The Nederland Fire Protection District (NFPD) Board of Directors met on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 7 p.m. to discuss concerns regarding fire department volunteers also serving on government boards as elected or appointed officials. The NFPD board also took action on providing the district with a new utility task vehicle.

The NFPD board discussed volunteer and firefighter-in-training John Mountain’s recent appointment to the Nederland Board of Trustees. The board discussed the implications of Mountain’s appointment, including the dedication of time and potential for any conflict of interest.

In a letter to Chief Mike Scott, Mountain assured the NFPD that he would “avoid discussions or situations that would compromise either role, my teams within the department, the boards, or my own integrity.” NFPD board members were concerned about whether Mountain would recuse himself from BOT matters that affect the NFPD, and that Mountain’s letter was not specific as to what BOT agenda items might be considered a conflict of interest.

There were concerns raised that Mountain’s opinion as a Trustee could be interpreted by the community and by the BOT as the opinion of the NFPD, or of NFPD interests. The NFPD board wished for Mountain to state during such BOT discussions and actions that his opinion does not fully represent the NFPD.

Board members also discussed the concern of Mountain’s commitment of time to the BOT interfering with his volunteer duties, as well as with becoming a full-time firefighter. The board considered adopting language into their operations manual to specify the NFPD’s position on Department members volunteering on municipal government boards and to better define what constitutes a conflict of interest.

The NFPD made a motion concerning whether they approve of NFPD members volunteering onto government boards because of potential conflicts of interest across a variety of topics. The motion was immediately tabled for further discussion; the board believed their decision on the matter would set a precedent and wished to proceed carefully.

Chief Scott presented his report, which stated that the joint mechanic position for Nederland and Timberline fire departments has yet to be filled. The position has been available for six months; Scott proposed waiting a few more weeks before changing the specifications of the position in order hopefully to entice potential applicants.

Scott provided updates on securing bids from vendors for a new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) breathing air compressor for the Nederland Fire Department (NFD). The cost for the compressor is being quoted between $60,000 and $65,000. Preliminary assessments on the logistics of the installation have yet to be completed.

Scott spoke about his meeting with Mayor Billy Giblin to discuss Nederland’s need for emergency evacuation and preparedness planning. Scott also met with property owner Ron Mitchell concerning Mitchell’s proposal for a wildfire evacuation plan for the Big Springs neighborhood.

Mitchell’s plan would involve motorized boats stationed on the South side of the Barker reservoir. Mitchell would like for the NFD to supervise a practice run of his proposal. Scott stated that though NFD will assuredly respond to a wildfire emergency, they could not support an evacuation plan from a private citizen.

Scott noted in his report a cardiac arrest call on Caribou Road that EMS had responded to. The resident’s address was not accurately posted, causing issues for emergency response teams. The resident unfortunately did not survive despite over 30 minutes of resuscitation efforts by EMS. Scott and the NFPD have started a campaign to provide the proper signage for address posting in many of Nederland’s neighborhoods

The NFPD board were tasked with voting on final approval for the purchase of custom outfitted utility task vehicles (UTV). The UTVs would be customized with a roof rack to transport gear and a water pump, a winch, and lights and radios, to be provided by the NFPD. The UTVs would primarily be utilized for backcountry operations, including emergency fire response and also rescue operations.

The overall cost to the NFD for the acquisition of one UTV is currently quoted at $33,270, with the department having allocated $27,000 from their budget for such vehicles. The NFPD voted to approve the additional $5,270 needed to fully fund the UTV acquisition.

The Nederland and Timberline Fire Departments have been holding joint training sessions for their volunteer firefighters. Scott’s report noted the great number of attendees to the session on Saturday, February 11, at which they focused on forced entry techniques for doors and garages.

The NFPD board were tasked with reviewing the current proposals for a new Human Resources contractor. Lucy Zamarripa has provided 26.5 hours of HR services to the NFPD for the past 11 months at $65 per hour. Zamarripa’s proposal is to follow a retainer model and to be paid $100 per hour with additional costs for onsite visits. NFPD has allocated $32,000 in the 2023 budget for HR services.

Zamarripa’s proposal highlighted three options for onsite visits. The NFPD could opt for three visits throughout the year, with each visit providing five to six hours of HR services, at a flat monthly rate of $2,150, with any additional visits costing $600 each. Other options include four visits at $2,200 a month, and six visits at $2,300 a month. Each option also includes 20 hours of remote HR services.

The NFPD board also received a proposal of $85 per hour for HR services from Stephanie Cooke, with a flat charge between $500 and $600 for onsite visits. After board members reviewed their 2023 budget, a motion was made to accept Cooke’s proposal, which was seconded and approved unanimously.

The Nederland Fire Protection District Board of Directors meets the third Wednesday of every month and can now be attended in person or online on Microsoft Teams. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 7 p.m. For more information go to: https://www.nfpd.org.