovacs said, except for Station 3 that will be rebuilt in a new location.

Station 1 training center update

Kovacs said Chris Purdue, the civil engineer working on the development of the Station 1 Training Center site, planned to submit all the plans for the major PUD and plat to the Town of Monument by the end of May with the hope of securing approval by mid-August. Front Range Fire Apparatus is committed to a 2-acre parcel near Highway 105 and the Burlington Northern & Sante Fe rail track.

Accreditation update

Kovacs said Battalion Chief of Accreditation Scott Ridings attended training in Indiana as part of an accreditation team and in the process experienced an accreditation assessment of another fire department. The district is close to completing the over 200 competencies required before assessment. A mentor has been provided to the district to review documentation and ensure the district is meeting the expectations of the accreditation process, he said.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said:

  • After testifying for the first time at the State Capitol on SB-194, a bill that will allow special districts, specifically fire districts, to collect impact fees and sales tax was passed. Twenty other special districts already have those rights in place, and now the bill has passed through state Legislature and is waiting for Gov. Jared Polis’ signature.
  • Driver/operator training on the Type 3 Wildland engine is complete, and the apparatus is available to respond within the county, the state or for deployment throughout the Western United States.
  • The district purchased a LUCAS device for about $21,000. The device delivers hands-free mechanical chest compressions, and budget permitting the district hopes to purchase a device for each ambulance in 2025.
  • The district purchased a new drone recently that proved beneficial during a medical emergency response to a victim on the roof of the Eagle Rock Distribution Center that is under construction. The drone provides real time situational awareness with its camera, infrared capability, and a speaker to communicate with victims. Staff members are researching the types of items that could be dropped off during a rescue. In the case of a water rescue, the drone could drop off a flotation device before staff reach the victim via boat.
  • The CSFD is creating an enterprise to provide ambulance service. The service will be a bonus for the Monument residents as the district maintains an in-kind resources mutual aid relationship with CSFD.

Fleet updates

Kovacs said Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner placed an order to replace the Wescott small water tender that will be budgeted for 2025, and said:

  • The approved chassis for the Type 6 Brush Truck will be assembled in Boise, Idaho. The chassis was behind schedule, delaying construction of the apparatus. The build was originally quoted as six months but will take about 18-20 months with an expected delivery in 2025.
  • The delivery of two Type 3 Engines ordered in 2023 is expected to take another two years.
  • The ordered tower ladder truck is expected in October. The existing tower ladder will be held in reserve, and the Wescott tower ladder will be sold after the two ordered Type 3 engines are received.
  • The districts purchased a UTV to replace an existing vehicle; the snow tracks have been removed for the season. The UTV will be in service for rescues in rough terrain areas.

The meeting adjourned at 7:14 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Zoom joining 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.

Above: Fire Chief Andy Kovacs administers the oath of office to the nine district firefighters graduating from the inaugural Pikes Peak Regional Fire Academy on May 8 at Woodmen Valley Chapel, Monument. On stage from left, firefighters Wesley Cashion, Erich Cassaday, Colton Dill, Matthew Griggs, Jordyn Kaplan, Joshua Kroenling, Colton Maloney, Connor Parker, and Justin Preedy take the oath of office. Family members pinned on the badges during the ceremony. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: Firefighters Christian Schmidt and Tyler Brickell were promoted to driver operator/engineers in a promotion ceremony before the regular board meeting on May 22. Engineer Schmidt receives his badge from Shannon Schmidt, left, and Engineer Tyler Bicknell receives his badge from Dana Bicknell. Fire Chief Andy Kovacs administered the oath of office during the ceremony. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Other fire district articles

Monument Fire District Town Hall, April 18 – Proposed training center plans revealed

By Natalie Barszcz

Above: A computer-generated depiction of the proposed Station 1 training tower. Graphic courtesy of MFD.

At the Monument Fire District Station 1 proposed training center informational meeting on April 18, about 15 residents attended in person with a few attending via Zoom.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs welcomed the residents and said he and his staff would give a short PowerPoint presentation on the proposed training center and answer questions.

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner presented the district background and said:

  • The original Station 1 was built in the early 1980s, and the current station was built in the early 2000s. The district began with an all-volunteer firefighting force with administration offices at the same location.
  • In 2019, a remodel design process began to turn Station 1 into a modern facility, however architects realized the existing site would not be big enough for the design, because the setbacks were insufficient.
  • The district asked the adjacent landowner if additional footage could be purchased; the owner agreed and offered the district the entire property of about 15 acres. The district purchased the land for about $390,000 in 2020. The remodel began May 29, 2021, and was completed in fall 2021.
  • Before obtaining the additional acreage, the district hired Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) to develop a master plan for the district. Upon its completion in spring 2019, the plan recommended the district increase the training facilities, because the entire district only had one training room.
  • Since 2021, the district has considered two other options for a training center: a small share of a parcel off Synthes Avenue, where the Town of Monument (TOM) had earmarked 7 acres for the Public Works Department, and 2 acres of land at Terrazzo Drive and Baptist Road. Both options were insufficient for a training tower and ruled out.

Note: The 2019 Master Plan can be found under “Transparency” at www.monumentfire.org.

Kovacs said when he arrived in January 2021 he identified the need for a five-year strategic plan, (available at www.monumentfire.org) developed with an internal stakeholder assessment, with all of the employees completing a multi-question survey to identify the organization’s weaknesses and strengths—called a swat analysis. Community workshops were held and participants answered the same questions, and the feedback was coupled with the master plan to develop a strategic plan. The strategic plan has translated into the pursuit of agency accreditation, whereby the district continually looks internally to identify the agency’s strengths and weaknesses.

The data collection has been a heavy lift for the past year and a half for staff, and an external peer assessment team is expected to assess the district in fall 2024 or spring 2025. The district’s strategic plan, standards of cover, and community risk assessment will be scrutinized by the team as it evaluates the district’s processes, programs, and call response times before making recommendations to improve the district. The district will then find ways to implement those recommendations. Only 300 fire districts within the U.S. have achieved agency accreditation, and the district thought it was important to be a progressive, world-class fire department, said Kovacs.

Kovacs said the district typically utilizes public and private property to complete training, such as Monument Marketplace, but asphalt has been damaged in the past due to heavy apparatus, and the district used insurance to make those repairs. Staff train during duty hours 95% of the time with about 5% of staff attending educational opportunities out of the district. Staff also use neighboring facilities for training such as:

  • Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), a 28-minute drive, traffic permitting, but CSFD has 500 firefighters to train and needs a second training center. Access is at the mercy of CSFD, and the facility is closed for renovation.
  • Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD), a 22-minute drive, class-A facility that burns combustible materials in Conex containers. The proposed district training site would include theatrical smoke and LED light boards, no odor from smoke and only organic and environmentally friendly materials used during a simulated fire.
  • The Air Force Academy (AFA), a 20-minute drive, also a class-A facility inside a concrete structure, but does not have the nuanced training facility the district is proposing and with military bases, access is limited.

Leaving the district to complete training has its drawbacks, with limited slots available and reserved slots subject to cancellations, long travel times taking apparatus and firefighters out of the district make a logistical effort to respond back to district calls. He said he would not be comfortable in the future explaining to the public why a response took too long due to personnel attending training out of district, said Kovacs.

On the proposed training center site, the district is also considering a workshop to avoid travelling to its apparatus vendor Front Range Fire Apparatus (FRFA), located in Frederick-Firestone. Having an onsite FRFA workshop would reduce overtime and fuel costs (a typical engine gets 3-4 miles per gallon), and avoid building a workshop and hiring mechanics, and district crews would no longer have to travel through the Denver Metro area for maintenance, said Kovacs.

Kovacs said the district’s current Insurance Services Office (ISO) score (used by insurance companies to assess fire risk) is 15.40 out of a 35 score. By creating a training center, storage facilities and a maintenance workshop, the district could achieve a lower accreditation score and reduce homeowners’ and commercial insurance rates. Training center site development would include: a warehouse, a training building, auto extrication area, confined space training, wildland fire training, drafting/pump testing, and classrooms/offices for additional administrative staff. A ventilation roof prop structure will be included in the proposed training tower, and although CSFD recently added a ventilation roof prop structure into the CSFD training center, no other training facility within the region has ventilation props.

Noise requirements have been met by the town and El Paso County and would be less than what is experienced from Highway 105 and from the Burlington Northern Sante Fe trains passing through. Operations would not be held overnight. Water run/off contamination will be addressed, and an engineered retention pond will be incorporated for cleaning, before being released into the ground. No PFAS firefighting foam will be used for training. There will be no light pollution and visual aesthetics such as berms, trees, and natural landscaping will be incorporated, with considerable setbacks and easement. There will be no bond or raising of taxes to develop the site, and that includes other projects throughout the district. Instead, the district will use existing funds in a phased approach over the next few years, depending on available revenue. The district has minimized debt and operates in a fiscally responsible manner, Kovacs said, but there is a need to prepare highly trained firefighters disciplined in all-risk types of training within the district. There will be consideration to the neighbors in a phased in development, said Kovacs.

The executive staff received questions and concerns from several residents; they were answered as follows:

Battalion Chief of Training and EMS Shannon Balvanz said to achieve accreditation, the district needs at least a three-story facility, to pull hoses, smoke up rooms, and complete all the core training. The tower will not just be about live fire training, but the district cannot keep travelling to Colorado Springs, and even the CSFD staff do not get enough access to their own training facility.

Kovacs said the district employs 70 firefighters, and like-size districts offer the same level of training to their firefighters in similar training towers. The ESCI study determined that northern El Paso County needed to do a better job regionalizing training, and the center would give opportunities to partner agencies, such as Palmer Lake Fire Department, Larkspur Fire Department, BFFRPD, and others. Regional partner agencies would train together, as they respond with each other to the same incidents, and everyone becomes proficient at working together. Although offering the facility to other districts would be fee based, it is not a money maker and will keep costs neutral and help maintain the facility. There is an opportunity to offer a state-of-the-art facility, and Monument Police Department Chief Patrick Regan sees the value and is interested in using the facility for police training, he said.

Kovacs said the district is in the early phase of planning, and it budgeted $2.4 million this year. Funds will be used for the noise study, a soil study, and a planned unit development amendment, and the district will undergo a design phase with architects. Any unspent funds will be used for the next phase.

Bumgarner said the planning process with the TOM is expected to take about 18 months, and the district will begin the project when the process is completed.

Balvanz said the tower structure is estimated to cost $1 million.

Kovacs said the district would be committed to a lifelong process of being introspective to find ways to benefit the community, evaluating processes annually, and finding deficiencies and ways to provide better service. The district is doing the best it can training firefighters with what is available within the region, but the accreditation process also evaluates infrastructure deficiencies.

Bumgarner said as the district can constantly lower the ISO rating, everyone will see some reduction in their rates at some point as the Fire Department becomes more efficient. Although some agencies will state it has no bearing, the department is held to ISO standards whether some insurance companies honor the rating or not, but some companies are canceling homeowners’ insurance in the wildland urban interface areas.

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley said the response time for an initial unit is about six 1/2 minutes for the first unit, depending on urban or rural locations. The entire effective responsive team will ideally be there within 10 to 12 minutes, and depending on the call type, dispatch will determine the number of units and people needed, which relates to first alarm, second alarm, third alarm, and so on. If units are missing, the computer-aided dispatch will send additional units from other districts, but not only are those farther away, they are on a different dispatch system. Districts can shift around and cover each other, but the more that happens, coverage is lost in other districts, and out of district units cannot meet the standard response time, he said.

Bradley also said primary education at the firefighter and paramedic academies is designed for constant repetitions, but without regular repetitive training how can we measure skills, and when residents call will staff be up to task. Training exists in the former Chili’s parking lot until it is no longer available, however the vast majority of call volume is medical, and the only facility is the training room. The district receives fantastic primary medical training from paramedic partners, but the district is not set up for that training. The tower would also be used for medic training, another reason to not use combustible materials.

Bumgarner said the district received its second three-story apartment complex and more are coming, but the district needs to practice retrieving patients from third-floor structures. Lowering ISO ratings may not affect homeowners’ insurance, but it will affect commercial properties and help across the board.

Donald Wescott Fire Protection District board President Mark Gunderman said the return on the investment makes sense with the district growth. As an insurance agent for a major company, Gunderman said insurance companies do look at ISO ratings, but the risk is increasing and homeowners’ insurance will continue to go up due to risk and material costs. The ISO rate will increase for the district, but what would have been a few hundred dollars’ decrease appears to be wiped out due to the risk assessment and costs increases, said Gunderman.

Former law enforcement officer/resident Steven Phillips asked if staffing needs are being met for the growth of the district and how many firefighters are close to retirement, and said the number one need for emergency services is training. As a Monument resident for 24 years, he said the dynamics have changed in the last few years, with large warehouses presenting a totally different type of fire. Adding a training center is commendable without a tax increase, said Phillips.

Bradley said the district has not yet met staffing needs and minimum daily staffing per suppression unit is three, but the district is evaluating moving to four. Many of the firefighters are young, but a significant number of staff are five years away from retirement. Denver West Metro has grown so much it cannot train the district firefighters, and CSFD is not accepting outside recruits in 2024, so the district partnered with Pikes Peak State College and BFFRPD to create a combined fire academy last fall.

A few residents raised concern about the voter-approved mill levy increase, noting the district had not included a proposed training facility in the ballot wording, and would the mill levy decrease.

Kovacs said the district relies heavily on property tax revenue and would not be able to operate without it. This November a number of ballot issues will have a direct impact on district funding, but the voter-approved 2017 November ballot measure increasing the district’s mill levy for 2018 was to provide competitive salaries to retain staff and provide enough capital improvement funding to upgrade outdated equipment, replace and maintain ageing apparatus, and upgrade the stations. See http://www.ocn.me/v17n4.htm#tlmfpd and http://www.ocn.me/v17n8.htm#tlmfpd.

At about an hour and 19 minutes into the meeting, an unidentified Zoom member repeatedly interrupted, yelling comments in opposition to the development of the training center and suggested funding be spent on firefighters.

Bradley responded, stating the cost of the training center may sound like a big number on the surface, but the district will not be building every year, and the facility is unlikely to need upgrading for about 40 years. It takes a lot of time for staff to rotate through training, said Bradley.

Note: The district has nine firefighter recruits graduating on May 3 and two firefighters in paramedic school. The district completed a remodel of Station 5, expanding its accommodations, is undergoing a similar remodel at Station 4, and upon completion, plans to remodel Sation 2. The Station 3 rebuild is progressing for a planned 2027 completion. See MFD article on page 15.

The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22 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.

Above: Battalion Chief of Training and EMS Shannon Balvanz answers questions about the proposed three-storied training tower for the undeveloped acreage adjacent to Monument Fire District Station 1, at 18650 Highway 105. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
 

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Monument Fire District, April 24 – Station 3 land purchase approved; outgoing directors recognized

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on April 24, the board approved a land purchase agreement for the rebuild of Station 3, recognized outgoing board Directors Roger Lance and Tom Tharnish; received an update on the merger process, received feedback from the Station 1 training center development town hall, and further discussed a land purchase for a future Station 6. The board also heard about a Senate Bill 194.

Vice President John Hildebrandt attended via Zoom.

Outgoing director recognition

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said it was the end of an era as directors Lance and Tharnish end their tenure on the Board of Directors and allow Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) board Directors Mark Gunderman and Duanne Garrett to replace them as permanent MFD board members. He said he could not ask for a better Board of Directors, with hearts always in the right place always looking out for the line firefighters and finding better ways to serve the community. He thanked them for their contributions to the district, the firefighters, and the community over the years.

Local 4319 President/Engineer Christian Schmidt thanked both directors for their contributions and said he had personally enjoyed getting to know the directors over the past few years, the firefighters appreciate everything the board has achieved, and it has been a genuine privilege.

Lance said the firefighters are the customer next to the community, there is no other group more important than the firefighters. We have leadership, and a board, but the firefighters do the job, and he is proud to have served and knows he is leaving this department in a better place.

Tharnish said in the short nine years, the knowledge gained had been overwhelming at times but enlightening. He thanked the Local 4319 for its support, and he knows the district is in good hands, and a much better organization than when he joined the board, and he hopes that continues.

President Mike Smaldino thanked both directors for their contribution, leadership, and their perspectives and it has been a privilege to serve together.

Fire Station 3 land purchase agreement

John Sattler, vice president of NVS Program Management, representing the district and overseeing the Station 3 rebuild, said the process is non-traditional and it would have been preferable to build the station on a finished piece of ground, instead of a property that is undivided without any infrastructure, but there were no other properties to wait on. The purchase price is $1.346 million for the 2-acre lot north of the YMCA for the rebuild of Station 3 with administration office space. The building will be 20,000 square feet and will meet the future district needs with room to grow, he said.

The board approved the Fire Station 3 land purchase agreement 6-1 in a roll call vote; Tharnish abstained.

Note: The district budgeted $2.4 million to begin the project in 2024. See www.ocn.me/v24n4.htm#mfd.

Training Center development—town hall meeting

Kovacs said about 90% of the community residents attending the Station 1 proposed training center development town hall on April 18 were in support of the development. A couple of residents raised concerns about the development and the potential cost that has not yet been fully realized. The district will not be using any bonds or tax increases to develop the site, and that eased concerns. Some residents were also concerned the district was duplicating efforts when other facilities exist in the county, but the training center will keep staff in district during training, and that will best serve the community, he said. See the Town Hall article on page 1.

Kelly said a few residents in attendance had the impression that the 2017 ballot measure increasing the mill levy would eventually reduce the levy if the district had enough funding. The common theme was why the district was proposing to spend about $3 million on a training center. The answer is for the professional development of firefighters to give them what they need to perform the mission and save lives. The residents were asking for an adjustment to the mill levy at the meeting and were scrutinizing the district expenditures. The board needs to be very judicious with the taxpayers’ dollars, and that is what the residents were asking for, said Kelly.

Lance said the board did reduce the mill levy for 2024, that was a board decision, but we could have maintained authorizing the matching mill levy but chose not to.

Hildebrandt said for future community meetings there needs to be rules on how the public can comment. One individual was not only texting incorrect information but also blurted out comments that interfered with the normal decorum of the meeting. He understands the concern about the district spending additional funds, but the board is being frugal, and the plans are for the future growth of the district. The idea of returning $3 million in a mill levy decrease every time the district has additional funding would not be very prudent for the district’s financial planning. Sometimes the district will be able to commit to a project, other times the district will need to wait until finances build up, said Hildebrandt.

Merger update

Kovacs said at the DWFPD board meeting that district counsel Emily Powell requested the MFD Board of Directors hold a special meeting on May 8. The short meeting is necessary to approve a resolution to transfer the remaining two properties belonging to directors Charles Fleece and Mike Forsythe and begin the process of dissolving DWFPD. See DWFPD article on page 13.

Fire Station 6 land purchase

Kovacs said he received another offer from a property owner willing to sell an 8-acre parcel of land just north of the QuikTrip land, off Old Denver Road, with a creek running through it. The executive staff have walked the property that is just north of the QuikTrip 4-acre site. When QuikTrip approached the district through an intermediary as it was developing the property, the 4 acres were being used to stage materials and equipment. The district cannot definitively determine how the district would use all 4 acres, but with all the development in the district there will be few opportunities to purchase land. In five to 10 years from now, the district may need to add a sixth station and the land would be in the right area. The district has budgeted to purchase 2 acres in 2024 and Kovacs requested the board focus on purchasing 2 acres instead of 4. He said the district needs to live within its means, and he encouraged the directors to discuss the options.

The board discussed the options, which revealed varying opinions. Kelly and Secretary Jason Buckingham agreed the board should remain fiscally responsible and stick with the 2-acre requirement. Tharnish said the right to first refusal would not obligate the district to any financial commitment, even though the district does not have a plan for the additional 2 acres.

Estes concurred with Tharnish, to pursue all options, and said the QuikTrip location is an outstanding property.

Hildebrandt agreed with Estes and said the QuikTrip property would be preferable and has the best location. He also agreed with Kelly and said the district must be prudent with taxpayers’ dollars in light of the feedback from the Station 1 proposed training center town hall.

Smaldino agreed with Lance, favoring the entire 4-acre QuikTrip property. The district was lucky to purchase land and expand Station 1; the original site was large enough when it was originally built as a volunteer fire station. Station 2 has a leach field on donated property, and nobody knows what the future fire service needs will be. It is better value today to purchase 4 acres and do due diligence instead of purchasing land at a higher cost down the road, said Smaldino. See www.ocn.me/v24n4.htm#mfd.

The board requested Kovacs provide more information and comparison costs for both sites at the next regular board meeting.

Future funding sources

Kovacs said Senate Bill 194 was heard by a House committee on April 23 and received 10-1 bi-partisan support. SB 194 is nearing approval and will rewrite the language for Title 32, the legal governing state statute for special districts. The bill will allow fire districts to look at other sources of revenue, in the way over 20 other special districts are already permitted to do. The board could seek other sources of revenue after voter approval such as: the collection of impact fees in unincorporated areas of the district or imposing a sales tax on the residents. Proposed November ballot initiatives could compromise the district’s largest single source of revenue (about 75% to 85% funded by property taxes). He testified at the State Capital stating, “It was unwise to put all of your eggs in one basket and keep money in the bank, but sensible to diversify, with investments and property.” When the county fire chiefs requested impact fee collection in unincorporated El Paso County in 2018, the county commissioners defeated the proposal, said Kovacs.

Financial update

Kelly read the financial report as of March 31, and said:

  • The first installment of the property tax revenue, about $4.9 million, and all other revenue streams are tracking very well.
  • Impact Fees received year to date were $85,698 or 42.8% of the annual budget projected at a revenue of $200,000.
  • Overall revenue received year to date was about $6.7 million or about 30.4% of the projected 2024 annual income budget set at $22 million.
  • Wages and benefits were a little over budget year to date.
  • Overall expenses were about $4.54 million, about 27.8% of the projected 2024 expense budget set at about $16.33 million.

The board accepted the financial report as presented.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said the following:

  • The Pikes Peak Office of Emergency Management supported the district during the March 13-15 storm, listening to the district’s concerns to avoid closing I-25.
  • The district brought extra staff ahead of the storm and had budgeted to accommodate some staff in hotels during the event. See www.ocn.me/v24n4.htm#mfd.
  • An in-house engineer hiring candidate process had begun for two positions that became available after the lieutenant promotions occurred in January. Three internal staffers are competing for the two positions; testing will take place in May.
  • Two district staffers are enrolled in paramedic school.
  • The district received a thank you card from Bent County for sending a crew with a Type 6 brush truck to assist for two days during the Boggsville Fire.

Forest Service controlled burn update

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley said the following:

  • The Forest Service prescribed burn in the Mount Herman and Monument Preserve area is scheduled for mid-July and is dependent on a match-up with fuel moistures and the weather conditions.
  • The burn will begin in the north near Mount Herman Road and work south into Monument Preserve, focusing on the masticated area that was completed over the past few years. The plan is to burn out the scrub oak regrowth to create a healthy ponderosa pine forest.
  • The district is liaising with homeowners association ambassadors to ensure information reaches affected property owners, especially those that border the forest.
  • The seasonal chipping program is scheduled to begin on May 11, and a resident licensed with the Forest Service to do mitigation work will mitigate along private property lines with other volunteers in the planned controlled burn area.
  • The district will chip the debris the volunteers mitigate.

The communities around the burn areas will be much safer in the future, said Bradley.

The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. A short special meeting is scheduled for May 8 at 6:30 p.m. to approve the next phase in the merger. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Zoom joining 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.

Above: From left, Local 4319 President/Engineer Christian Schmidt, Director Roger Lance, Fire Chief Andy Kovacs, and Lt. Roger Lance in the Station 1 training room during the Monument Fire District Board of Directors meeting on April 24. Schmidt recognized Lance for his service on the board from 2008-24. Lance was presented with a glass commemorative plaque, thanking him for his dedication and commitment to the fire district. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: From left, Local 4319 President/Engineer Christian Schmidt, Director Tom Tharnish and Fire Chief Andy Kovacs, in the Station 1 training room during the Monument Fire District board of directors meeting on April 24. Schmidt thanked Tharnish for serving nine years on the board of directors and presented him with a glass commemorative plaque recognizing his dedication and commitment to the fire district. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

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Monument Fire District, Feb. 28, March 6 and 27 – Wescott property inclusion approved; land purchase agreements discussed

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District meeting on Feb. 28, the board held a public hearing before approving the inclusion of two unincorporated El Paso County properties in the Forest View Acres subdivision, approved the 2024 Employee Handbook, and received an update on the Station 3 rebuild land purchase agreement.

The board held a special meeting on March 6 to conduct a public hearing for the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) and Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) inclusion/exclusion of real property process.

On March 27, the board received information about the land purchase costs to rebuild Station 3, received an after-action storm report for the mid-March snow event, and held a lengthy discussion on the opportunity to purchase acreage for a future sixth station.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs was absent for the Feb. 28 and the March 27 meetings.

President Mike Smaldino and Secretary Jason Buckingham were excused on March 27.

Property inclusions—Forest View Acres

At the Feb. 28 meeting, the board held a public hearing for the following two properties seeking to be included into the district:

  • Resolution 2024-06 Gould property, 738 Forest View Way.
  • Resolution 2024-07 Thulin property, 4035 Deer Creek Valley Court.

Hearing no comments in favor or opposition, the board closed the hearing. In a roll call vote, the board approved the real property inclusions. Vice President John Hildebrandt abstained in the roll call vote due to audio difficulties via Zoom.

Note: The district received a list of properties from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPCSO) identifying properties within the greater district boundaries that had not been officially recorded within the district. The district informed each of the property owners via letter, asking if they would like to be included into the district for fire protection and EMS services. See www.ocn.me/v24n1.htm#mfd.

2024 Employee Handbook

Division Chief of Community Risk Jonathan Bradley said the board is required to approve each change to the 2024 Employee Handbook. The executive staff must refer to the board to make administration amendments throughout the year, and the fire chief is seeking board approval to make any minor stylistic changes consistent with district practices, without going back to the board.

Local 4319 President Engineer Christian Schmidt said the Local 4319 was always given the opportunity to review the Employee Handbook before any changes are presented to the board.

The board unanimously approved the MFD 2024 Employee Handbook and granted the fire chief authority to make minor changes throughout the year.

Station 3 rebuild update

John Sattler, vice president of NVS Program Management, representing the district and overseeing the new Station 3 rebuild and the station remodeling projects, said the preliminary design and a program had been developed since September 2023 and a design workshop is scheduled to begin in early April with OZ Architects. See www.ocn.me/v23n9.htm#mfd. The selection of the site and the development of the purchase and sale agreement with the developer/seller is a complicated arrangement that exposes the district to some unusual risks, because normally a finished lot would be purchased and the site selected (adjacent and north of the YMCA, Jackson Creek Parkway) has yet to be subdivided and developed for public improvements.

The due diligence components total about $40,000 to $50,000 for the geo-technical investigation, survey plat, phase 1 environmental study, and a 10-month design adapted for the site. If another site needs to be selected, the design could still fit. The wild card will be the platting and subdivision approval process (about nine months) through the Town of Monument (TOM), but getting the clock started by executing the purchase and sale agreement and providing earnest money is key to obligate the seller to begin the process with the TOM.

The entire process is anticipated to take about 30 months, with a 12-month construction period and completion in 2027. Due to the town’s six-month moratorium on planning approvals that began in January, it is unknown how long the TOM will take to appove the development. The board will be briefed if the developer runs into a roadblock or dead end and further strategies will be discussed to move the rebuild process along, Sattler said. See www.ocn.me/v24n2.htm#mfd.

The meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m. on Feb. 28.

Fire Station 3 land purchase agreement

At the March 27 meeting, Sattler said the purchase and sale agreement for Fire Station 3 land had fallen short of being presented for approval on the action item agenda, and approval will require a special meeting. However, an agreement in principle had been reached earlier that day with legal counsel, Kovacs, himself, and the sellers. The Station 3 lot purchase price for 2.06 acres is about $1.3 million, substantiated by a third-party appraisal completed last year for $15 per square foot.

Future obligations for board approval will be the pro-rated construction for the shared access driveway into the subdivision, the initial traffic signal pro-rated with other occupants, and the future widening of Jackson Creek Parkway that is likely to happen after the station is built. The widening will have no impact on the usable acreage and the cost share of about $1.5 million is expected to be about $300,000 for the district. The total obligation is estimated to be about $1.7 million (does not include building the station). The request for action at the special meeting will be about $1.3 million and a $25,000 earnest money check to the seller. The earnest money will not be returned should the district need to back out, Sattler said.

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said the district anticipated the costs to begin the project and budgeted $2.4 million for the lot purchase price, infrastructure costs, and design phase for 2024.

Wescott real property inclusion

At the March 6 special meeting, the board held a public hearing pursuant to a notice published in The Gazette to consider proposed Resolution 2024-09 and a certified order approving the inclusion into the district’s jurisdiction of the real property within the jurisdiction of DWFPD (except two properties that will remain until the board dissolves upon the dissolution of the district). See DWFPD article on page 14.

The DWFPD district attorney, Emily Powell of Ireland Stapleton Pryor Pascoe PC law firm, confirmed the intergovernmental agreement remains in place to allow for uninterrupted fire protection and Emergency Medical Support (EMS) services. DWFPD will exist until the merger is completed, she said. After hearing no comments from the public, the board closed the hearing.

The board approved the inclusion of real property in a roll call vote. The meeting adjourned at 3:39 p.m. on March 6.

2024 winter storm after-action review

At the MFD March 27 meeting, Executive Battalion Chief Micah Coyle said over the past five years, three large regional snowstorms occurred around mid-March, and the district expects major snow events similar to the event March 13-15 to occur again. He thanked the district’s regional partners, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Monument Police Department (MPD), Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD, and Palmer Lake Fire Department (PLFD). A Joint Command Center in preparation for the storm was set up at the Monument Town Hall, operating as a 911 call center to cover calls for MFD, PLFD, BFFRPD, Falcon District 5, and MPD. MPD and the TOM Public Works Department operated from the center. Crews were dispatched according to location with BFFRPD handling the east division along with Station 2 and 5, and Stations 1, 3, and 4, and PLFD handling the west.

The Red Cross set up a shelter at St. Peter Catholic Church for stranded motorists. Thankfully citizens heeded the storm warnings and stayed home, reducing the number of incidents to the rescue of four stranded motorists, one ambulance transport and a traffic accident. The district’s new plow was beneficial for emergency operations, but there were a few areas typically retaining large drifts and the plow became stuck in north Woodmoor, and off County Line Road and east of Highway 83 when called in to assist crews responding to medical calls. New drivers are being trained to operate the 1967 Snowcat, but an oil leak was noticed after training and repairs are being made, he said.

Bumgarner said the district just missed out on purchasing a 1990s replacement Snowcat with a trailer caboose from a rebuild center in La Junta last month. It had a good price point and sold quickly for about $125,000.

Coyle said many truck drivers were exiting at Baptist Road to find a spot to camp at the gas station rest stops, and the area quickly became inundated with an overflow of commercial vehicles. For several hours MPD helped redirect many commercial vehicles that had become stuck and needed to turn around. That helped while signs were put in place instructing commercial vehicles not to exit at Baptist Road. A district employee liaising at the OEM heard about plans to close I-25 and fortunately via Zoom call, statements to CDOT helped keep the corridor open. An I-25 closure typically increases the possibility of tricky rescues as motorists seek alternative plowed routes, Coyle said.

Bumgarner said about 24 to 30 inches of snow fell with drifting in various locations, and Crystal Park above Manitou Springs received 51 inches. The district may need to discuss an additional plow attachment for an existing vehicle in the future.

Fire Station 6 land purchase

Bumgarner said the QuikTrip Corp. had offered the district two options to purchase 2 acres for about $1.165 million for a future Station 6, or a little over four acres on the lot for about $2.330 million. The district budgeted $500,000 for the land purchase in 2024 with the anticipation that $500,000 could also be taken from the Impact Fee Fund. If the 4-acre option is chosen, some funds could be taken from the Station 2 remodel project, or a loan could be taken out for the remainder of about $1.333 million plus interest and be paid off in 2025. The land is west of the QuikTrip gas station and restaurant off Terrazzo Drive and Baptist Road. The square footage price offered is below the market price, he said.

Director Roger Lance asked if the district could sell the 2 acres in the future if the district did not need all four after building Station 6.

Bumgarner said the district would have the option to sell the remaining acreage after building on the lot.

Treasurer Tom Kelly said he would prefer to retain the funds for the Station 3 project and only purchase the 2 acres needed for the standard-size fire station.

Bumgarner confirmed that all the road infrastructure, water, and utilities are in place.

Director Randall Estes asked Bumgarner why the district sees a need to purchase more land than is needed.

Bumgarner said the district needs 2 acres to build a station, but he does not know down the road what all the district’s needs will be in 10 years, and how much growth could occur. It would not be a bad idea for future investment purposes, he said.

Lance said it would be preferable to have the option of additional acreage to use if needed for expansion or retain at a bargain price for future investment, knowing that land will be in short supply even though a future sale might be unknown.

Estes said he has mixed feelings about purchasing additional acreage looking for an increase in value over time, and it raises red flags to borrow money if the district cannot write a check and pay cash for the land.

Kelly said he would rather keep interest and expenses down, knowing the district is building a $15 million station and plans to build a training center. He said the district should use funds to ensure Station 3 gets what it needs and focus on getting two things right rather than jeopardizing the district by going into further debt.

Hildebrandt said thinking long-term he agreed with Lance’s position and said almost all land is spoken for and having options is desirable as opposed to having options pushed upon the district because of inaction. He is sensitive to the finances and not borrowing, but knowing projects can be moved around, he favors purchasing 4 acres, with the likelihood that 2 acres would be snatched up quickly if the district has financial problems in the future, and probably for a profit.

Kelly said it is taxpayer dollars, and he is not comfortable with all the moving parts and projects the district has going on, and solid cost estimates on the projects have not yet been determined. He would need further estimates for all the projects before deciding.

Bumgarner said the chief suggested the district could borrow $1.1 million (plus interest) for one year and pay off the loan next year. The Station 2 model will not commence until late 2024, and it is budgeted for $2.3 million. The district could divert those funds because the project will not get close to the allocated amount this year.

Kelly said the district will still have to finance a “heck of a chunk” out of the $15 million needed for Station 3. The district could get into a bind if financing is 8% on the loan for Station 3.

Tharnish agreed the 4-acre purchase was likely the best path but agreed it would be a reach financially. It is not a losing proposition, and there is some risk involved, but so far land is trending upward in value and the district could sell the additional 2 acres.

Estes said it is unknown how the market will fare with current interest rates, and commercial land is not moving quickly. He had heard commercial contractors were pulling out and the district could get stuck with a dead piece of property. He declined to decide either way on the acreage, but said it was an incredible piece of property.

Tharnish suggested the district request a first right of refusal on the additional 2 acres.

Lance said the district does not know the real commercial value of the property offered at a reduced cost by QuikTrip, and the owners could increase the price.

Estes said the first right to refusal price would be negotiated upfront when purchasing the first 2 acres.

Bumgarner said the district has been working on the right to purchase the land for about a year, and it is unknown what the accreditation process will point out, but at some point a station will be needed in the southwest corner of the district, and a station would not be built on the site for five years.

Hildebrandt said the district had been looking to build a station in that area for about six years and he only sees calls increasing in that area with residential build-out and the growth in the commercial areas in the next several years. If there is a project that is not started, but funded in 2024, there is money to utilize for other projects.

Bumgarner said the additional acreage could house a repair shop and/or a logistic facility if the district does not build those facilities on the 14 acres at Station 1. If that happens, the additional 2 acres in the southern part of the district would not be needed. Ideally a repair shop would be placed in an industrial commercial area with easy access for trucks.

Kelly said three directors appear to be on board and he would be interested to know more about first right to refusal and the opinions of the absent directors.

Chief’s report

Coyle said the following:

  • The official swearing of Lt. Charles Ragland took place on Feb. 9.
  • The district is actively recruiting for the fire technician position.
  • The district’s ambulance transports totaled 134 for February. Those included three AMR requests for service, six requests to BFFRPD, one to Douglas County, two to the Air Force Academy (AFA), and two to Palmer Lake. EMR calls in a year-to-date comparison in 2023-24 went up by a total of 46 incidents.
  • The district sent a Type 6 Engine on Feb. 25 to assist the AFA with the 168-acre fire on the southwest side of the property northwest of the base power plant.
  • All portable radio and mobile radios were programmed for the new command channels. The new channels were useful during the AFA wildland fire.
  • The district also assisted Larkspur Fire Department on Feb. 23 with the Wiens Fire that burned 150 acres of wildland near Perry Park. Fire season is year-round and can occur even when snow is on the ground, but the snow helped keep that fire in check.
  • The district completed 1,010 training hours during February.
  • After a long delay due to supply chain issues, the district received a new side-by-side/utility terrain vehicle. The vehicle will be used for moving patients around during events such as the Fourth of July parade, in rough terrain rescues, and in snow event rescues. The vehicle is equipped with treads and tires to alternate for year-round rescues.

Forest fuel burn

Bradley said the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is planning a controlled burn in the areas that were machine-mitigated over the past two years in the Mount Herman Road area. The USFS is keeping the district informed and is planning a three-day back-to-back controlled burn in May or June, depending on fuels moisture and weather conditions. A USFS team will provide a campaign to educate the public. The USFS has requested backup from the district during those days, and it plans to burn about 200 acres per day. The USFS plans to continue controlled burns into the future.

Proposed training center informational meeting

Coyle said staff met with a resident living south of Station 1 to discuss concerns about the proposed training center site development. A proposed training center informational meeting will be held on April 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105 or virtually via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6714043850?omn =86004342465 meeting ID 671404 3850. Site developer Chris Purdue and board members will be in attendance to answer questions.

Bumgarner said the district is working on the preliminary site plan, the drainage, core sampling, and a noise study, and anticipates all the data being available at the informational meeting. No action will be taken by the board at the meeting, but public comments and concerns will be welcome, he said.

The meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m. on March 27.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24 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.

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Monument Fire District, Feb. 28 – Board meeting held after OCN went to press

By Natalie Barszcz

The Monument Fire District (MFD) board met on Feb. 28, which was after this issue of Our Community News had gone to press. Coverage of that meeting will be included in our April 6 issue.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. A special meeting/public hearing for the inclusion/exclusion of property related to the merger with Donald Wescott Fire Protection District will be held via Zoom and in person on March 6 at 3:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. For Zoom meeting joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Jan. 24 – Property inclusions approved; three promoted to lieutenant

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Jan. 24, the board held a public meeting before approving five property inclusions, accepted two petitions for future inclusion, and approved a pre-inclusion intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD). The board received multiple updates on facilities, apparatus, communications and personnel, and an overview of the recently compiled community risk assessments and standards of coverage document.

Between the DWFPD and MFD board meetings, a ceremony was held to promote engineers Brian Kirkpatrick, Adam Wakefield, and Charles Ragland to lieutenants. Ragland was unavailable to attend the ceremony. .

Above: District Firefighter of the Year 2023, Engineer Christian Schmidt. Photo courtesy MFD.
Above: Brian Kirkpatrick was promoted to Lieutenant. From left, parents Diane and Tim Kirkpatrick, wife Ambyr, daughter Britain, son Evan, and Lt. Kirkpatrick with Fire Chief Andy Kovacs in the bay at Station 1, Monument on Jan. 24. After Kovacs had administered the oath of office to Kirkpatrick, Ambyr pinned on her husband’s badge. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: Adam Wakefield was promoted to Lieutenant. From left, sibling Angie Wakefield, daughter Kinsley, wife Noomi, Lt. Wakefield, Fire Chief Andy Kovacs, and (front row) sons Cole and Austin hold their dad’s new helmet at Station 1, Monument on Jan. 24. After Kovacs had administered the oath of office, Noomi pinned on her husband’s badge. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: Charles Ragland promoted to Lieutenant. Ragland was unavailable to attend the ceremony. Photo courtesy MFD.

Director Tom Tharnish attended via Zoom.

Property inclusions

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said the district received a list a couple of months ago from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPCSO) identifying properties within the greater district boundaries but not officially within the district. The district informed each of the property owners via letter, asking if they would like to be included into the fire district. See www.ocn.me/v24n1.htm#mfd.

The board held a public hearing before approving the following five property inclusion resolutions:

  • 2024-1 Parr property.
  • 2024-2 Swenson property.
  • 2024-3 Meisinger property.
  • 2024-4 Baker property.
  • 2024-5 Sperando property.

The board unanimously accepted the inclusions of property.

The board accepted petitions for inclusion of real property:

  • Petitioner Gould—738 Forest View Way.
  • Petitioner Thulin—4035 Deer Creek Valley Court.

The board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on these petitions on Feb. 28 at its regular meeting.

The board unanimously approved the petitions.

Pre-inclusion intergovernmental agreement

The board unanimously approved a pre-inclusion IGA with the DWFPD. See DWFPD article above.

Community risk assessments and standards of coverage

Kovacs introduced a presentation on the completed 120-page document on community risk assessments and standards of coverage compiled by the district Accreditation Manager Battalion Chief Scott Ridings. In the absence of Ridings, Division Chief of Community Risk and Reduction Jonathan Bradley presented an overview highlighting:

  • A description of the community served and the fire and emergency services provided.
  • A deployment and coverage area map showing four basic planning zones, the sub-divisions contained within each, and the different fire responses needed, dependent on fire hydrant availability.
  • Community priorities, expectations, and performance goals.
  • Call types by station, measured in minutes from Jan. 1, 2022 through Nov. 15, 2023.
  • The district’s critical infrastructure, target hazards and methodology.

The “living” document is composed of 10 sections and gives the district a starting place to begin writing a self-assessment toward accreditation, said Bradley.

Kovacs said in each broad category there are multiple sections within, and Ridings will task administrative staff to begin working on those sections before the Peer Assessment Team visits in late 2024. The district is working toward achieving districtwide accreditation in spring 2025.

President Mike Smaldino thanked the executive staff for the document and said it was a heavy lift.

Peak Alerts

Kovacs said Genysas EVAC, formerly known as Zonehaven, has been implemented and is operational. The EPCSO purchased the application for countywide use. It enables responding agencies to communicate critical information collaboratively. Vital instructions can be disseminated to the public such as: evacuation notices or shelter in place requests during emergencies such as wildfires, floods, active shooter incidents, hurricanes, and more. Residents are encouraged to sign up to receive emergency information from Peak Alerts (notifications sent through software called Everbridge by public safety agencies in El Paso and Teller Counties). For more information, visit www.elpasoteller911.org or www.peakalerts.org.

Chief’s report

Kovacs congratulated Bradley and Battalion Chief Micah Coyle for receiving their chief fire officer credentials from the Center for Public Safety and Excellence and said the district now has four qualified out of only 1,300 nationwide to achieve the credential. He and Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner also hold the credentials.

The chief’s report includes activity for November and December 2023, and he highlighted the following:

  • The annual awards ceremony had been moved to the first month of the year and occurred on Jan. 14. See photo inset of the Firefighter of the Year 2023.
  • Lt. Curt Leonhardt is the new Fleet and Facilities lieutenant.
  • Firefighter/Paramedic Dak Damour will leave the district for South Metro Fire Rescue, Centennial.
  • The district added another recruit to make a total of 10 firefighter recruits enrolled in the Career Fire Academy that began in January. The district is looking forward to the result. Coyle and the firefighters select the recruits and seem to have the “knack” for choosing the right candidates.
  • The district completed a total of 577 training hours in November and 593 training hours in December.
  • Requests to the district from American Medical Response for assistance in Colorado Springs are trending down again with two calls per month for November and December

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

Facilities update

Kovacs said the remodel of Station 5 (Shamrock Station/Highway 83) was almost complete.

Bumgarner said the following:

  • The remodel of Station 4 (Gleneagle Drive) is scheduled to begin Feb. 12. The crews will be accommodated at Station 5 during the remodel through August.
  • An ambulance crew will remain at Station 4 during the remodel after a shower is installed on the opposite side of the station from the construction area. The shower installation is expected to take about four to five weeks.
  • The future Station 3 rebuild design phase is underway with OZ Architects and John Sattler, vice president of NVS Program Management. The process is expected to take about six to nine months before the building phase begins. See www.ocn.me/v23n9.htm#mfd.
  • The district must accomplish all the planning stages and purchase a site north and adjacent to the YMCA alongside Jackson Creek Parkway for the station rebuild.
  • The district is moving forward with the development of the district training center on the 14 acres adjacent to Station 1. About a dozen soil samples are being gathered from around the property to determine the compaction of the terrain.
  • Discussions continue with the Town of Monument regarding the appropriate zoning for the training facility.

Kovacs said emergency services are not affected by the moratorium on planning reviews that the Monument Town Council board approved, effective Jan. 4, 2024. See MTC article on page < 1 >.

Apparatus update

Bumgarner said the fourth ambulance had been received in the district and is expected to be placed into service within the next two to three weeks. The wildland group under Ridings’ supervision is readying the equipment for the Wildland Type 3 engine 541.

Firefighter/Paramedics AJ Armstrong and Robert Horne are using experience gained from wildland deployments on federal engines and “Hot Shot” crews to equip the engine. Engine 541 cost $379,732 without equipment and is expected to be fully equipped and placed into service in April or May.

Note: A ceremonial “push-in” event for the ambulance and wildland engine took place on Jan. 27 at Station 1. See Snapshot section on page < 17 >.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:56 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-402(4), (f) to review the fire chief’s annual performance.

Kovacs confirmed that no action was taken when the board returned to the regular session. The meeting adjourned at 9:21 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 28 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 (MFD) articles

Monument Fire District, Dec. 6 – Concern over mill levy reduction request; property inclusion petitions accepted

By Natalie Barszcz

Correction

The December edition of OCN should have stated Firefighter Wyatt Benoit left the district on Nov. 26 and joined CSFD. As stated in the October chief’s report, Lt. Chris Keough resigned from the district in October. OCN regrets the error.

**********

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Dec. 6, the board heard about a mill levy reduction request, accepted five petitions for property inclusion with approved publication and the setting of a public hearing for the petitions. The board also received updates on the merger process, the new career fire academy, and a few recently filled staff positions.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs attended via Zoom.

Property tax concerns

Vice President John Hildebrandt said that at the Nov.15 meeting he mentioned how the MFD directors are good stewards of the district revenue, spending appropriately, and the floating mill levy that was implemented for 2023 was voter approved. Last year, the district set the mill levy at 18.83 mills and this year the district was planning to go back to 18.4 mills and still might, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n12.htm#mfd. The district did not know the outcome of the “special” state Legislature session at the Nov. 15 board meeting when the board certified the mill levy for 2024.

Hildebrandt made the following personal comments:

  • The citizens defeated Proposition HH by 18% in a 40/60 vote, after being assaulted with political ads, stating how a reduction in taxes would be good, and the TABOR funds be used in part to backfill revenue to special districts.
  • After the “special session” Gov. Jared Polis held in late November to discuss property tax relief, a bill with insufficient relief for property owners was passed in SB 23B001.
  • Polis then sent a letter to the special districts requesting districts reduce mill levies, but Proposition HH was insufficient before it failed, and now it is upon special districts to reduce mill levies.
  • The cost of apparatus over the years has increased from $680,000 to $850,000 to $1 million, and after 2027 new requirements will tack on another $100,000. See www.ocn.me/v23n10.htm#mfd.
  • The district continues to grow, and with growth comes the responsibility to serve more residents, and the need to purchase more equipment that is subject to inflation.
  • The district pays good wages to retain high-caliber staff and cannot “willy nilly” reduce property taxes so homeowners pay less, but he understands that no one wants to pay more taxes, including himself.
  • The residents saw right through proposition HH, but I do not like being thrown under the bus by Polis, and the whole thing just peeves me off.

President Mike Smaldino said he had “duly noted” the personal comments made by Hildebrandt.

Director Roger Lance said he echoed the comments made by Hildebrandt.

Note: Before the meeting, Hildebrandt presented this reporter and each board director with a copy of The Colorado Springs Gazette article: “Polis asks to reduce property tax levy,” dated Dec. 1, 2023 by Marianne Goodland. See DWFPD article on page < 9 >.

Financial report

Smaldino said the November financial report was not available for the board to review due to the board meeting being earlier than usual.

Kovacs said the November and December financial reports would be reviewed in January.

Combined district merger update

President Mark Gunderman of the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) Board of Directors thanked the district and the board for their patience during the merger of the two districts. He said that now that the completion of the merger is near after the passing of the ballot measure to dissolve the DWFPD subdistrict, the district will have one mill levy. He thanked Kovacs and his “phenomenal” leadership and the entire executive staff for combining the district staff and building a culture—and that is what makes it stick along with the leadership, the timing, and the right people involved, he said. The DWFPD board expects to have the merger wrapped up by mid-summer, he said.

Hildebrandt said he appreciated the DWFPD board for the tremendous level of trust it placed on the district and the board to combine the districts.

Gunderman said for the most part the process was painless, with just a few obstacles to overcome, and it goes to show that it was time to merge the districts.

Smaldino thanked Gunderman and the Wescott board and said the right pieces and players created a seamless transition up to and including the election. The MFD board will not forget that DWFPD existed, and this board is proud to serve the combined district, he said.

Wescott resident Gary Nelson congratulated both boards and the district staff, and said although the merger appeared seamless, he knows there were a lot of feet paddling under the water, but it appeared as smooth as ducks gliding across the surface. The level of service, quality, and care has increased in DWFPD, and he appreciates the dedication to complete the merger that has been 20 years in the making, he said.

Petitions for property inclusion

Bradley said the district received a list of properties from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPCSO) that were within the greater district boundaries, but not officially within the district. Letters were sent to property owners and the following five properties were the first to petition for inclusion:

  • 774 Forest View Way – Baker Property
  • 3954 Roberts Ridge Place – Meisinger Property
  • 4330 Green Mountain Drive – Parr Property
  • 4075 Deer Valley Court – Sperando Property
  • 4320 Green Mountain Drive – Swenson Property

Bradley requested the board make a motion to accept the five petitions for inclusion as presented, set a public hearing on Jan. 24, 2024 at the regularly scheduled board meeting, and ordered the fire chief or his delegee to publish a notice of the hearing as required by state law.

The board unanimously approved the motion.

Kovacs said the district had received a few more petitions for inclusion of property into the district in addition to the five proposed. He expects several more will petition for inclusion over the next couple of months.

Director Tom Tharnish, Monument Public Works Department, asked if the new water tank in Forest View Acres was included in the list since it is right in the middle of some of the properties.

Kovacs said the address was included in the audit provided by EPCSO and not currently included in the district.

Tharnish said he would discuss a petition for inclusion with Town Manager Mike Foreman.

Note: The properties listed were built at various times from 1982 to 2017 and are located in Wildland Urban Interface areas within unincorporated El Paso County. See www.ocn.me/v23n12.htm#mfd. The district is unable to collect impact fees for properties built in unincorporated areas.

Career Fire Academy update

Bradley said the following:

  • The development of a combined Career Fire Academy began in September between himself, Kovacs, and Fire Chief PJ Langmaid and Deputy Chief of Operations Chris Piepenburg of Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD).
  • The district realized there would be no access to the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) for outside agencies in early 2024.
  • The CSFD Fire Academy leadership did not want to exclude outside agencies in early 2024, but the district could not forgo training new firefighters until the second half of 2024.
  • The districts are partnering with Pikes Peak State College (PPSC), and their Fire Academy Cadre interviewed five self-paying students to make up the numbers of the Career Fire Academy.
  • Two students were accepted by PPSC to complete a full academy of about 16 to 18 students, with nine from the district and four or five students from BFFRPD. See www.ocn.me/v23n12.htm#tmd.
  • Lt. Steve Buckner will be the district’s new training officer and assist at the academy that is set to begin on Jan. 15.
  • The district has been invited to assist with the fire science program for PPSC, and the goal is for the combined Career Fire Academy to become the El Paso County Fire Academy.

Fire academies are expensive to run, but PPSC is bearing much of the cost and it will be a cost-effective project for the district. The district is aiming high, and we will see what happens, said Bradley.

Smaldino said it will be neat to see, and he hopes other districts will watch, jump in and send recruits.

Chief’s report

Kovacs apologized for being unable to attend the meeting and thanked the board for its support throughout the year and said Lt. Curt Leonhardt had accepted the logistics position. The Wildland Fire (Type 3) engine ordered in 2021 was expected to be delivered to Front Range Apparatus mid-December, then delivered to the district before Dec. 25. It is a Christmas miracle, he said.

Note: The chief’s report for November will include December activity and was not available for the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:02 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 24 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 (MFD) articles

Monument Fire District, Nov.15 – 2024 budget approved; homeowners petition for inclusion

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Nov. 15, the board approved the 2024 budget, the mill levy, the wage scale, a fee schedule, the board’s meeting schedule, and the employee handbook. The board heard about a number of homes requesting inclusion into the district and received updates on the new combined Career Firefighter Academy and a wildland fire exchange program. The board also received an update on the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) sub-district dissolution process and heard about a resignation.

Secretary Jason Buckingham attended via Zoom.

2024 budget approval

President Michael Smaldino opened the public hearing on the proposed 2024 budget and the corresponding appropriations, and closed the hearing after receiving no public comments. See www.ocn.me/v23n11.htm#mfd and www.monumentfire.org.

In a roll call vote, the board unanimously approved Resolution 2023-05 approving the 2024 budget, appropriating funds, and accepting the mill levy certification at 18.4 mills for 2024.

The board unanimously approved the following:

  • A 3% cost of living adjustment to the 2024 Wage Scale.
  • The 2024 Fee Schedule (includes an EMS fee for ambulance requests to the Town of Palmer Lake at $588.25 per transport).
  • The 2024 Board of Directors schedule, maintaining the fourth Wednesday every month at 6:30 p.m., except for the November (third Wednesday) and December (first Wednesday) meetings.
  • The 2024 revised Employee Handbook.

Smaldino said he had no questions or concerns regarding the 68-page employee handbook, and he thanked the executive staff on behalf of the Board of Directors for a good 2024 budget, a competitive wage scale, and the 2% matching 457 retirement plan. The board is supporting not only the district but the firefighters too, he said.

Vice President John Hildebrandt said the 2024 budget decreases the mill levy back to the original 18.4 mills after setting the mill levy at 18.83 mills for 2023 to offset the loss of revenue anticipated from the drop in the Residential Assessment Rate. The board are good stewards of the revenue received, and although the property tax assessments are increasing for 2024, the majority of the property taxes for DWFPD are decreasing significantly, he said. There is still uncertainty about future revenue due to the scheduled emergency legislative session to discuss property tax relief, but I am proud of the product the district puts out for the citizens, he said.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs thanked the board for its support and said he is proud of the staff for putting the budget together, and 2024 will be an exciting year for the district, the community, and the firefighters. The district will continue to develop the training center and stay ahead with fire apparatus and equipment. The district expects to receive an ambulance and a Type 3 “Wildland” engine in December, and another ambulance in early 2024. The district chose not to increase the fee schedule again and is trying to be mindful to the community after the increase in property taxes. The district may still have to pivot on any state legislation that may decrease the district’s property tax revenue, he said.

Local 4319 President and district Engineer Christian Schmidt thanked the board for approving the wage scale and said the firefighters are excited about the 2% per pay period matching 457 retirement plan. He thanked Kovacs for the negotiation process.

Note: The total revenue budget for 2024 is projected to be about $22 million (includes revenue for the provision of emergency fire and EMS services to the DWFPD). The total expense budget for 2024 is projected to be about $25.6 million. The district’s capital expenses are projected to be about $9.8 million in 2024 (about $8.6 million for the purchase of land, the rebuild of Station 3 to include the district administrative offices, the remodel of Station 4, and fleet and equipment purchases). The budget includes a total fund transfer of $3.7 million (includes $1.5 million in Impact Fees collected only within the Town of Monument) as the district continues to set aside funds for capital purchases. See www.monumentfire.org.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly presented the October financial report and said the district had received over 100% of the projected revenue budget in all categories for a total of about $16.2 million year to date. The annual revenue income was projected to be about $16.5 million.

Overall expenses year to date are “tracking pretty well” at about $11.8 million of the projected 2023 total expense budget set at about $14 million, he said.

Hildebrandt questioned the cost of $3,253 for air duct cleaning at Station 4.

Kovacs said several firefighters had complained of sinus and allergy related symptoms during shift, and cleaning the ducts resolved the issue.

Division Chief of Administration/Fire Chief Jamey Bumgarner said the ducts were dirty and multiple quotes were much higher, with one as high as $6,000. It was the second station to undergo air duct cleaning, he said.

Director Tom Tharnish said the cost was considerably less than the bill of about $12,000 for air duct cleaning at Monument Town Hall.

Kelly said the district total in checking/savings is about $15 million (includes about $6.2 million for the Operations/General Fund).

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

Petitions for inclusion

Kovacs said the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPCSO) had provided the district with an audit of several homes within the district not provided with fire and EMS service by it. The district drafted letters to the homeowners in the Red Rock Ranch area and the northeast of the county (within the district’s service area), and so far five properties have petitioned for inclusion into the district; more homeowners are yet to respond. A public hearing to include the homes into the fire district is expected to be made at the January meeting after the district’s legal counsel and Director of Administration Jennifer Martin have collected the data. A responding homeowner was surprised to learn they were not included within the district for services and was eager to be included. Somehow the properties were overlooked by the county assessor or missed after homes were built on empty lots. The properties should have been included within the district a long time ago, he said.

Hildebrandt asked about the potential for the homeowners should a fire occur and they have no protection.

Kovacs said the EPCSO provided the letter to allow the district under state law to bill property owners that were not included in the fire district. The district would collect for services rendered if the district provides fire and EMS to those properties, he said.

Division Chief of Administration/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner said that a property owner’s insurance would be billed if services are rendered, but not only would the district claim, the mutual aid partners would also be eligible to file a claim.

Donald Wescott sub-district dissolution update

Kovacs thanked the L4319 members for working diligently to educate the voters in the DWFPD, and their efforts helped pass ballot initiatives 6A/6B. The next steps will be for the DWFPD district counsel to continue the legal steps and complete the dissolution process and dissolve the Wescott district, he said.

Career Fire Academy development

Kovacs said that Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley led the charge in short order to create a new Career Fire Academy with the first class of 24/01, to commence January 2024. The district developed the academy over the past couple of months with Pikes Peak State College and Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD). The instruction will be provided by Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) employees. The firefighters will complete a 640-hour Career Fire Academy course with college credit, and all certifications provided during the academy are required by the state. Several other districts within the region have expressed interest in sending recruits to the joint academy. It is another strong collaborative effort that MFD has been leading in the county by recognizing the value of community partnerships and making things happen, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n11.htm#mfd.

Battalion Chief Micah Coyle said the oral board interviews for the new recruits set to attend the Career Fire Academy had concluded the interview process, and eight conditional offers had been made. The final phase of psychological, background and medical tests were underway, and the new hires have a variety of experience and age ranges.

Bradley said the Career Fire Academy course will begin with 14 students in January (nine from MFD and five from BFFRPD). The Career Fire Academy will be held at the BFFRPD Training Center and students will also attend Fort Carson for training three days per week. The goal is to have a permanent regional fire academy, he said.

Hildebrandt said the addition of a fire academy is commendable, noting that the district had a fire academy for one year in 2013.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said the following:

  • Mutual aid request to American Medical Response had returned to three requests in October after reaching 11 requests in September. Hopefully it was an anomaly, and the requests will remain low for the rest of the year.
  • The district assisted the Colorado National Guard and Drug Enforcement Agency with Red Ribbon Week activities in the local schools.
  • The district is applying for a grant from the International Firefighters Association to send two firefighters to gain valuable wildland fire experience in an exchange program in Orange County, Calif., from Feb. 5-9, 2024. The exchange program is organized by the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Fire Department Exchange Program, Wildland Program Division.
  • Lt. Chris Keough resigned from the district to take a position with CSFD. The district will identify a replacement internally.

Fire hydrants added

Tom Tharnish, Town of Monument Director of Public Works, said the 2-million-gallon water tank installed in Forest View Acres (west Monument) is operational along with the 19 fire hydrants installed from Forest View Way, some neighborhoods in Red Rock Ranch, through Cloven Hoof Road and east along Highway 105. A newly installed water pipeline connects the system from Monument Lake along the same route as the fire hydrants, under the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad bridge, and south on Beacon Lite Road.

Tharnish said the hydrants are active and should a disruption occur, the Fire Department should use the new hydrants with the higher capacity opposite the old hydrants in Forest View Acres. The water tank on Monument Hill is still active for the commercial zone and one tank can feed the other should a line go out of service. The Public Works Department will provide the district with the technical data and a fire hydrant location map. There should be a good supply of water, Tharnish said.

The meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 6 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

Monument Fire District, Oct. 25 Fallen firefighter remembered; fire academy development underway

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Oct. 25, the board received the second presentation of the proposed 2024 budget addressing executive staff changes and station staffing, and the board heard about the coordinated development of a regional fire academy program.

President Mike Smaldino led a moment of silence before the pledge of allegiance in memory of Driver/Engineer Bobby Keese after his sudden off-duty passing. Keese served with the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) for over 30 years.

Director Tom Tharnish was excused.

Second presentation of the proposed 2024 budget

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said almost three years had passed since he joined the district, and part of his promise was succession planning to avoid any future leadership void. He recommended a few organizational changes to prepare the department for future leadership of the district, and said:

  • The proposed organizational chart for 2024 would create an executive battalion chief position to learn the budget and administration skills under the direct supervision of the fire chief for a year. Battalion Chief Micah Coyle will be the first to fill this role.
  • Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley will move to the position of division chief of Community Risk after learning fire marshal skills.
  • The workload of Division Chief of Administration/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner needs to be divided. Bumgarner would still be responsible for fleet, logistics, communications, and information technology for the district.
  • The position of EMS battalion chief will be eliminated and Battalion Chief Sean Pearson will return to shift commander, replacing Coyle.
  • Battalion Chief Shannon Balvanz will be the Training and EMS battalion chief.
  • A two-year rotating administration assignment is proposed for the training lieutenant position. See www.ocn.me/v23n10.htm#mfd.
  • The EMS clinical coordinator position will be filled by Paramedic Stephanie Soll.
  • A hiring process will be conducted to fill the EMS educator position.

Vice President John Hildebrandt said the department had undergone many changes in the three years under Kovacs’ leadership, to include the consolidation with Wescott. At the threshold of blossoming a whole lot more, the transformation is quite incredible, he said.

Kovacs said it is important to get the right people in the right positions and allow staff to excel. The department has a long line of folks ready to assume leadership responsibilities. A couple of additional pickup trucks are budgeted and will be needed for the additional positions in the organization.

Smaldino said he echoed Hildebrandt’s comments on the direction of the district, and it is good to develop the organizational chart, but staff coming up underneath to reach the appropriate level is the whole goal.

Kovacs said it is important to build the infrastructure and great emphasis is needed on providing enough firefighters and paramedics to improve health and safety for all staffers.

Bradley said the district station staffing plan had undergone several iterations, but the Master Plan conducted by Emergency Services Consulting International in 2019 recommended over-staffing of 1.22 persons per shift. In 2023, each shift had 21 staffers plus two additional per shift. With training, retirements, resignations, and sick and annual leave, the 23 per shift is not maintained. In 2024 the district is budgeting for two staff members to attend Paramedic School. From 2025 to 2029 the district may add additional line staff per shift incrementally. It is not easy on the existing staff to onboard a large number of newly trained firefighters all at once, he said.

Smaldino asked about the timeline for opening a sixth station, and said the district would require temporary over- staffing, and the apparatus purchases would need to be made several years in advance to facilitate opening on time.

Kovacs said the district is operating out of five stations and responds to about 4,000 calls annually. Pursuing a sixth station will depend on call volume, growth within the district, and the ability to meet the standard response times in all areas of the district. Those timings will be established through the accreditation process. A sixth station in the next five years is unlikely due to signs of a recession, with homes being purchased at a lower rate than five years ago, along with less competitive over-bidding to purchase a home. There is a steady decline for both commercial and residential permits, he said.

Bumgarner said developers are proposing to build in Monument but more significantly multi-family units and commercial development are being planned rather than single-family homes. The Eagle Rock Distribution Center undergoing construction in the Falcon Commerce Center will be the single largest building within the district. A 400-unit apartment complex is planned north of the Woodmen Valley Chapel, and a family entertainment park is proposed north of the apartment complex. Growth is not consistent, so the full development may not happen for a while. A sixth station will not be required until further development begins on the west side of I-25, he said.

Fire academy program development

Kovacs said that in the past the district had relied on sending recruits to gain fire academy experience at a larger organization, but unfortunately placements are not available in 2024. The district is quickly establishing a fire academy program to begin in January 2024 in partnership with Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) and Pikes Peak State College (PPSC).

Bradley said that it was gracious for the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) Fire Academy to host the district firefighter recruits for the past two years, but the district has vacant positions and cannot go a year without sending staff and new hires to a fire academy. PPSC has three CSFD professional firefighter instructors to instruct and replicate the tuition. The district is partnering with BFFRPD and PPSC to run the 600-hour, 16-week fire academy. Spots will be open to self-pay students, and smaller career agencies within the county have been invited to send recruits. The anticipated minimum attendance is eight to 10 students per academy but 15 placements are expected with a cap at 18 per academy, he said.

Kovacs said initially the new fire academy may not be perfect, but in the future it will be comparable to other academies when the district develops the 14-acre training center at Station 1. Kudos to Bradley, BFFRPD and PPSC for developing the academy at short notice after receiving word in September that access to the CSFD academy would not be available in 2024, he said.

Firefighter hiring in process

Coyle said 56 potential firefighter recruits completed the written portion of the application process and interviews for 47 of those applicants have concluded and the recommendations will be made by the end of October.

Bradley said the district has two existing vacancies, will hire six recruits, and a district EMS/Medic has requested attending a firefighter academy, for a total of seven students from the district attending the fire academy in January.

Proposition HH

Hildebrandt said that if Proposition HH passes, the district will still have control over the mill levy, but not over the $50,000 assessed reduction in property tax assessments.

Kovacs said the mill levy will need to be adjusted to absorb the loss of about $750,000 in revenue for the combined districts in 2024. He does not anticipate receiving any backfill to compensate for lost property tax revenue from the state due to the residential and commercial growth in the district, he said.

Note: The board adopted a temporary increase in the mill levy from 18.4 mills to 18.83 mills in property tax collection for 2023. The mill levy adjustment was approved to offset a loss of revenue that occurred due to the state Legislature’s temporary drop in the Residential Assessment Rate for 2023. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#mfd. The mill levy certification can be found under transparency at www.monumentfire.org.

Hildebrandt said the wording for ballot questions 6A/6B for the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District residents is unfavorable, suggesting an increase in taxes rather than an actual decrease.

Kovacs said a Gleneagle Safety Association has been formed to educate the Gleneagle residents on Ballot questions 6A/6B. A 51% vote in favor of the dissolution process is required to pass the measure on Nov. 7. Passing the measure will increase the level of service to the residents of Gleneagle, coupled with a drop in the mill levy for those residents. The mutual agreement between the district and CSFD for the small southern enclave (an area without fire hydrants at the southern end of Voyager Parkway) will need to be revisited after the election, he said.

Note: The notice of public hearing and proposed 2024 budget is available for viewing at www.monumentfire.org. The public hearing will be held on Nov. 15 followed by final approval by the Board of Directors.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said the following:

  • Two firefighters suffered minor to moderate injuries during a working garage fire on Sept. 13.
  • A contract is under review by the legal team for American Medical Response (AMR). The regional partners are requesting AMR contact special districts to provide mutual aid to AMR only when all CSFD EMS units are exhausted. The district responded to 11 requests to AMR in September. It was an unusual spike, and those responses remain at the discretion of the shift battalion chief. The priority is to always ensure ambulances remain available for district residents.
  • Staff completed a district-wide Courage Under Fire leadership training and lithium ion and electric vehicle training.
  • The district anticipates receiving the Type 3 Wildland Engine and an ambulance in November, and another ambulance in the first quarter of 2024.
  • The remodel of Station 5 is underway and is expected to be completed in late December.
  • During October Fire Prevention month, staff attended 17 first-grade classes to talk to students about cooking safety.

For additional information, see the DWFPD article on page < 10 > or visit www.monumentfire.org.

EMS supplies donated

Kovacs said the Denver Metro fire chiefs are collecting EMS supplies to donate to Israel. EMS coordinator Soll identified expired supplies within the district and a point of contact from CSFD will deliver the supplies to Denver for transportation to Israel. The district is proud to be part of the effort, and those supplies will be saving lives during the conflict, he said.

The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.

**********

Correction

In the October edition, under “Community paramedic proposal,” the last sentence of the first paragraph should have read: “The Colorado Springs Fire Department and South Metro Fire Rescue already have robust programs, and the district calls for fall assistance are about 15% and about 11% for mental health assistance of the total EMS call volume.” OCN regrets the error.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 15 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

Monument Fire District, Sept. 27. Fleet purchase approved; budget impact of Nov. ballot items; community paramedic proposed

Monument Fire District, Sept. 27. Fleet purchase approved; budget impact of Nov. ballot items; community paramedic proposed.

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Sept. 27, the board approved two new engines, received the first presentation of the proposed 2024 budget, and heard about a proposed community paramedic concept.

President Mike Smaldino was excused.

Two engines approved

Secretary Jason Buckingham requested the board approve resolution 2023-05 of the Board of Directors of a lease-purchase agreement with PNC Equipment Finance LLC for the financing of two new Pierce Velocity Pumper Engines and authorizing the execution and delivery of them. See www.ocn.me/v23n9.htm#mfd.

Division Chief of Administration/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner said that nothing in the original proposal presented at the August board meeting had changed, and the delivery is estimated to be in 2025. The total for the two engines is estimated to be about $1.712 million.

The board approved the resolution, 6-0.

2024 budget presentation

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs presented the first look at the proposed 2024 budget and said:

  • The county assessor provided the assessed valuation numbers for the property tax revenue for 2024, with and without the passing of 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.)
  • If Resolution HH fails, the state Legislature is already working on another tax measure for 2024. Initiative 50 would put a 4% cap on revenue and continue to impact special districts.
  • The district estimates about $15.1 million in property tax revenue and about $22 million in total revenue for 2024 (includes $4.1 million for contractual services for the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD). The total projected revenue for Wescott in 2024 is expected to be about $4.3 million.
  • The TABOR fund requires 3% of the total revenue be retained by the district. The amount will increase with the property tax revenue increase.
  • The district proposes lowering the mill levy to 18.4 after raising it last year to 18.83 to offset the loss of revenue from the temporary residential assessment rate drop. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#mfd.
  • If Referendum HH passes in November, staff will present a modified budget based on the new assessed property valuations.

Treasurer Tom Kelly asked what would happen if the ballot initiative 6A/6B for Gleneagle residents does not pass in November.

Kovacs said the budget would be adjusted and the property tax of 7 mills and 21.9 mills will remain for Gleneagle residents.

Above: A banner displayed at the corner of Gleneagle Drive and Baptist Road asks residents to vote yes on 6A and 6B in the upcoming November election. The Gleneagle Safety Committee paid for the signs displayed throughout the neighborhood with a unanimous pledge of $10,000 from the Local 4319 branch of the International Firefighters Association. If both ballot questions pass, the residents will lower the mill levy for fire and EMS services and allow the merger between Donald Wescott Fire Protection District and Monument Fire District to be completed in 2024. The Joint Factual Summary for the Donald Wescott sub-district dissolution process explaining the ballot initiative can be found at www. monumentfire.org. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Apparatus and facilities costs

Kovacs gave examples of the rising costs of firefighting apparatus, and said:

  • In 2004, the district purchased an engine for about $230,000, in 2019 the district purchased an engine for $727,000, in 2022 the district purchased two engines for $841,000 each, and now a new engine costs about $946,000.
  • The cost of fire apparatus has accelerated over time, and building construction costs have recently increased to $800-$1,000 per square foot.
  • The district is proposing to purchase a Type 6 Engine (brush truck), a replacement ambulance, and an F150 administrative truck, in 2024.
  • The district hopes to begin the remodel of Station 4, purchase land for a future station, rebuild Station 3 at a location north of the YMCA off Jackson Creek Parkway (will include the district administrative offices), and invest in a regional public safety training center.

Impact fees

Kovacs said the impact fees collected from the district growth must be spent during the growth period, so to make sure they are distributed legally: $500,000 will be used to purchase land for a future Station 6, $500,000 will be contributed to the rebuild of Station 3, and $500,000 will be used for the Training Center. The Impact Fee Fund will continue to increase in revenue until everything is built out, but the district cannot use the funding to purchase any capital expenditure outright, he said.

Budget priorities 2024

Kovacs said the department priorities are:

  • A competitive salary and benefits package including a wage increase of 3% as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all employees, the introduction of a 2% per pay period district matching optional 457 retirement savings plan, and an increase in the sick time benefit from 96 hours to 120 hours.
  • Training and educational opportunities for all employees, with the existing assistance program.
  • Hiring three entry-level firefighters and create a position for a fire inspector and an administrative training officer position.
  • Investment in capital facilities. A recent survey indicated the firefighters rate the facilities as average and below.
  • Investment in capital fleet and equipment.
  • The continuation of funds set aside for future capital purchases.
  • Agency accreditation in spring 2025.
  • The 2022-26 Strategic Plan, a roadmap for the future of the fire district, includes community expectations and what the district is hoping to achieve. The plan was formulated from a combination of input from a community stakeholders meeting, input from the firefighters and the administrative staff, and the findings of the Master Plan conducted by Emergency Services Consulting International in 2019.

The second budget presentation will be in October and is subject to modifications, followed by a public hearing in November, said Kovacs.

Community paramedic proposal

Paramedic Carrie Fuller said she had been trying to implement a community paramedic pilot program over the past several years. The program would cut down on 911 transports, keep patients safer by avoiding unnecessary emergency room visits, and save money over time. The Colorado Springs Fire Department and South Metro Fire Rescue already have robust programs, and the district calls are 80% fall assistance and 11% mental health.

The district would also introduce a Fall Reduction Program for the two nursing homes in the district where most of the fall assist calls are generated. Home risk assessments could be provided, and the district would mimic the Woodland Park Mental Health program. After the program is underway, additional educational programs could be added. The community paramedic program would not require additional personnel for 2024 and would be filled by the existing staff in dual roles, including an EMS department educator, and could include a contract with a mental health provider, she said.

Kovacs said the district needs to ensure the right resource is sent to each call and avoid sending a $950,000 engine to assist with a fall or to a toxicology situation. The community paramedic program would relieve some of the burden on the health care system and avoid transporting patients who do not need to be occupying emergency room beds. The current setup is not an effective way of taking care of the problem and creates costly wear and tear on apparatus and high diesel fuel costs, he said.

Staff kudos

Kovacs congratulated Fuller for receiving a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in Community Health. He also congratulated Battalion Chief of EMS Sean Pearson for representing the district with a presentation on mass casualty incidents at the University of Colorado health trauma conference at the Antlers Hotel.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said the following:

  • The district received $3,730 from the Colorado Special Districts Safety Grant. The proceeds will be used to fund a portion of the district’s snowplow.
  • He thanked the Social Committee of High Forest Ranch Homeowners Association for donating $1,092 to the district.
  • Local 4319 unanimously voted to contribute $10,000 for campaign materials for the Wescott ballot initiative. See photo with caption.
  • The Annual Fill the Boot Campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association raised $8,495.

Staffing update

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said Lt. Keith Barker will be the first to occupy the rotational position of administrative training officer. The district recently lost Firefighter/Paramedic Taylor Neill to the Grand Junction Fire Department, an EMS/Paramedic requested training to become a firefighter, and a trainee recently dropped out of firefighter academy training. The district will have a total of six firefighters entering a Firefighter Training Academy in 2024.

Community Connect signup available

Kovacs said residents and businesses and property managers could create an account on Community Connect via the district website to provide valuable information that can help the Fire Department assist more effectively during an emergency. See www.monumentfire.org or visit www.communityconnect.io/info/co-monument.

October community events

Visit the local firefighters at Station 4, 15415 Gleneagle Drive on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet Monument Fire, check out the fire engines, and receive free food and goodies for the kids.

The Local 4319 Annual Pumpkin Giveaway event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Monument Clocktower, Jackson Creek Parkway. Free pumpkins, live music, food trucks, and freebies for the kids are included. The event includes a canned food donation drop-off to help support Tri-Lakes Cares. See the calendar of events on page < 26 >.

The meeting adjourned at 7:44 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 25 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.

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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

Monument Fire District, June 28 and July 26 – Mt. Herman Rd. fire suppressed; 2022 budget amended

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on June 28, the board heard about the retirement of Battalion Chief Mike Dooley, received the 2022 audit presentation, and approved an extension to the Collaborative Working Agreement (CBA). At the July 26 meeting, the board heard about a fire on Mount Herman Road and approved the 2022 audit and a resolution amending the 2022 budget. The board also approved the purchase of a chassis for the 2024 budgeted Type 6 brush truck and the Palmer Lake intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for ambulance services.

Secretary Jason Buckingham and Director Randall Estes were excused on June 28, with Director Tom Tharnish absent. Vice President John Hildebrandt attended via telephone.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs and Director of Administration Jennifer Martin were absent for the June 28 board meeting.

All directors were in attendance on July 26, with President Mike Smaldino and Director Tom Tharnish attending via Zoom.

Battalion Chief Mike Dooley retires

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said Battalion Chief Mike Dooley had retired from the fire service after serving 40 years. Dooley plans to be a part of the department’s history group to preserve the culture of the past. He served 30 years beginning with 10 years of volunteer firefighter service, Bradley said.

Smaldino thanked Dooley for his service.

Battalion Chief Mike Dooley

Director Roger Lance said Dooley showed a lot of leadership, looking out for his crew, he made a difference within the department and the district, and he will be missed.

Mount Herman Road fire

Division Chief of Administration/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner said a fire occurred on July 25 at around 6 a.m. about a mile south of Mount Herman Road from where the road forks with Red Rocks Drive. The mitigation efforts made over the past couple of years in the area, removing scrub oak and thinning the pine canopy is definitely helpful, and the USDA Forest Service staff has plans to continue those mitigation efforts in the area, he said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said the district is glad to be taking part in the recently formed regional Type 6 Wildland Fire Strike Team. The goal of the team is to be on the road in 90 seconds; historically teams have responded in 45 minutes. If requested, the team could have been called to the Mount Herman fire. MFD sent two brush truck units, and Battalion Chief Micah Coyle noted the flames were visible from Highway 83 and Hodgen Road, he said.

2022 audit presentation

Mitchell Downs, partner at Erikson Brown and Kloster P.C., said he was the auditor in charge and performed the risk assessment. He instructed the directors on how to read the audit and informed the board that another amendment to the 2022 budget was necessary. This was because the district spent $107,390 over budget after ordering two fire trucks that were placed on lease-purchase agreements. The trucks were on the balance sheet as an asset, but when the audit occurs, those assets are moved to expenses. Budgets are amended all the time and it is not a concern, he said. The district did not purposely overspend and the State Auditor’s Office confirms it is acceptable to go back and amend the budget. The district’s attorney, Linda Glesne, was notified and will issue a notice to amend the budget and approve the audit in the regular month of July, he said.

Shani Cottrell, CPA, said she focused on the IGA with Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD). Everything looked really clean and the transactions were recorded correctly, to include the files for the employee transfers. The books for both districts mirror exactly, and no adjustments were needed for the lease-purchase agreements. Three journal adjustment entries were made, one at the request of the district to add all the fixed assets from DWFPD. The executive staff was very helpful during the audit, she said.

Downs said less than five journal entries is normal and equates to a clean audit. It is very rare that nothing needs to be tweaked and the board can rely on the financial statements, he said.

Smaldino asked if the district can avoid an amendment again.

Bumgarner said the district is working with the contract accountants to understand how to alleviate the problem.

Hildebrandt said that in the past the district violated Colorado law by overspending the budget, and it was quite a while ago, but he was always happy as treasurer to receive a statement saying the district did not violate the law and were within the parameters. The district is within the parameters although technically the district did violate the law, but the tower ladder engine asset has not been built yet, he said.

Note: The district purchased a stock engine for Station 4 and made a down payment to place the order for the tower ladder truck to be built in December 2022.

Lance said the district is saving money by purchasing in advance.

The district will be back within the parameters of the law after the budget is amended next month, said Bumgarner.

The board unanimously approved the 2022 audit on July 28.

Note: After a public hearing on the 2022 amended budget at the July meeting, the board approved resolution 2023-04 amending the 2022 budget to reflect increased expenditures and made a supplemental appropriation of additional sums of money to defray expenses, including the costs of additional capital expenditures for a total of $107,390.

The board unanimously approved and adopted the amended 2022 budget.

Meet and confer plus agreement extension

Bradley said the board had extended the meet and confer plus agreement with Local 4319 a couple of times this year. The relationship was working well and a decision had been reached to extend the agreement to buy some time until after the merger is completed.

Local 4319 President/Firefighter Christian Schmidt said the union supports the meet and confer plus agreement extension through Dec. 31, 2025. The agreement does not have a strike and lock-out provision.

The board approved the extension, 4-0.

Kovacs said legal counsel confirmed that all previous language preventing firefighter strikes due to collaborative working agreements still holds.

Palmer Lake Inter-governmental agreement

Kovacs said the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) would be discussing the revised IGA to provide EMS between MFD and Palmer Lake residents at the PLBOT board meeting on July 27. Glesne agreed with the revised document, with a recalculated fee structure, and only upon request by a Palmer Lake firefighter. Palmer Lake will be invoiced for additional calls beyond the number agreed upon in the IGA and be reimbursed if calls do not reach the agreed amount. A charge of $575 per call will cover the ambulance and staffing, and the patient will be billed independently, as the district does for its residents. American Medical Response (AMR) will still be the primary responder for Palmer Lake, he said. See PLBOT article on page < 9 >.

Bradley said AMR responds to about 350 calls for service to Palmer Lake per year, and typically the district responds to about 15 calls per year.

The board unanimously approved the revised IGA.

F550 chassis purchase

Bradley said the district has been switching vendors to find chassis for ambulances, but it can now purchase a 2023 Ford F550 chassis for $69,360 and avoid an 18-month waiting list. The chassis was originally allocated to another department, and the district is budgeting for a Type 6 (brush truck) in 2024. He requested the board consider approving the purchase and in 2024 the district would need to pay only for the truck build, he said.

Bumgarner said Environmental Protection Agency standards are about to change for fire engines, and new orders now take 30 months to build, with tenders estimated at 18 months before delivery. Purchasing the chassis ahead will allow the manufacturer to build the apparatus in six months and avoid increasing costs, he said.

Kovacs said the district is in the third year of waiting for the Type 3 apparatus, ordered mid-2021 and budgeted for 2022, with an expected delivery sometime in December.

The board unanimously approved the purchase.

Training center and facilities update

Bumgarner said OZ Architects is working on the designs for the ultimate training center to be developed in phases. The redesigns for Stations 2, 4, and 5 are estimated to cost about $82,928. The design for the new Station 3 will be an additional fee, he said.

Kovacs said the Station 4 (Gleneagle Drive) will require sprinklers in the living areas, and that will add an expense to the remodel project. The district is still negotiating a land purchase for the Station 3 relocation, and in talks with the land owner of the Falcon Commerce Center for a potential future Station 6.

Buckingham asked about coverage for the increase in homes on the southwest side of Monument.

Kovacs said Station 4 covers that area, but as commercial development increases on the west side of I-25, coverage will need to be reassessed.

Financial report for June

Treasurer Tom Kelly said the district is at 50% of the budgeted amount and everything is tracking except impact fees that are about 23.7% of the predicted budget. Revenue is about $10 million and 60.9% of the projected annual budget of about $16.5 million. Expenses are within the normal range except the assisted benefits at 60% based upon not receiving the original estimates before approving the budget and adding vehicles to the fleet. Overall expenses year to date are about $7.1 million, about 50.7% of the projected annual budget of about $14 million, he said.

Martin said the district had made the first payment for the assisted benefits in December and seven months had been paid year to date.

The board accepted the June financial report as presented 7-0.

Note: Financial reports, the chief’s report, and minutes can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

Technology request

Kovacs said that because some board directors attend the meetings virtually, discussions had taken place to purchase laptops or tablets to access board packets virtually. The district would own the devices and provide IT support, and hard copies could still be provided to directors. Information could also be shared in real time with the board directors.

Hildebrandt said having an additional device to review documents during meetings would be useful when attending remotely.

Kovacs said the staff would investigate the cost for the technology and present to the board at a future meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m. on June 28 and at 7:57 p.m. on July 26.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 23 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.

PHOTO

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Monument Fire District, June 28 – Board meeting held after publication

By Natalie Barszcz

The Monument Fire District (MFD) board scheduled its meeting for June 28 which was after this issue of Our Community News had gone to press. Coverage of that meeting will be included in our Aug. 5 issue.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 26 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.

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Monument Fire District, May 24 – Board director positions change; contractor hiring flexibility approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on May 24, the board held an election to determine board positions; approved a resolution to allow flexibility in selecting contractors for the remodeling of Stations 2, 4, and 5; received multiple updates; and was introduced to the fire technician.

Directors Randall Estes, Tom Tharnish, and Mike Smaldino attended remotely.

Board of Directors’ position election

Kovacs said the directors can self-nominate or be nominated by the board, and if more than one director is interested in a position, a secret vote would be taken.

President John Hildebrandt self-nominated himself as board president and said he would like to continue as president until at least the consolidation process with Donald Wescott Fire Protection District is complete. He, Roger Lance, and Donald Wescott Fire Protection District board President Mark Gunderman started the process on Jan. 9, 2021, when they saw an opportunity to make a merger work. See www.ocn.me/v22n1.htm#tlmfpd and #dwfpd.

Director Jason Buckingham nominated Secretary Smaldino for board president.

Smaldino accepted the nomination and said he agreed with everything Hildebrandt said, but he was in position to commit more to the board compared with even two months ago. After nine years serving on the board it feels like a natural step, he said, and he would like the opportunity to lead the district in the same direction it has been going.

Smaldino was elected board president in a 4-3 secret paper/text vote.

Hildebrandt congratulated Smaldino on his new board position.

Smaldino thanked the board and Hildebrandt for everything he had done for the district and said he wanted to use his skill sets to get over some of the hurdles ahead.

Vice President Roger Lance declined to run again for his position, and Hildebrandt accepted Buckingham’s nomination for vice president. Treasurer Tom Kelly elected to retain his position, and Buckingham self-nominated himself as secretary. The Board of Directors are: President Mike Smaldino, Vice President John Hildebrandt, Treasurer Tom Kelly, Secretary Jason Buckingham, and Directors Randy Estes, Roger Lance, and Tom Tharnish.

Contractor hiring flexibility

Hildebrandt requested the board consider Resolution 2023-03, a resolution for integrated project delivery for the remodel of Stations 2, 4, and 5. The resolution allows the district to reject lower bids should the final product be optimal with another contractor. The resolution would not isolate the district into accepting the minimum bid from a construction company, he said.

Kovacs said the resolution allows the district to hire contractors that are considered the most capable of performing the project, contractors that choose the best product and have the most experience. It allows flexibility as the district begins remodeling the three stations. As each bid is received, the district will present it to the board, he said.

Lance said the lowest bidder usually turns out to be higher with all the additions and change orders.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Station 1 training center update

Kovacs said the district had requested cost estimates from the architects for the initial phase of the Station 1 training center design process. The architects will provide a rough estimate of initial costs to help budget for 2024. The district is planning a phased approach, with prioritization for the props. The cost of materials could be considerably higher in 2023, he said.

Buckingham asked if all the grading and flat work would be laid out as part of the initial phase, and then add structures, or just approach the property in chunks. Once the earth is moved it makes sense to add utilities before adding structures, he said.

Kovacs said the first phase would include earth work, a retention pond, the installation of utilities and a form of a training tower out of Conex containers. Classrooms are a priority, and a warehouse to store equipment, apparatus, and include a workshop for repairs. Phase 2 would include technical rescue, various firefighter training props, and a vehicle extrication area, he said.

Financial report

Kelly said as of April 30, the district is 33.3% of the way through the predicted budget for 2023, and all revenue is tracking as expected, except for impact fees that are deficient by about 20% with about $24,000 received year to date. The projected revenue for impact fees is about $200,000. Overall revenue received year to date is about $7.1 million. The projected annual revenue is about $16.5 million. Expenses for administration and building were slightly over but are coming back into line with budget projections. The largest expense is for general liabilities and benefits, which were higher than expected due to the 2023 budget passing before receiving the actual amounts due for 2023. The increases were due to accident and health insurance for the additional firefighters on the payroll, some additional IT expenses, vehicles, and rebranding. Overall year to date, expenses were about $4.9 million, or about 34.9% of the projected expense budget of about $14 million.

Kelly also noted the Fleet Capital Fund dropped from about $1.6 million to $845,966 after the 2018 and the 2019 Pierce fire engines were paid off for a total of about $825,000.

Kovacs said the district is carrying about $1.6 million in debt for the new tower ladder truck that is expected in 2024, and about $800,000 for the Pierce Type 1 Engine 514 placed into service at Station 4, and the administrative offices. The district hopes for increased revenue next year to begin paying off the debt before a new Station 3 is built (administration offices are included in the design), he said.

The board accepted the financial report as presented.

Fire technician introduction

Kovacs said that during the budget process for 2023, the district requested a fire technician position be added to alleviate some time-consuming clerical responsibilities the shift battalion chiefs and administrative staff were performing. He introduced the first district Fire Technician Carlos Amaya and said he was an outstanding applicant and has remained busy every day since starting in the position in mid-May.

Amaya said his ultimate goal is to become a firefighter and he is looking forward to learning more about the fire service. He is focused on becoming an asset to the district, helping out in any way he can, he said.

The board welcomed Amaya to the district.

Chief’s report

Kovacs updated the board as follows:


  • The district is hosting a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) from June 12-16. Development of the event within the district was a recommendation in the 2019 Master Plan by Emergency Services Consulting International. See BFFRPD article on page < 14 >.

  • Battalion Chief Sean Pearson and EMS Coordinator Stephanie Soll have developed a regional plan for a county-wide MCI that involves the Office of Emergency Management, multiple agencies, and Centura and UC Health hospitals. He is proud of their achievements.

  • The district completed 813 hours of training in April, and he thanked Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) for hosting the Live Fire Training days in April.

  • The district is working on a proposal for a multi-agency training consortium with Colorado Springs Fire Department and BFFRPD.

  • The retirement ceremony for retired Battalion Chief Mike Keough was a great success. Keough is attending a Police Training Academy and will continue to serve the district as a peace officer with the Monument Police Department. See a photo of the ceremony on page < 27 >.

  • A retirement ceremony will be held at Station 1, on June 28 at 8 a.m. for Battalion Chief Mike Dooley.

  • With Dooley’s retirement, the district hired Jarred Picker; a licensed Firefighter/Paramedic previously employed at Larkspur Fire Protection District. Picker will attend the West Metro Academy in August.

  • Two deserving students from Lewis-Palmer and Palmer Ridge High Schools were each awarded $1,500 scholarships from the International Firefighter Association Local 4319.

Note: For additional information, see the DWFPD article on page < 16 >. The full report can be viewed at www.monumentfire.org.

Future revenue concerns

Kovacs said a 10-year Senate Bill 303, with direct impact on property taxes, is intended to lower the impact on homeowners after the sky-rocketing property tax assessments that were due to the sharp rise in home values. If Proposition HH passes in November, the El Paso County assessor would need to re-assess property taxes at the end of the year, and districts will be setting mill levies five days into 2024. The district is waiting for legal counsel to provide more clarification on the details. See DWFPD article on page < 16 >.

The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of every month at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for June 28 at 6:30 p.m. Meeting attendance is open to the public in person or via Zoom. For joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, April 26 – Potential Gleneagle annexation ignites concern; Hayes recognized

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on April 26, the board heard about the potential annexation of neighboring residents, recognized Director Terri Hayes for her years of service to the district, and approved an extension to the Meet and Confer plus agreement with L4319.

Secretary Mike Smaldino was excused.

Potential Annexation

Vice Chairman Roger Lance said he had read a message from Fire Chief Andy Kovacs about Colorado Springs proposing the annexation of Gleneagle. That would have a serious impact on the fire district, he said.

Kovacs said a resident had made a comment about the potential annexation in early April. The comment gave him cause for concern after all the efforts the district had made to consolidate the two districts over the past 2 1/2 years. Annexation would require the dismantling of the consolidation of the two fire districts, the loss of Stations 4 and 5, and revenue loss. The City of Colorado Springs has been discussing annexation possibilities for a few years, and a map exists showing potential annexation opportunities that include Gleneagle to Hodgen Road and Highway 83, areas that are in unincorporated Colorado Springs.

Meetings with Monument Mayor Mitch LaKind, town manager Mike Foreman, Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) board President Mark Gunderman, and some Gleneagle residents had taken place to discuss a vote allowing the residents to annex into the Town of Monument. Town Hall meetings with the residents are planned for summer 2023 to discuss the benefits of annexing into Monument, he said.

Director recognition

Lance thanked Director Terri Hayes for her contribution to the fire district during her tenure on the Board of Directors.

Kovacs thanked Hayes for providing a unique perspective during the board meetings since 2016. Hayes will be deeply missed by the district, he said. See caption.

President John Hildebrandt (attending via phone) said Hayes had been a wonderful voice for the citizens of the district and brought a lot to the board, and he appreciated her service over the years.

Note: Hayes will be succeeded by Randall B. Estes at the May board meeting.

Meet and Confer plus agreement extension

Kovacs said the district is still working through a revised Meet and Confer plus agreement with the International Association of Firefighters Local 4319, but due to time constraints a second extension to the existing agreement was needed for another month.

The board approved the second extension to the agreement, 6-0.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly presented the financial report for March and said:

  • The district had received about $4.7 million in property taxes year to date.
  • Overall revenue received year to date was about $6.2 million.
  • The projected annual income is expected to be about $16.5 million.
  • Overall expenses year to date was about $3.9 million.
  • The projected annual expenses are expected to be about $14 million.
  • General liability insurance is expected to increase with the added employees and equipment.

Lance noted the district had spent another $6,000 on snow removal for March and asked if a decision had been made to find another contractor.

Kovacs said the district had received three responses out of the 20 mailed requests but ultimately decided to keep the contract with Greater Grounds due to the distance of one contractor and the other would not provide any liability. The board approved a snowplow at its March board meeting and hopes that next year the snow removal costs will be lower, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n4.htm#mfd.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 6-0.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said the following:

  • The lease-purchase agreements for two new fire engines had been paid off for a total of about $825,000.
  • He had the opportunity to attend the district’s annual live fire training at BFFRPD for all three days. The firefighters all did an outstanding job.
  • The district completed 639 training hours in March.
  • The district is now averaging a manageable number of requests from American Medical Response (AMR) and accepted three out of five calls for assistance from AMR in March.
  • A retirement ceremony for Battalion Chief Mike Keough is scheduled at Station 1 on May 13 at 8 a.m.

Note: For more information, see DWFPD article on page < 12 > and the Station 4 “push-in” ceremony in snapshots on page < 27 >.

Recruitment efforts continue

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said he and Battalion Chief Micah Coyle had participated in a student job fair in Greeley. About 100 fire science students were in attendance, but about 30 fire departments and some private ambulance organizations were also looking for recruits. The district’s application pool is about 50% below previous years. Former colleagues from the mountain fire departments are having greater difficulty recruiting, with staff commuting 100 miles west from Denver to those stations, he said.

Hayes suggested the district recruiting staff try attending local recruiting events.

Kovacs said departments are offering signing and moving bonuses to recruit staff.

First Due software

Battalion Chief Scott Ridings presented First Due software, a system that will tie into the Computer Aided Dispatch system. The software is designed to store important information that can be retained for future calls to aid firefighters before they reach an incident. The residents and business owners will be able to input information such as special medical equipment and pets on the premises. Participants will be required to confirm and update information annually, and will be prompted for a couple of months before data is deleted.

Kovacs said staff will begin collecting information from about 650 businesses in the district. Details will include information such as occupancy, building height, type of store, square footage, special hazards, and stairwells. The information will be loaded into the system by the district staff, identifying the higher-risk buildings first.

Ridings said First Due will tie into the accreditation process. Lance said the software will push the district further toward achieving higher accreditation.

Kovacs said the district will notify the residents and business owners at the end of May with a district-wide mailer, with some print advertising and social media links to encourage participation.

Zonehaven

Kovacs said Zonehaven software was adopted and purchased by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for every agency in the county. Zonehaven is designed to assist with evacuations and lockdown situations, and will tie into the district wildland pre-plans. Residents do need to sign up individually for Peak Alerts to receive notifications, he said. To sign up for Peak Alerts, visit www.monumentfire.org.

Emergency Incident Support

Emergency Incident Support (EIS) board President Gary Nelson thanked Kovacs for a recent invitation to support a mass casualty incident event in June. Without the monetary support from Tri-Lakes Women’s Club, Pikes Peak Club, and more recently Monument Hill Foundation, EIS would not be in a position to provide those services to first responders. EIS is proud to support the event, he said. For more information, visit www.epceis.com.

The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of every month at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for May 24 at 6:30 p.m. Meeting attendance is open to the public in person or via Zoom. For joining 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.

Above: From left, Fire Chief Andy Kovacs presents board Director Terri Hayes with an acrylic plaque recognizing dedicated service since 2016 to Monument Fire District. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

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Monument Fire District, March 22 – Four board directors elected; cell phone tower contract approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on March 22, the board elected four board directors and approved a cell tower contract and the first payment on the ladder truck. The board also approved snow removal equipment and heard about a change of plans for a training center and the plans for a station rebuild and three station remodels.

Board of Directors election

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs requested the board approve Resolution 2023-02 canceling the regular Board of Directors election for May 2 and declaring the following candidates elected for four-year terms: Jason Buckingham, Randall B. Estes, Roger K. Lance, and Thomas A. Tharnish. See www.monumentfire.org.

Note: Director Terri Hayes will serve the remaining two months of her six-year term. The new directors will begin their terms after the swearing in ceremony on May 24.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Ladder truck payment approved

Division Chief of Administration/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner said the district signed the papers and purchase documents for the ladder truck a year in advance to lock in the lower cost and payment plan after receiving board approval in January 2022. The first lease payment is now due to PNC bank, and he requested the board approve the first payment of $152,009 for the ladder truck.

The board unanimously approved the payment plan.

The ladder truck was approved by the board for a total of $1.575 million and is expected to be delivered in October, said Bumgarner. See www.ocn.me/v22n2.htm#mfd.

Above: Monument Fire District receives the Pierce F550 squad car. The multi-purpose vehicle is designed to carry advanced life support and firefighting equipment and will initially be placed into service at Station 5. For more information, visit www.ocn.me/v22n3.htm#tlmfpd. Photo courtesy of MFD.

Station 5 cell phone tower

Kovacs said the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District board had deferred a rental contract proposal with a cell phone company due to the merger workload, and he requested the board approve a letter of intent for a five-year lease agreement between the district and AT&T for a cell phone tower at Station 5 (Highway 83/Stage Coach Road). The rental of about 1,375 square feet would provide additional revenue for the district of about $32,400 annually and bring fiber-optic capability to the station, he said. See www.ocn.me/v21n8.htm#dwfpd.

The board unanimously approved the contract.

Snow removal recommendation

Kovacs said that after the February board meeting discussion about the expense of contract snow removal, the staff researched the cost of purchasing snow equipment and sent out a request for proposal for snow removal services.

Bumgarner said the following:

  • The district had received three quotes and eight recommendations for snow plow equipment.
  • The staff is considering fitting two or three vehicles in the fleet with plow equipment and possibly adding a sand/salt dispenser.
  • The district has requested Greater Grounds not plow before 4 inches of snow lay on the ground.
  • A request for proposals (RFPs) was sent out to 19 companies for snow removal services and the district had received two and is waiting for additional quotes. Information for the RFP can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

Tharnish said it would be difficult to determine the snowfall amounts at each station due to the size of the district.

Treasurer Tom Kelly voiced concern that crews might not be available due to the typical high call out during snow events and advised an alternate plan.

Kovacs said a contingency plan would be needed. Typically, partner agencies request staff back on duty and pay time and a half for snow clearing, he said.

Buckingham suggested purchasing the equipment and maintaining a contract if district personnel are unavailable.

Kovacs said there was $40,000 in the budget for a vehicle that was unavailable for purchase, and the funds could be allocated to snow removal equipment.

A board unanimously approved the purchase of up to $15,000 of snow removal equipment without a salt/sand dispenser.

Station 1 Training Center update

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said the future of the district training center had circled back to the Station 1 property, and the staff will begin laying out the property for a center. The district is discussing shared training facilities with the Colorado Springs Fire Department and the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, with a goal to reduce costs by avoiding duplicated facilities with a multi-site plan, but plans remain conceptual. The district remains positive and will plan to develop the training site as a group and independently and costs are unknown, he said.

Facilities update

Bumgarner said the district is working with OZ Architects and reported:

  • The architect made changes to the Station 2 remodel plan as requested by the board in February. The design now has brought the restroom out of the weight room and has an added sixth bedroom on the upper level, allowing for a six-person fire suppression crew and a two-person medic unit. A bid to replace the 20-year-old bay doors has been requested due to a bowed door and the smoked glass affecting visibility.
  • The Station 3 contract for the 1.77 acres (north of the YMCA) has been reviewed by the district legal team, and changes were made. The district will bring on an owner representative to ensure a smooth process during contract negotiations.
  • The new Station 3 design will be single story with administration offices and parking for staff and crews. Accommodations to the lot will be limited due to other buildings behind the station. The current Station 3 contract for sale is also in progress.

Kovacs said the design is not compromising anything with a 15,000-square-foot building and four or five additional offices planned for the future additional staff positions. The station will house a ladder truck, the squad vehicle, and the battalion chief vehicle, he said.

Bumgarner said:

  • The Station 4 plan is close to being ready for bid. The architects are providing a plan for alternate bathroom facilities, and the remodel will include the kitchen and a private bedroom for the officer. The large bunk room will be enclosed to create four individual sleeping spaces. The station will have space to accommodate seven.
  • Station 5 will also require enclosing the large bunkroom to create seven rooms, and the station will accommodate nine personnel with the existing rooms.
  • The district is still in negotiations to purchase land for a future Station 6 in the south of the district. See www.ocn.me/v23n3.htm#mfd.

Kovacs said Bradley had visited each station to seek input before the facility upgrades commenced, and said the crews are happy with the plans.

Palmer Lake contract update

Kovacs said in January the district received a notice from the Town of Palmer Lake to terminate the contract to provide ambulance service. The town has since requested an extension to go beyond the 90-day termination notice to allow time to negotiate the terms for a new contract, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#mfd.

Fire technician position update

Bumgarner said the first candidate did not accept the fire technician position but the second candidate did and will likely begin in late April.

Fire Camp recruitment effort

Kovacs said the district will host the first Monument Fire Camp for local high school students. The hope is to introduce and encourage students to consider fire and EMS service careers. The camp will run from June 3-5 and will hopefully continue as an annual program for high school students. The first camp was advertised at the local high schools and on the district website, with a limit of 12 students. The slots were filled within two days, and the district has a waiting list.

Financial report

The February financial report was unanimously accepted as presented.

Note: The financial report can be viewed at www.monumentfire.org.

Chief’s report

Kovacs highlighted the following:

  • Battalion Chief Mike Dooley announced his retirement from the fire service effective June 28.
  • Battalion Chief Shannon Balvanz will fill the battalion chief of training position. The position is currently filled by Battalion Chief Kris Mola who will return to shift battalion chief this year.
  • Battalion Chief Mike Keough retired from the fire service in January 2022, and recently completed an Air Force reserve commitment. A retirement ceremony is scheduled at Station 1 on Saturday, May 13 at 8 a.m.
  • Several members of the executive staff attended the Center for Public Safety Excellence annual conference in Orlando, Fla., from Feb. 27 to March 4. Several software vendors were identified to assist the district’s pursuit in obtaining agency accreditation.
  • A bystander was awarded the distinguished service award for going above and beyond to extinguish a fire at a home on Ranchero Drive, Monument. The resident wished to remain anonymous, and the district mailed the award.

Note: For additional information, see the DWFPD article on page < 20 >.

The meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m.

**********

Push-in ceremony

After the meeting, Kovacs announced that Local 4319 will serve a pancake breakfast and hold a community “push-in” ceremony for the new engine 514 and the squad car on Sat., April 15, 10 am at Station 4 15415 Gleneagle Drive. Please check the district website listed below for updates.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for April 26 at 6:30 p.m. Meeting attendance is open to the public in person or via Zoom. For joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Feb. 22 – Community outreach/public information officer position approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Feb. 22, the board approved a new staff position and heard the fire technician position would be filled. The board requested a review of snow removal costs and received a presentation on three future station remodels and an update on the district training center. It also received an update on the ambulance service agreement with the Town of Palmer Lake.

Directors Terri Hayes and Tom Tharnish did not attend.

Community outreach/public information officer position

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said the executive staff had been evaluating all the administrative needs as the organization grows, and future needs such as a mechanic, a data analyst to assist the accreditation manager, fire prevention staff, and an additional training officer. The community outreach/public information officer position would help the department be more efficient as an organization and allow executive staff to focus on primary tasks. The district identified a potential candidate for the position during the fire technician position interviews, but the position will also be open within the department.

Kovacs requested the board approve a community outreach/public information officer position and said a portion of the unused allocated wages from the recently vacated full-time administrative assistant position was available in the budget, and that position will not be filled, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n1.htm#mfd.

The board approved the new position, 4-0.

Fire technician position update

Division Chief of Administration/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner said the district received six applications for the newly created fire technician position. However, only four interviewed, but all were outstanding, and an offer of employment has been extended.

Kovacs said the position is designed for an entry-level person interested in pursuing a career in the fire service, and it is intended to be a revolving-door position. The fire technician is due to start on March 15, pending a background check and physical exam, he said.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kelly presented the January financial report and said:

  • The overall revenue year to date was about $225,906 (includes specific ownership taxes $91,871, ambulance revenue $79,866, and impact fees $6,216).
  • The district has projected an income of about $16.5 million for 2023.
  • The overall expenses year to date were about $1.2 million (includes administration expenses $150,948, building expenses $10,470, wages (largest expense) $698,591, and benefits $328,238).
  • The district budgeted about $14 million in expenses for 2023.
  • The district has about $11.5 million in total checking/savings (includes reserves and funds, and about $3.7 million in the operations/general fund).
  • The district expected to receive a small amount of property taxes in February, and the bulk will arrive in March.

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

Snow removal cost questioned

Vice President Roger Lance questioned the $4,350 bill for snow removal from Greater Grounds Landscaping that was noted in checks over $2,500 in the January financial report.

Director of Administration Jennifer Martin said the bill covered all five stations for January. Snow is only removed when it accumulates over 2 inches, and the rates are billed per plow, per hour, with extra charges applied for snow removal via truck. The district had received a lower-than-average bid, she said.

Bumgarner said the bill will likely be higher for February, because the snow piles are mounting and may need to be trucked away. The district does have a plow, but there is nowhere to push off the snow, he said.

President John Hildebrandt and Secretary Mike Smaldino both said the cost was outlandish and they had never noticed the snow removal amount in the financial report before.

Kovacs said it was never noticed before because it never exceeded $2,500 per month when the district had three stations, but this is the first winter with five stations.

Hildebrandt said the board needs to know more data on how many times the stations were plowed, for how long and at what rates. At the current rates, the district could be charged as much as $24,000 for six months of plowing, he said.

Kovacs said the bill included four storms, with plowing for 30.5 hours at $140 per hour, which is less than the market rate. Maybe the fire technician could take care of snow removal in the future, he said. The district just needs to establish a vehicle that can handle the plow, which is currently attached to the 1997 Hummer. The district inherited the vehicle and plow during the merger process with Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, but the district is planning to sell the vehicle, he said.

Lance suggested the executive staff and the board discuss the plan for snow removal in the late summer or early fall, but the contract cannot be changed this winter, he said.

Kovacs said the district will request bids for winter 2023-24 and consider other options. In a couple of months, the district will ask the board how they would like to proceed, he said.

Station remodel presentation

Bumgarner presented the board with three remodel designs created by OZ Architects for Station 2 (Roller Coaster Road), Station 4 (Gleneagle Drive), and Station 5 (Highway 83/Stage Coach Road). The district allocated $1 million for the remodel of Station 2 in the 2023 budget.

Smaldino requested OZ Architects revisit the design for Station 2 to include an additional bedroom and said he would prefer the board allocate additional funding if needed to accommodate a more flexible staffing model in the future.

Bumgarner said the design could be reconfigured, and he would revisit the plan with OZ Architects.

Kovacs said expanding the Station 2 footprint is difficult due to the lot size, and he envisioned Station 2 being a single Type 3 Engine station with four personnel rotating with a water tender or a Type 6/Brush Truck. The Station 2 ambulance service would move into the core of the district where calls are highest, and Station 5 would service that area of the district for ambulance service, he said.

Bumgarner said the remodel of both Station 4 and 5 allows for expansion of crew size. All plans are preliminary, and crews will be consulted before moving ahead with the remodels, he said.

Station 1 Training Center update

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said the district had narrowed down a few potential companies to build the training/tower building. The partnership between the district, Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), and Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District is exciting, and ongoing discussions will ultimately shape the configuration of the training facility. The aim is to avoid the duplication of training facilities in the area. The training center will not necessarily be on one site, but rather spread around the north end of the county at three or four sites and use the different facilities of partner agencies. The district is exploring all the options for the training center and could still use a portion of the Station 1 site for trench extrication/rescue training, he said.

Bumgarner said the district budgeted $500,000 to purchase land for a future Station 6/training center, and the district could purchase land for $12 per square foot in an area zoned for light industrial use off Baptist Road, he said.

Kovacs said the district has identified a parcel just over 4 acres owned by the QuikTrip Corp. The owners have offered to sell the land for the initial purchase price. The 14 acres the district owns at Station 1, initially purchased for the training center, has generated interest from a Front Range repair facility, and the Town of Monument may also want to purchase some acreage for a park. The district may be able to recoup some costs toward the southwest site, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#mfd.

Palmer Lake ambulance contract update

Kovacs said that on Jan. 12, the Palmer Lake Town Council had unilaterally approved a 90-day termination notice of the intergovernmental agreement that provides ambulance service to Palmer Lake. Since the January board meeting, he said Dawn Collins, the Palmer Lake town administrator/clerk, had requested data showing past EMS service calls, ambulance transportations, and canceled calls (the district does not bill for calls that are canceled).

Hopefully a meeting will happen between both parties before the 90 days expire, and the contract can continue to provide a service that is mutually beneficial for everyone, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#mfd and #plbot.

Chief’s report

Kovacs highlighted the following:

  • The Local 4319 has established a $1,000 student scholarship to a student at Lewis-Palmer, Palmer Ridge, and Discovery Canyon High Schools. The local will work with school staff to identify students that demonstrate outstanding leadership and the district’s three core values: character, connection, and commitment.
  • Seven district firefighters are attending the CSFD fire academy in a class of 37 recruits.
  • The district completed 732 hours of training in January.
  • Lt. Chris Keough installed new mounting brackets in each ambulance to secure the cardiac monitors during transit. The monitors were previously secured with bungee cords.

The January chief’s report can be viewed at www.monumentfire.org.

2022 annual report

Kovacs said the 2022 annual report highlights the district’s achievements from the previous year. The report is intended to capture all the good things that happened within the fire district.

The report can be viewed on the district website at www.monumentfire.org, and copies are available at the district administration office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 102, Monument.

Lance said the report was a good document and very well done.

Board of Directors election update

Lance said that after further consideration he had reversed his decision and will run again for a board position this year. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#mfd.

The meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 18660 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for March 22 at 6:30 p.m. Meeting attendance is open to the public in person or via Zoom. For joining 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.

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Monument Fire District, Jan. 25 – Palmer Lake declines ambulance contract; district leads county mass casualty plan

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Jan. 25, the board discussed a letter from the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) declining Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from the district; heard about district staff leading a county mass casualty plan; received multiple updates; and held an executive session to discuss a meet and confer plus agreement and providing EMS service to neighbors.

Treasurer Tom Kelly was excused.

Director Jason Buckingham joined the meeting but was unable to take part in the voting due to work commitments.

Ambulance service contract declined

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said that in 2015, Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District and the Town of Palmer Lake established an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to provide ambulance service to Palmer Lake. In that agreement, upon request from the Palmer Lake Fire Department (PLFD), the district would dispatch an ambulance for each EMS response in the town. The district in return received a fee of $500 for each transport out of Palmer Lake. Over time the fee has increased to match the consumer price index.

Note: PLFD and the Town of Palmer Lake administrator were informed via letter in December that a price increase would take effect Jan. 1, 2023 and MFD would begin charging $588.25 per transport. A price increase also occurred in 2021, charging the town $544.18 for each transport.

On Jan. 24, the district received a letter from PLBOT giving 90 days’ notice to terminate the IGA for service. Before receiving the letter, there had been no communication regarding the matter with the Town of Palmer Lake or the interim Fire Chief John Vincent of PLFD. Kovacs said the district values the relationship with Palmer Lake, and though we serve the residents indirectly through these various agreements, MFD remains committed to that relationship with the residents and to assisting Palmer Lake. He met with Vincent before the board meeting, and he recommended the IGA be continued. Vincent was due to meet with Palmer PLBOT on Jan. 26, and hopefully he will be able to convey the district’s concern to the trustees. There is time to reach an agreement in the ensuing 90 days, Kovacs said. See PLBOT article on page < 1 >.

Vice President Roger Lance said a lot of questions came to mind after reading the letter. What will they do for EMS ambulance service now that Palmer Lake no longer receives AMR service out of the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) Station 4, on Gleneagle Drive. It does not make sense that they would rely on AMR ambulance from Colorado Springs when MFD is five minutes down the road, he said.

Kovacs said AMR is still the ambulance provider for Palmer Lake and they handle over 90% of their EMS calls. MFD only sends an ambulance to assist high acuity calls upon request from the PLFD. The town is billed quarterly, and they are not billed if an ambulance is canceled. They were billed about $8,700 for 16 calls last year. There is no mutual aid agreement, because Palmer Lake cannot reciprocate, he said.

Lance said that after 90 days, MFD will provide support out of the goodness of our hearts.

Kovacs said the subject will be discussed in executive session to receive direction from the board for future service.

President John Hildebrandt (attending via Zoom) said he was disappointed the district received the letter declining ambulance service from the Town of Palmer Lake, and he said the following:

  • The letter states Palmer Lake’s wish to continue a prosperous relationship, but he is unsure what that means.
  • MFD has received comments about double dipping, but the district also charges Monument residents for EMS service.
  • The concept everyone needs to understand is the district will bill a resident plus the Town of Palmer Lake.
  • MFD receives property taxes from Monument residents. Those taxes provide personnel and equipment to support services.
  • MFD does not receive property taxes from Palmer Lake, so the service is billed as a pass through because they cannot provide service.
  • The funds MFD receives help provide the service so they can respond, and the residents in both districts are not treated any differently.
  • No one should perceive that MFD will not respond in the event of an emergency, and the district wants to remain good neighbors and provide EMS.
  • The service to Palmer Lake does cost MFD money, and the situation needs to be resolved.

Kovacs said he hopes the concerns can be resolved and the IGA can be reinstated or redrafted to address any concerns. Ambulance service is valuable, accounting for 87% of MFD service calls. The billing does not exceed the expense of the service provided, and the district does not profit providing the service, he said. The set fee billed to Palmer Lake per call is still at the expense of MFD.

District takes lead in mass casualty plan

Kovacs said Battalion Chief of EMS Sean Pearson had been tasked with developing a mass casualty exercise for the district. The project grew exponentially, as all the partner agencies participated in the Regional Mass Casualty Incident Plan. The district received a $45,000 grant for county responders to receive equipment to carry out the plan, Kovacs said. Initiatives coming out of MFD are making a difference in the county. Kudos to Pearson and EMS Coordinator Stephanie Soll for establishing the plan—it became much larger than was initially assumed, he said.

EMS update

Kovacs said:

  • Two district ambulances responded to the Club-Q shooting in November to assist the Colorado Springs Fire Department and AMR. Both units were canceled during the staging of the emergency response.
  • The district responded to six of the nine EMS transport requests made by AMR so far in January. In January 2022 the district received 60 requests from AMR.
  • The district is working on a draft consolidated agreement for a county agency response to AMR requests.

Note: Station 4 on Gleneagle Drive continues to handle the highest EMS call volume in the combined district of DWFPD and MFD.

2022 auditor approval

Lance requested the board approve the letter of engagement for Erickson, Brown, and Kloster LLC to conduct the 2022 audit.

Director Terri Hayes asked if the cost of the audit had increased.

Kovacs said the cost had increased considerably from $6,500 in 2022 to about $17,100, with an additional $1,200 for amendments, plus expenses. The quote is in line with other auditors, but less than some competitors in the area. The cost does not include the DWFPD 2022 audit, he said.

The board approved the audit engagement letter, 5-0.

Financial report

Secretary Mike Smaldino read the financial report as of Dec. 31, 2022, and said the following:

  • The district’s overall revenue for 2022 was about $15.2 million, about 103% of the projected revenue budget of about $14.7 million.
  • The district’s overall expenses for 2022 were about $10.5 million, about 95.9% of the projected expense budget set at about $10.9 million.

Note: The combined bank balances total at year end was about $14.3 million. The district had about $8.1 million in the General Operating Fund year end. About $1.3 million was distributed among the Capital Fund account, the Fleet Capital/Public Fund, and the TABOR reserve fund.

Kovacs said the 2022 budget was very difficult because of the consolidation process of merging DWFPD with MFD and due to the unexpected departure of AMR from Station 4 (Gleneagle Drive) on Jan. 1, 2022. The departure created the need for a fourth ambulance, along with the increased cost of fuel, toilet paper, utilities, and the increased shared cost of the building management at the administration offices. The district also had to bring the Wescott fleet up to district standards in 2022. The district remained under budget despite all the additional expenses last year, and he is confident that most of the costs were one-time expenditures and there were no frivolous expenses, he said.

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

Board/citizen/staff comments

Hildebrandt said the end-of-year healthy financial report substantiates the board’s decision to approve the mill levy match to offset the state Legislature’s two-year temporary reduction in the Residential Assessment Rate. See www.ocn.me/v22n11.htm#mfd.

Gary Nelson, president of Emergency Incident Support, thanked the board and the executive staff for managing to remain 5% under budget and 3% over the projected revenue at the end of 2022, especially after the merger of DWFPD and MFD. See DWFPD article on page < 20 >.

Note: The 2022 and 2023 budget documents can be viewed at www.monumentfire.org. Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District is doing business as Monument Fire District but has not legally changed the district name.

Station 1 Training Center update

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said the district is still evaluating the options for the MFD Training Center but determined the Town of Monument site off Mitchell Avenue was not big enough to accommodate the district training site. The district is looking at a 4-acre site off Baptist Road/Terrazzo Drive and also evaluating a regional training approach with Colorado Springs Fire Department and Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District.

Director Terri Hayes asked about the future of the 14 acres the district purchased adjacent to Station 1 in 2019 and said the site should not go unused after the expense of purchasing the property. See www.ocn.me/v20n10.htm#tlmfpd.

Kovacs said there was a possibility of Front Range Fire Apparatus using the site for an apparatus repair facility. If acreage cannot be purchased in the southwest of the district, the site will be used for training. It will not go to waste, he said.

Chief’s report

Kovacs highlighted the following from the November and December monthly activity report and said:

  • Firefighter Christian Schmidt was elected as the new Local 4319 president. The district and the board are looking forward to working with him in 2023.
  • Lt. Jon Bodinsky received the department’s “step-up” award for raising $14,770 for the annual Fill the Boot campaign in support of Muscular Dystrophy.
  • An orientation to introduce the new hires and their families to the district gave everyone the opportunity to visit all the crews at the five stations and meet with the Local 4319. The event was well received, and the staff enjoyed the meeting.
  • The district is working with OZ Architects to rebuild Station 3 on Woodmoor Drive. The relocated station will include district administrative offices on land just north of the YMCA.
  • The 2005 Smeal Type 1 Engine was sold to Elliot Fire Department, Iowa, for $40,000.
  • An ambulance went in for repair at a Ford dealership and returned with $1,500 worth of lights missing. The district filed a police report, and the dealership will be reimbursing the district for the lights.
  • The district completed 1,571 training hours for November through December, 2022.

Note: Included in the chief’s December report was the provision of staffing by MFD Company 512 to an all-hands Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District training day, to allow their Station 2 staff to attend training. MFD also provided mutual aid assistance to a house fire on Pinery Drive in December. See BFFRPD article on page < 18 >. DWFPD and MFD district boards receive the same monthly activity report. See DWFPD article on page < 20 >. The reports can be viewed at www.monumentfire.org.

Board of Directors’ election 2023

Resolution 2023-01 calls for a regular election to elect four board directors, the seats currently held by Directors Buckingham, Hayes, Lance, and Tom Tharnish.

Kovacs said the 2023 election will complete the process of going from even- to odd-year elections, and terms will be for four years. Self-nomination forms will need to be submitted by Feb. 24. If the district receives more than four self-nomination forms, an election will be held. For self-nomination instructions, visit www.monumentfire.org.

Vice President Roger Lance announced that he will not run for re-election in 2023.

In a roll call vote, the board approved the election, 5-0.

The board also approved the 2023 Board of Directors Policy Manual, 5-0.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:45 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4)(b), to confer with district attorney Maureen Juran of Widner Juran LLP for the purposes of receiving legal advice on a specific legal question to review a meet and confer plus agreement; and pursuant to 24-6-402(4)(e), to instruct negotiators on a matter subject to negotiations concerning the provision of ambulance service within Palmer Lake.

Kovacs confirmed after the meeting returned to the regular meeting that no action was taken.

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held every month on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. Meeting attendance is open to the public in person or via Zoom. For joining instructions, agendas, minutes, and updated, 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