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OCN > 2501 > Monument Fire District, Dec. 4 – Board approves administrative office lease agreement

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.

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