Monument Fire District, Sept. 24 – Board vacancy filled; training tower and wildland engine approved

Board vacancy filled
Training Tower order approved
Wildland engine approved
Financial update
2024 audit reports
Workforce Analysis tudy
Emergency planner proposed
Pumpkin giveaway, Oct. 25
Administrative office move
Executive session

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District (TLMFPD) dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Sept. 24, a vacant board seat was filled. The board approved the purchase of a training tower for the future Station 1 training center and the purchase of a wildland engine for 2026.

The board received a workforce analysis presentation to help determine future staffing requirements for the next five years. The delayed 2024 audits and financial statements were accepted.

A pinning-on promotion ceremony was held before the meeting at the district administrative offices for two promotions. See photos below.

**Above:** From left, Kovacs administers the oath of office to Lt. Derek Thorne, promoted from firefighter/paramedic. Kovacs presented a red helmet to Thorne and said he was selected after a competitive promotion process to fill the position vacated by retired Lt. Kevin Richmond. His spouse Jessica Thorne pinned on the new badges during the ceremony also attended by his parents, Debbie and Dave Thorne. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

**Above:** From left, Kovacs administers the oath of office to Janarka Branden on his promotion to Division Chief of Operations from the executive battalion chief position that has been omitted from the organization. Kovacs presented Branden with a new helmet and said the new position was created to allow more effective management of the operations. His spouse Cheryl Branden pinned on the new badges during the ceremony. Their children, Kaderen, Everett, and Luke, attended the event. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

The board held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(e) to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, and to instruct negotiators relating to labor negotiations.

Secretary Duane Garrett was excused.

Board vacancy filled

Treasurer Tom Kelly welcomed André Mouton as the newly appointed director to the Board of Directors.

President Mark Gunderman welcomed Mouton and said he was glad he could “enter the fray” on short notice to fill the vacant seat left by Director Cody Peterson after he decided to step down for personal and professional reasons.

Mouton said he has lived in the community since 2010, working with the district and the community through a local church group on fire mitigation and emergency management. He was an emergency manager at the Air Force Academy, now working on critical infrastructure protection and cybersecurity with the Department of Homeland Security. “I am excited to be a member of the team and serve once again,” said Mouton.

Training Tower order approved

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner requested the board approve a contract with Lone Star Tactical Buildings Construction for a three-story modular training tower that can be extended to four stories in the future at the Station 1 Training Center. The 2025 budgeted training tower is estimated to cost about $1.4 million. The building requires permitting even though it will not be permanently occupied, he said.

In a 6-0 vote, the board approved the contract for the training tower.

Bumgarner said that all the facilities projects are moving along, and OZ Architects had won the best station design award from the Fire Industry Resource Organization for the design of the district’s Station 3 rebuild project.

Wildland engine approved

Bumgarner requested the board consider approving a contract for Boise Mobile Equipment to build out a stock Type 2 “Big Horn” edition, four-wheel drive engine, a structural 1,000 gallon per minute pump, pump and roll capability, with a 750-gallon water carrying capacity. The expected delivery is the first or second quarter of 2026. The district’s Type 3 Wildland Engine is deploying and serves the district well, helping deployed crews gain wildland experience. The Type 2 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) engine would remain in the district and be “big brother” to the existing Type 3 Wildland Engine during deployments, said Bumgarner.

Director Tim De Leon said the Type 2 engine will be a great addition during adverse weather.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said impact fees are now allowed to be collected throughout El Paso County, but the district has not been spending enough of those collected fees. Some have been used to purchase land for future stations. He proposed exhausting those fees of about $600,000 collected impact fees and pay cash for the remainder (about $200,000) for the engine costing about $782,189. The apparatus purchase will be included in the 2026 budget. It is anticipated the apparatus will be assigned to Station 5 (Highway 83) where wildland fire incidents are prevalent.

The board approved the purchase in a 6-0 vote.

Financial update

Treasurer Tom Kelly said the district is at 66.7 % of the total budget year to date as of Aug. 31, and presented the following:

The combined overall revenue received year to date is about $20.744 million and 81.8 % of the 2025 income projected annual revenue set at about $24.235 million.
Overall expenses year to date are about $12.297 million and 53.1 % of the projected expense budget set at about $18.764 million.
The district had about $23.492 million in total checking/savings (about $14.500 million in Operations/General Fund). The balance will reduce significantly over the next six months before the property taxes are received in March 2026.

Kelly said the district had received 99% of the property taxes for 2025 and about $17.8 million year-to-date.

All 22 electronic transactions were appropriate and within budget, and of note were:

$10,676, OZ Architects, FS3 Training Center
$5,295, MiXx Consulting, Workforce Analysis Study (partial payment)
$118,470, PNC Equipment Finance, Tower Truck annual lease payment
$156,887, Kaiser Permanente, Health Insurance
$9,400, Wex Bank Inc., Fleet Fuel

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

2024 audit reports

Kovacs said the district had just received the 2024 audits and financial reports for MFD and Donald Wescott Fire Protection District from CBIZ, and the reports will be presented at the October meeting. There are no changes since the CBIZ auditor presentation in June, and the known deficiencies have been removed since first noted. The audit has taken about six months due to auditor leadership changes.

Gunderman said the extended time to deliver the audits is unprofessional, and he and the other board members would understand if a different auditor was selected for 2026 to conduct the 2025 audit.

In a 6-0 vote, the board accepted the 2024 audits and financial reports.

Workforce Analysis tudy

Melissa Rossback, founder of MiXx consulting attending via Microsoft Teams, presented the findings of the Workforce Analysis Study and said that during the study each job description was explored, and the future growth of the district was taken into consideration. The current load and span of control had led to required changes in a phased approach, said Rossback.

Rossback recommended the following:

Phase 1 – Adding two community risk reduction officer positions to assist with inspections and assist Division Chief of Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley, who operates alone. An administrative specialist with cross-training in finance and human resources. Victoria Slater recently hired to fill the Accreditation Officer position could fill a Public Information Officer (PIO) position in the near future.
Phase 2 – A facilities and fleet technician. Two dedicated training officers to ensure consistency in training and relieve existing staff. And an educator to provide fire prevention and life safety education to the community.
Phase 3 – Factors in the long-term organizational structure, and allows time to plan for the financial lift, adding a permanent PIO position; a data analyst position to support the accreditation manager, a community risk reduction permit technician/receptionist, an executive administrative assistant for clerical functions in support of the chief, and a full-time accountant (the district added a part-time bookkeeper in 2025). The district anticipates an increase in EMS calls and the need for a dedicated EMS battalion chief.

Phase 1 meets the immediate needs for 2026, phase 2 should be rolled out over the course of 2027 and 2028, and phase 3 over the next five years, said Rossback.

Kovacs said state funding for the mandated WUI infrastructure property inspections is not available, and the district will enforce the inspections. During 2026 budget planning, the fee schedule will be adjusted to provide some funding for the new inspector positions. There is a state WUI board to ensure compliance.

Emergency planner proposed

Kovacs said the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has proposed providing an emergency planner working out of the OEM offices and be present during winter storms. The salary would be shared between the Monument Police Department and the district, paying $40,000 each for a total salary and benefits package of $80,000.

Pumpkin giveaway, Oct. 25

The Local 4319 Monument professional firefighters’ annual pumpkin giveaway is scheduled for Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Clock Tower at Monument Marketplace, 15986 Jackson Creek Parkway. The Local 4319 is collecting non-perishable food items for the Tri-Lakes Cares annual food drive. The community appreciation event includes live music and free candy.

Administrative office move

The district administrative offices have permanently moved to 19775 Mitchell Ave.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at about 5:50 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(e) to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, and to instruct negotiators relating to labor negotiations.

Kovacs confirmed to this reporter that when the board returned to regular session at 6:45 p.m., no action was taken and the meeting adjourned at 6:46 p.m.

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