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

Board of Directors election
Ladder truck payment approved
Station 5 cell phone tower
Snow removal recommendation
Station 1 Training Center update
Facilities update
Palmer Lake contract update
Fire technician position update
Fire Camp recruitment effort
Financial report
Chief’s report

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.

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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.