Monument Fire District, Aug. 27 – Money market fund approved; additional repairs needed

Staff retirement marked
Financial update
Public funds money market account
Station 2 additional repairs
2024 audit report status
2025 organizational chart changes
Chief’s report
Administrative office move
Executive session

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District (TLMFPD) dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Aug. 27, the board approved an interest-bearing public funds money market account, authorized additional repairs to the Station 2 apparatus bay concrete and drains, and approved changes to the 2025 organizational staffing chart. The board heard that the 2024 audits and financial statements were further delayed and received multiple updates.

The district marked the retirement of Lt. Kevin Richmond and Battalion Chief Scott Ridings.

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.

Director Cody Peterson was excused.

Staff retirement marked

Kovacs said that all the “bells and whistles” were pulled out for two retirement ceremonies held at Station 2 to mark the retirement of Richmond on July 31 and Ridings on Aug. 9.

**Above:** Lt. Kevin Richmond retired
after serving 30 years, with almost half
of his fire service career spent with
MFD. Photo courtesy of MFD.

**Above:** Battalion Chief Scott Ridings retired Aug. 9 after serving 30 years to include service as the deputy chief of DWFPD. Photo courtesy of MFD.

Financial update

Treasurer Tom Kelly said the district was at 58.3 % of the total budget year to date as of July 31 and presented the following:

The combined overall revenue received year to date is about $19.825 million and 81.8 % of the 2025 income projected annual revenue set at about $24.235 million.
Overall expenses year to date are about $9.963 million and 53.1 % of the projected expense budget set at about $18.764 million.
The district had about $24.577 million in total checking/savings (about $19.325 million in Operations/General Fund).

Kelly said the district had received 90% of the property taxes, boosting the Operations/General Fund by $3.2 million. All 33 electronic transactions were appropriate and within budget, and of note was:

$310,000, Front Range Apparatus Station 4 Ambulance
$152,496, Flintco LLC, Station 4/Mitchell property
$78,000, Becker FR CO, Single-Layer PPE
$156,888, Kaiser Permanente Health Insurance
$9,140, Wex Bank Inc., Fleet Fuel

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs said the district received a $20,000 grant from the state to help fund the purchase of the single-layer personal protective equipment.

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

Note: The new ambulance was placed into service on Aug. 8 at Station 4. See snapshot on page < 20 >.

Public funds money market account

Representatives from Community Banks of Colorado, the district’s local banking partner for the past 12 years, presented an option for the board to consider: creating an interest-bearing public funds money market account to maximize earnings for the district’s excess/idle funds. The Public Funds Money Market account will initially be set up to earn 2.5%, and at about $20 million invested would generate about $500,000 annually in interest gains. The rate is variable and subject to change as defined by the terms of the account agreement, with no market risk, fully secured under the Public Deposit Act, with no penalties, no fees associated, and no withdrawal limits.

The board voted 6-0, approving the establishment of an interest-bearing public funds money market account with Community Banks of Colorado.

Station 2 additional repairs

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner said it is interesting sometimes that when you do things, there are unintended consequences for your actions. Previously, the Station 2 apparatus bays were wide open, and when the trucks were washed in the bays on the days with below-freezing temperatures, the water would run to the back of the bay and crews would squeegee the water to the drains. Fast forward six months, and the remodel added weight/workout, decontamination, and bunker gear rooms at the rear of the station, and now the water runs to the back of the bay under the rubber matting and into those rooms. The issue was brought to the administrative staff attention after the reopening of the station.

He requested the board approve additional funding for Flintco to replace and extend the French drains and improve the concrete direction to drain effectively in the apparatus bays at Station 2. The additional repairs were not part of the remodel but are necessary to complete the project. The repairs will take care of the excess water runoff and could begin within the next two weeks. The project is expected to take about three or four weeks to complete. Crews will move out during the process.

President Mark Gunderman asked why the architects had missed the drain issue.

Bumgarner said he and the architects thought the existing drains would be sufficient with the apparatus parked in the original spots, but after re-occupying the station, the crews stated they were pushing water out manually.

Director Tim De Leon said mold will begin to grow under the matting if the problem is not taken care of immediately, and suggested the district consider a product application to protect the concrete against oil stains.

In a 6-0 vote, the board authorized up to $60,000 for Flintco to make the Station 2 apparatus bay concrete and drain repairs.

Note: The remodel of Station 2 cost $1.719 million. See snapshot on page < 21 >.

2024 audit report status

Kovacs said he and District Administrator Jennifer Martin had been pressing CBIZ to have the 2024 audits and financial reports for MFD and Donald Wescott Fire Protection District 2024 audits ready for final review and approval at the meeting, but the audits continue to be reviewed internally by the auditors.

Martin confirmed the 2024 audit filing extensions were submitted to the state for both audits.

Kovacs said the 2026 budget is almost complete, but the final numbers from the 2024 audit are not available due to the delayed audits and financial statements. The board will receive the final position before accepting the audits at a future board meeting, but there are no significant changes from the presentation in June, said Kovacs.

2025 organizational chart changes

Kovacs proposed changes to the 2025 organizational chart and said that in light of the retirement of the accreditation manager Ridings and the addition of the executive battalion chief position, the district does not have a deputy chief or division chief of operations position, and “I am not effectively managing all nine direct reports, so much so that annual performance appraisals were not all documented in 2024.”

The original plan was to expose all five battalion chiefs through to the executive battalion chief position to gain administrative work experience for a year, and taking five years to achieve, but all five battalion chiefs have had some administrative level of exposure in recent years. He proposed adding a division chief of operations (battalion chief position), downgrading the accreditation manager position below battalion chief level, and the pay scale change would be a wash. Letters of interest will be sought, and the positions will be filled internally. The chart would be effective within the next few weeks and carry over into fiscal year 2026, said Kovacs.

The board approved the changes to the 2025 organizational chart, 6-0.

Chief’s report

Kovacs said that as a result of the recent retirements a lieutenant promotion board was held, and firefighter/Paramedic Derek Thorne was selected to fill the position vacated by Richmond. The accreditation manager position held by Ridings has been filled, and the new employee will begin Sept. 22.

Kovacs highlighted the following:

The district’s reciprocal closest unit response with Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) had increased to 14 mutual aid ambulance and engine responses (10 in June), with BFFRPD responding to MFD three times in June/July.
July was a slower month compared to July 2024, but the district overall has been busier in 2025 than 2024.
The first candidate offered the BFFRPD fire chief position has declined the position. It will likely be several weeks before the selection process is complete.
The special session held by the state to address the deficit had no direct impacts on the fire district.

Administrative office move

Bumgarner said the district administrative staff is anticipating the move to its administrative building/storage facility at 19775 Mitchell Ave., Monument on Sept. 8.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at about 5:30 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, no action was taken and the meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday every month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 24 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.