By Natalie Barszcz
On Dec. 7, the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) board held a “special meeting” for the 2023 budget public hearing to establish a notice posting location for future board meetings and to approve the 2023 meeting dates, times, and locations. The board also heard about a departing member of the staff.
Directors Charles Fleece and Mike Forsythe were excused.
The board approved the “special meeting” agenda as presented, 3-0.
Administrative Assistant Stacey Popovich thanked the board for arranging a “special meeting” on short notice. The need for the meeting was brought to her attention two days after the November meeting and after realizing the state had accidentally filed the DWFPD 2023 budget and the Monument Fire District (MFD) budget as one district. The need for an additional meeting was then realized to conduct the public hearing and re-submit the DWFPD budget to the state in time to meet the mandatory filing deadline, said Popovich.
Note: The districts, although operating as one fire district, will continue to submit separate budgets to the state until the merger is completed. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#dwfpd.
2023 budget hearing
President Mark Gunderman opened the second public hearing for the 2023 budget. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#dwfpd.
The district’s attorney, Emily Powell of Ireland Stapleton Pryor Pascoe PC law firm, confirmed the public hearing for the 2023 budget had been published and no comments had been received, and no members of the public were in attendance.
Gunderman closed the public hearing and made a motion to approve the 2023 budget.
The board approved the 2023 budget as previously presented, 3-0.
The board also approved 3-0, the meeting schedule for 2023, establishing a notice posting location for the district, and the meeting dates, times, and locations.
Staff departure
Fire Chief Andy Kovacs thanked Popovich on behalf of the district for being instrumental during the consolidation process between DWFPD and MFD and announced that Popovich leaves the district after eight years to take an administrative assistant position with the Security Fire Department. The district appreciates all her work for both departments over the years, he said, and he wished her well for the future.
Gunderman said that when he joined the board, it did not take him long to realize that Popovich was the glue holding everything together at DWFPD. There have been so many moving parts over the past several years, and he wished her the best of luck on behalf of the board.
Treasurer Duane Garrett and Secretary Larry Schwarz also wished Popovich success for the future.
The meeting adjourned at 4:11p.m.
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Future meetings will be held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 25 at 4:30 p.m. Meeting attendance is open to the public in person or via Zoom. For joining instructions, agendas, minutes, and updates, visit www.wescottfire.org or www.tlmfire.org or contact Director of Administration Jennifer Martin at 719-484-9011.
Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.
Other Donald Wescott Fire Protection District articles
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Dec. 5 – Board holds final meeting before district dissolves (1/4/2025)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Oct. 8 – Merger process nears completion; mutual aid agreements terminated (11/2/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Sept. 25 – Meeting postponed due to board member’s absence (10/5/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, July 24 – Final merger timeline announced; dissolution plan approved (8/3/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, June 26 – Merger process prompts final transfers; 2023 audit unmodified (7/6/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, April 24 – Merger process nears completion (5/4/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, March 6 – Real property exclusion/inclusion approved (4/6/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Jan. 4 and 24 – 2024 mill levy certified; tight timeline to complete merger (2/3/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Nov. 27 – Merger completion expected by November; 2024 budget approved without mill levy certification (1/6/2024)
- Donald Wescott Fire Protection District – Rescheduled meetings occurred after publication (12/2/2023)
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