SOUTHERN PARK COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT 
  
                                    MINUTES for Feb. 4, 2010 Public Meeting 
  
  
1)    Call to order
Called to order 7:10pm
Present: Board Members: Sam Calanni, Anita Long, Kathy Boettcher, Amy Mason, Richard Rogers
Department Members:  Fire Chief Gene Stanley, Deputy Chief Aaron Mandel, Larry LePage, Joan LePage, Seth Stahlman, Lawrence Epps, Donovan Johnson 
  
2)    Introduction of guests
Mary Ann Melvin, District Election Officer 
  
3)     Approval of Agenda
Revised: Move May election  with Mary Ann Melvin up on Agenda (after approval of minutes).  Unanimously approved. 
  
4)     Approval of Jan. meeting minutes
Moved by Kathy Boettcher, seconded by Anita Long, unanimously accepted. 
  
5)    Directors and Chief Reports 
May Election: Mary Ann Melvin, District Election Officer.  Stated an election calendar is available.  Call for nominations posted in Flume.  Three self –nominations received.  Forwarded to Secretary of State, also forwarded to County Clerk.  
Nominations have a February 26 (Friday) deadline.   
If no nominations are received, Mary Ann will cancel election.  If an election is needed, the election will be at the Guffey Fire Station.  Election information is posted at the Guffey Library and Fire Station.   
March 1st is the deadline for write-in candidates.  
May 4th election may be cancelled if no more than 3 people running. 
Treasurers Report: Anita Long 
Treasurers Report Summary attached to financial statements and minutes.  
Balance sheets: cash and liabilities subject to change month by month.  
Under budget in all categories except for firefighting equipment.   Firefighting equipment not over budget for entire year, only for timing at this point in the year. 
CPA (Osborne, Parsons & Rosacker, LLP) indicates no supplemental budget (for last year) is needed.    
Final draft copy from CPA due February 28th, need signed resolution before then. 
Treasurers Report accepted as submitted. 
Public Relations: Anita Long
Status of Newsletter: currently at 10 pages, targeting 8 pages.  
Jim Tubbs has obtained 13 ads so far. 
Proposal to send postcards and download copy from web site.  
Also print 20 copies and leave at library, Rita’s Place and Freshwater’s. 
Will highlight different volunteers in each issue. 
Regulatory matters: (Interagency Agreements) 
The February 1st deadline for Interagency agreements, met and did affect the request for audit exemption which was corrected to reflect the agreements.   All agreements are continuous.  
Ute Pass Ambulance renamed, was Woodland Park Ambulance.
Map and budget submissions met regulatory submission dates.  
March 1st deadline for audit exemption, resolution to be passed tonight 
Transparency notice is posted on web site.  Need link from DOLA to web site, however, this is up to DOLA at this time. 
  
Chiefs Report: 
 Phone call from Park County sheriff asking if we need fire engines, 2 fire engines were available from San Diego Naval Station.   By the time we were able to contact the Sheriff's office, the engines were already committed  to the forest service.  Sheriff is now aware that we are interested in fire engines.  
Chief Gene requested and was granted authorization to commit to an engine if situation occurs again.  Potential costs of transportation may exceed the Chief's approval authority which is $500.  Tansportation costs may have been $2000-$3000 in this case.   Costs would be considered a capital expense to ship, not a travel expense, even though actual cost of vehicle is $0.  Could trigger supplemental budget for new line item.  
Move for Chief Gene to acquire equipment with reasonable expenses for transportation, only when offered free.  When apparatus becomes available at no cost and transportation costs exceeds $500 and does not exceed $7500.  Motion carried unanimously. 
One run billable during month. 
Dinner in June for members of fire department.  Auxiliary to pay for dinner.  Fire department to cover awards.  
Opening at 4-mile for Firefighter I class, free.  February 21st for 8 weeks.   Larry Marvin is contact person.  We furnish text books. 
AOP (Annual Operating Plan):  Agreements between counties and forest service.  First meeting last Tuesday. and Thursday, for agency heads.  Chief Gene representative for Park County.  Park and Teller counties are under the same agreement.  El Paso is not included.  Will create another interagency agreement.  Brian Fultz is the new emergency manager. 
Legislation change: sheriff used to be in charge and had jurisdiction of wild land fires in unincorporated areas.  Changed to only when jurisdiction is not within a fire protection district.  If federal resources ordered, used to be county responsibility.  The district now responsible.  Way to get county involved is to always order resources via Fairplay.  
Donovan Johnson new volunteer firefighter, present, Lawrence Epps also new firefighter. 
Proposal to transport to Thomas Moore.  Document January 2007 describes policy. 
David Ross documented, finalized.  Need updated copy for records.  
District calendar:  $10 each.  Future thought. 
Wildfire academy expenses in Canon City:  normally, gas, hotels, dinners, covered.  5 weeks.  Cover mileage and meals, but not overnight stays, considered a commute.  Breakfast and lunch served at academy.  We’ll cover dinner. 
Bogus EMT medical calling asking for info/donations on behalf of SPCFPD.  Detective now working on it.  Alert on web page.  Amy will write notice.  Dispatch will never ask for medical or private information. 
  
Auxiliary Report: 
18 calendars still at Rita’s, $15 each.  Planning an appreciation dinner, meeting in April, reservations 3 weeks ahead of time.  Set menu.  Need enough people to cook, serve, cleanup.  Possibly extra money.  
  
6)     Old Business 
CSFS Grant Application (laptops) – no need for high priced units.  Possibly netbooks.  Not certain on specifications at this time.  Appears to be under budget with laptops and GPS units.  Should be able to have 4 units with grants.  Grant rewritten to acquire 6 units, grant to match $1000 for $2000 expenditures.  
District map complete. 
Mary Ann Melvin is the DEO. 
Internal Audit Results.  Presented internal audit report.  No problems, 
New log sheet for gas purchases. To reconcile gas purchases.  
December, Michelle Miller called, monthly deposits now received via email.  
Monthly backups will be stored offsite.  New flash drives to save backups will be purchased.  Online backup services available and will be looked into.
Not consistent on using tax exempt certificate.  New copies of tax exempt forms printed. 
DOLA Contact List is outdated outdated.  New list has been provided to DOLA. 
  
7)    New Business 
Resolution on exemption from audit was presented.  Motion to adopt, Moved by Anita Long, seconded by Amy Mason, passed unanimously.  Board will sign. 
Ratify Accounting Firm engagement.  Move to engage CPA (Osborne, Parsons & Rosacker, LLP) firm at an estimated cost of $1,900. Anita Long moved, Amy Mason seconded.    Unanimously approved. 
Ratify Ambulance 91 repair expenditure, already ratified via email, $500-$600.  Kathy Boettcher moved, Anita Long seconded.  Unanimously ratified. 
Bunker gear purchase for new volunteers.  Aaron found gear for $900 per unit. Budget contains $7,200 for year. Line item.  Estimate $4000 for purchase and ship. 
Motion for  up to $3,600 plus shipping for bunker gear.  Amy Mason moved, Kathy Boettcher seconded. Unanimously approved.
The Grant for a Structure engine to replace 962 is no longer available.
Review PIO (public information office) releases.
A discuss was held on Retirement contributions for Volunteers to attract and retain volunteers.  No decisions were reached. 
  
8)     Public Input
Amy Mason to certify people on Animal First Aid on February 11th, at Fairplay firehouse, station 2 hwy 285, no cost. 
Seth: clarify chain of approval for web site releases:   Rita sends to Amy then to Seth.   Rita is field PIO.  Only items from Sam, Gene, or Amy are to be published.  Information from Anita Long may also be published.   Public Notices are from Anita Long, district operations from Gene.  Board is only source for press releases.  Update web page to include notice for phishing problem. 
  
  
9)     Adjourn Public Meeting 
9:07 adjourned. 
  
Respectfully submitted: 
Richard Rogers, Secretary