Monument Fire District, Jan. 22 – Wildfire Mitigation remains top priority

Mitigation effort requested
Revenue stabilization
Petition for inclusion
2025 board director election
Staffing update
Apparatus update

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Jan. 22, the board heard about the district’s desire to step up mitigation efforts in light of the recent fires in Southern California, efforts to stabilize revenue for special fire districts, accepted a petition of inclusion, and set a public hearing for a 106.6-acre parcel of land in the eastern portion of the district. The board approved the 2025 board director election, and received multiple updates, to include staffing and apparatus.

Director Randall Estes and Mark Gunderman were excused.

Mitigation effort requested

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said after witnessing the multiple fires over the past several weeks in Southern California, and having worked in that region for almost 30 years and knowing some of the people that responded to those incidents, it gave him pause for thought on what the district has accomplished over the past four years, but there is a lot more work to be done.

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley has received many phone calls and emails from concerned citizens trying to find ways to get actively involved in mitigation efforts. It prompted an open letter to the community via this publication and although this community may never see fires of the magnitude seen in California, locally it has happened before with the Waldo Canyon Fire, the Black Forest Fire, and the Marshall Fire in Boulder County, said Kovacs. See letter on page < 16 >.

Bradley said a new Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code is expected to become law later this year, based on the International Code Council, the WUI code, along with several others, and using insurance codes for reference. The law will mandate the use of limited combustible and non-combustible building materials and meet a vegetation management plan for all new construction, remodels, and refits over a set percentage located in the WUI. There will also be some changes regarding building code/fire marshal officials that could create another layer for the district, said Bradley. See htps://www.dfpc.colorado.gov and NEPCO article on page < 15 > and letter on page < 16 >.

Revenue stabilization

Kovacs said he is a member of one of three committees the State of Colorado identified to discuss revenue stabilization for special districts and special fire districts. Gov. Jared Polis indicated in a recent visit to southern Colorado that public safety is a priority. The district has sent a letter to the legislative aides expressing the district’s concerns about property taxes and how that impacts special districts. The Legislature is back in session, and 10 bills regarding fire districts will be considered. The state fire chiefs were set to attend on Jan. 23. The intent is to work with the authors of the legislation “so we are off to the races again with all of that” with the goal of adopting the state WUI code, and the single staircase for large buildings, five floors or less, that is being driven by developers in large municipalities to maintain a smaller footprint and allow infill within cities for affordable housing. It would have less concern for small municipalities such as MFD, but it is a step backward from a life safety perspective, said Kovacs.

Petition for inclusion

The board accepted a petition for inclusion and set a public hearing for Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. for 106.6 acres of real property off Gambler Place, Colorado Springs, owned by Thaddeus J. Jarosz to be developed into 10 single-family dwellings that will be included into the district for services.

2025 board director election

Kovacs said the district will hold an election on May 6 to fill the Board of Directors positions currently held by Duane Garrett, Mark Gunderman, John Hildebrandt, Tom Kelly, and Mike Smaldino. Three seats will be for four-year terms and two seats will be for two-year terms. 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 with the designated election official at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 102, Monument, no later than close of business on Feb. 28. The district does not maintain term limitations for board directors, and if the district does not receive additional electors the election will be cancelled.

In a 5-0 vote, the board approved Resolution 2025-02 calling for the 2025 regular district election and appointing Kovacs as the designated election official, setting the precinct and polling place location, delegating to the designated election official the authority to appoint judges of the election, and setting the compensation of the appointed election judges at $14.42 per hour.

The board also approved the electronic posting of notices on the district website.

Kovacs said the district is no longer legally required to post notices in hard copy at the fire stations, but besides the district website, meeting information will continue to be posted in both places.

Staffing update

Kovacs said that Battalion Chief Micah Coyle had returned to his previous role as shift battalion chief, and he thanked Coyle for his one-year administrative duty as executive battalion chief. Battalion Chief Janaka Branden has replaced Coyle as the executive battalion chief for 2025.

Paramedic Stephanie Botkin is attending the Pikes Peak State College Recruit Fire Academy with two recently hired paramedics. Firefighter/Paramedic Rachael Peters accepted the EMS coordinator position, while Botkin attends the academy through May. Two paramedics accepted jobs in Adams County and South Metro Fire Rescue, to be geographically closer to home. Paramedics Andrew Dore and Taylor Lindsey were sworn in at a ceremony after the meeting, said Kovacs.

Apparatus update

Kovacs said the district had taken possession of a new ladder truck and the staff training is complete. The process of outfitting the apparatus has begun. The district anticipates receiving two engines (approved about two years ago) in early 2026, a year early than expected. The district expects to receive two ambulances in late 2025, has a Type 6 chassis ready for assembly at Boise Mobile Equipment, Boise, Idaho and is expected by mid-year. A water tender purchase will be included in the 2026 budget, said Kovacs.

The chief’s report and the November and December financial reports can be found at www.monumentfire.org.

The meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 26 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.