The importance of Colorado’s open records and open meetings laws was the focus of a work session Monday night at the Estes Valley Fire Protection District, a political subdivision of the state of Colorado.
Board president Sandra Smith’s presentation reviewed the Colorado Open Records Act, including proper use and the limits it imposes on executive sessions. Smith also led the board through scenarios illustrating how CORA applies to the operations of a special district board.
Smith, an attorney, explained the problems with “daisy chain communication,” a way for board members to attempt to circumvent the law by having conversations and exchanging emails with other board members in which consensus on issues and decision-making occur outside a public meeting.
After the 90-minute study session, the board gaveled into a lengthy meeting and voted to accept a proposal from Dazzio and Associates PC, a certified public accounting firm, to conduct the District’s 2025 audit. The audit fee, including expenses, will not exceed $8,000.
The board voted to approve the transactions listed on the treasurer’s report as presented at the meeting. According to the treasurer’s report, total operating revenue for January was $240,549, which was $141,001 over budget. The tax revenue for January was $205,345, which was $121,599 over budget. The sales tax revenue was $151,662 over budget due to the timing of the deposit; non-tax revenue for January was $35,204, $19,402 over budget; and expenses for January were $203,057, $42,455 under budget.
Division Chief Jon Landkamer led the board in a discussion on adopting the 2025 Wildfire Resiliency Code. Smith expressed concerns about several details in the code’s language and requested that the board seek clarification before adopting the draft as presented in their board packet.
Smith will work with Landkamer on the points of concern in the coming weeks, as municipalities and special districts are required to adopt wildfire regulations that meet or exceed the State’s model code by April 1, 2026.
The board approved a motion to provide the Estes Valley Watershed Coalition with $50,000 for their annual wildfire mitigation work. The funding is part of the District’s 2026 budget and is paid for from 1A sales tax revenue. The mitigation projects will be implemented during the Estes Valley Fire Protection District’s 2026 fiscal year, with completion by Dec. 31, 2026.
The board decided to hire GMP Consultants to serve as the fire chief recruitment and selection consultant at a cost of $25,000 to $30,000. GMP is a public-sector executive search firm based in Snoqualmie, Washington. The recruitment process will begin in the next few weeks, and it is anticipated that a new chief will be hired by late summer or early fall.
The board is working with Interim Fire Chief Warren Jones on organizational restructuring. One change is renaming the Support Services Division to the Community Risk Reduction Division to better reflect the assigned duties.
Additionally, the District is seeking to hire for the position of Operations and Training Division Chief. The District has three internal candidates for the position who will be interviewed for the role. Interviews are scheduled for Monday, and Jones plans to make an appointment the week of March 9. Depending on the appointment for the Operations and Training Division Chief, the District may also need to fill its Training and Volunteer Coordinator position. If necessary, Jones said he would bring the board a job description for that role and request an internal-only recruitment at the March 23 board meeting.
Painting with broad strokes, Jones laid out an initial plan for the District to assess its long-range funding needs as the Town of Estes Park moves forward with plans for a new police department facility. The Town’s actions will necessitate the EVFPD pursuing funding through either an increased mill levy or a sales tax to offset a loss of funding from the Town, Jones said.
Currently, the Town of Estes Park provides the EVFPD with a share of the town’s collected sales tax. Following legislation passed in 2024, fire protection districts in Colorado are now authorized to impose a sales tax to fund district services.
Jones expects it will take 12 to 18 months to gather community input and analyze the best revenue option to put before voters for their decision. The District will need to not only replace operational funding from the Town but also plan for necessary capital expenses, including replacing aging fire trucks.
A new fire rig can cost between $500,000 and more than $2 million, depending on its purpose and how it is outfitted, and the wait time for delivery of a new fire truck can range from 36 to 48 months.
This full-time resident would support a sales tax option for funding EVFPD, as the tourists who swamp our town in season would be chipping in to pay for essential emergency services. But an increased mill levy – having property owners cover the costs of the emergency services that the tourists receive? That would be a big NO vote from me!