Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Jan. 25 – Sun Hills storage agreement approved; subdistrict dissolution process begins

Vehicle storage agreement
Subdistrict dissolution process
Gleneagle resident receives award
Chief’s report
Board of Directors election 2023
Accounting services contract
Financial report
2022 audit engagement

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) meeting on Jan. 25, the board approved the Sun Hills property (formerly Station 3) for use as a storage facility; discussed the sub-district dissolution process; heard about a 911 Hero award recipient; approved an accounting firm, a letter of engagement for the 2022 audit; and received multiple updates to include the Board of Directors’ election and new station apparatus.

Secretary Larry Schwarz and Director Mike Forsythe were excused.

Vehicle storage agreement

District attorney Emily Powell of Ireland Stapleton Pryor Pascoe PC law firm said the disposal of the Sun Hills (former Station 3) was on hold. In the interim she had drafted a vehicle storage agreement for the property to allow the American Red Cross and Emergency Incident Support (EIS) to store their vehicles and equipment at Station 3. The contract can be quickly retracted by the district with a 10-day termination provision and a liability clause should either agency damage each other’s property/vehicles or any personnel injury occur. The contract allows the facility to be put to community use until a permanent decision is made, said Powell. See www.ocn.me/v22n11.htm#dwfpd.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said that EIS had resumed use of the facility in mid-January to keep their vehicles out of the elements. Each agency will be required to hold a combined $5 million insurance policy, he said.

Treasurer Duane Garrett recommended the board witness the proof of insurance and proof of insurance be stipulated in the contract.

President Mark Gunderman, Garrett and Director Charles Fleece agreed that Kovacs could simply witness the proof of insurance from EIS President Gary Nelson.

The board approved the vehicle storage agreement as drafted, 3-0.

Subdistrict dissolution process

Powell said the transfer process of stations and equipment as part of the merger process between DWFPD and the Monument Fire District (MFD) had been completed. See www.ocn.me/v22n1.htm#dwfpd. The next phase is to dissolve the subdistrict (the majority of the residents in the north of the district) and raise the regular district’s mill levy (southern enclave: small residential area at the south end of Voyager Parkway, between Old Ranch Road and Briargate Boulevard) to something more equitable with MFD. The board will be required to pass a resolution proposing a plan of dissolution to dissolve the subdistrict. The Wescott subdistrict will need to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the district (southern enclave), agreeing to take over services. MFD is already providing services to DWFPD, she said.

Gunderman said the majority of the Wescott residents will eventually see a drop in the mill levy by a few mills.

Powell said the subdistrict pays a total of 21.9 mills, consisting of 14.9 mills overlayed with the 7 mills that the southern district pays. The intent is to dissolve the subdistrict and then the 14.9 mills will go away. At the same time the district mill levy of 7 mills will be increased, but the vast majority of residents will see a decrease in the mill levy, said Powell.

Note: Monument residents are assessed 18.4 mills for fire protection services.

Powell said the documents may be ready for approval at the March meeting, but a special meeting in April (via Zoom only) could be necessary. The process will then require court approval for the plan of dissolution, she said.

Gleneagle resident receives award

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said the district had participated in a 911 Hero Award presentation to a 10-year-old girl in Gleneagle. The award was in recognition of the girl calmly relaying her message to dispatch services during a medical emergency that occurred at her home. The award would typically be presented at school, but at her request the award was received at her home along with a sheriff’s deputy, and MFD invited Santa along for the ceremony.

Chief’s report

Kovacs highlighted a few items from the combined November and December report and said that after he became fire chief in January 2021, a five-year strategic plan was implemented in January 2022. The plan, set to expire in 2026, includes internal and external surveys and the ESCI study from May 2019. The district completed all the initiatives for 2022 with the exception of the standards of coverage and community risk assessment as part of the accreditation process and an engine company inspection program. The inspection program will be composed of firefighters providing annual life safety inspections, checking gas safety shutoffs, Knox-Box locations, fire hydrant locations, and special hazards. An independent company is developing program, but it has not been completed, and that is the only reason why that initiative was moved to 2023.

Battalion Chief Scott Ridings is “knee deep” in compiling the accreditation data, and completion is expected in the summer. He is proud of the staff for accomplishing all the 2022 tasks in addition to the unification process. And he said:

Conversations continue with QuikTrip Corp., with a view to purchasing land for a future fire station/training tower site at Baptist Road and Terrazzo Drive.
The district received a grant of $1,488 from The Tri-Lakes Lions Club, and those funds will be used to purchase radio chargers for the squad vehicle.
The squad vehicle will receive additional equipment and it is in service at “Shamrock” Station 5, Highway 83 and Stage Coach Road.
A traditional “push-in” ceremony to announce the arrival of the anticipated new Pierce Engine for Station 4, Gleneagle Drive, will be a community event, said Kovacs. For updates see www.monumentfire.org.

Note: The district conducts a push-in ceremony whenever a new engine is placed into service. In the past, these events have occurred during a shift change. See www.ocn.me/v22n5.htm#dwfpd and page < 27 > in www.ocn.me/v19n7.

Kovacs said that Pierce Manufacturing is taking up to 36 months to build engines, and the district will need to place orders soon.

Powell said that some orders are now taking 44 months.

Manufacturers are aiming to speed up the process, said Kovacs.

Note: The board of directors for both districts receive the same monthly updates for the combined district. For additional information, see MFD article on page < 21 >. The monthly activity reports can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

Board of Directors election 2023

Powell said the district conducted a Board of Directors’ election in May 2022, and that was the last election cycle to complete the state-mandated transition from even to odd years. The positions held by Directors Fleece, Garrett and Schwarz are all up for four-year tenures in May 2023. If all goes as planned with the merger, the district will not exist by 2027. If no additional candidates complete the self-nomination forms by Feb. 24, the election can be canceled. Kovacs will be the designated election official, she said. For self-nomination form instructions, visit www.monumentfire.org.

The board approved Resolution 2023-01, calling for a regular election, 3-0.

Accounting services contract

Powell requested the board approve the accounting services of The Accounting Office Inc. for $450 per month.

The board approved the accounting service, 3-0.

Financial report

The December financial report was unavailable for the January meeting.

2022 audit engagement

Kovacs requested the board review and consider approving a letter of engagement for Erickson, Brown, and Kloster LLC to conduct the 2022 audit. DWFPD used the same auditors for the 2021 audit, and the audit will include a presentation to the board, said Kovacs.

The board approved the engagement letter, 3-0.

The board meeting adjourned at 5:26 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held every other month on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for March 22 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.monumentfire.org or contact Director of Administration Jennifer Martin at 719-484-9011.

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