GOLDEN GATE CANYON - The Golden Gate Fire Protection District Board approved a final  budget for 2025 and censured one of its members during a regular meeting on December 21, 2024, at 7 p.m. at the Grange. Board members present were Deb Curlee, President; Marith Reheis, Secretary; Steve Green, and Dave Primmer. Niffy Ovuworie, Vice-President and Treasurer, attended online after the meeting started.

During Additions and Deletions to the Agenda, Primmer said he wanted to add sanctions to Ovuworie. Curlee said that procedure has to be published on the website and shown to all the Board members before the meeting.

Curlee said that Primmer can bring it next month. Green made a motion to put it on the agenda at the current meeting. Two board members voted nay and two yea, so the motion failed.

Primmer said he wanted to add the position of Sergeant-at-Arms to the agenda. Curlee agreed.

The board then approved the November 21, 2024, Meeting Minutes, with Green and Primmer voting nay.

Ovuworie made a motion to pass the Resolution for the 2025 budget and mill levy. According to the resolution, “Whatever decreases may have been made in the revenues, like decreases were made to the expenditures so that the budget remains in balance, as required by law.”

Estimated expenditures for each fund are as follows:

Operating Expenditures, $279,700; Capital Expenditures, $144,152

From transfer of reserves, $144,152

From sources other than general property tax, $13,000

From general property tax, $260,773.

Ovuworie said the levy did not increase. Green said that this has blown out of proportion. “We should bring the income way down,” he added. Ovuworie noted that the operational budget is less than revenue.

Green said the budgets are posted on the website and the numbers don’t match. There is a difference of $84,000.

Reheis spoke to the difference, which is the result of capital investments for CWPP, applying for more grants, and the purchase of a new vehicle. “We have been saving money so we can invest,” she added.

Primmer said “You have to get a better plan and stay underneath the real investment.” Green said that it is padding $424,000 for the budget, that there are sloppy categories and no guidelines. “I have said that for more than two years,” he stated.

“For CWPP, we didn’t need to spend that money,” Green said, and he refused to vote. Curlee said we will have a full audit next year.

Reheis presented a Resolution for censure of Board Member Steve Green. “The Board of Directors of the District has determined that Board Member Steve Green has violated two Colorado State Statutes, the District By-Laws, and the Oath of Office by his conduct at the Board.”

“At the October board meeting, Board Member Green, in reaction to discussion by Board Member Ovuworie, said ‘You should go back to wherever it was you came.’ In addition, he interjected a false statement of drunk driving and a car accident directed at a community member who was speaking about budget issues. These two statements constitute racist language and harassment….

“At both the September and October Board Meetings, Member Green left the meetings abruptly long before business was concluded, thus jeopardizing the quorum requirement. At virtually every board meeting, he has persistently refused to follow Robert’s Rules of Order by interrupting both board members and citizens, attempting to change the subject, and randomly inserting inappropriate remarks.”

Curlee noted that this was a resolution, and therefore needs a second without discussion. Ovuworie seconded it.

Green said he did not make any false statements. Primmer said the Board is just trying to run Steve off, and three people on this board ignore him. Green said this is his third censure and left the meeting.

Reheis presented a Resolution to set the 2025 meeting calendar.

All meetings in 2025 to be held at the Golden Gate Grange, at 25231 Golden Gate Canyon Road, Golden. Board meetings start at 7 p.m. All board meetings are subject to change to online/phone-in, as weather or Covid may require a change. Zoom links and phone-in numbers will be posted on the GGFPD website.

Meeting dates: Fourth Thursday of every month except November and December.

The Board approved the calendar.

Primmer requested approval to appoint him as Sergeant-at-Arms at meetings. He will keep the peace at meetings and will shut down unruly speakers. Curlee said that would be the duty of a mediator if present. Ovuworie said that, according to Roberts Rules of Order, the parliamentarian is the Chair.

Reheis said she would like to see a proposal.

Kyle Kociemba-Benson, Fire Chief/Membership, reported that the District will be moving to the newly formed NCC interagency wildland dispatch center from our current dispatch center, which is in Pueblo. Chiefs Enright and Benson attended a meeting with our Front Range agency partners regarding this change.

“We don’t anticipate any significant issues with the move; however, it will change several things operationally for the department as it pertains to wildland fire deployments and large wildland fires within the district. Central Fire dispatch channel updates occurred on December 2 without any issues to report.

“Jeffcom will be relocating to a new building in Golden in early 2025. We are looking forward to having our dispatch resource a bit closer to the district.

“The website project is continuing to move along smoothly, and we look forward to sharing the site in early 2025.” The last two weeks have been on the slow side operationally, he added, with 96 calls to date.

The officer group has selected a quote from vendor Peak Honda to acquire a Pioneer 1000 five-seat model UTV. This model has shorter wheelbase than our previous UTV, for improved off road performance, but it also has the ability to transport five personnel into an emergency scene, as well as a patient in a rescue basket with a medical attendant.

The Chief’s report continued: “We currently have 23 operational members and three support services members on the roster. The 2024 volunteer recruitment effort closed on November 30. and we will be holding interviews for nine eligible candidates on December 7.

“Ember Alliance will be hosting the first community meeting virtually on December 9 at 6 p.m. All district residents are encouraged to attend. This meeting is a presentation of the CWPP process and an introduction to Ember Alliance. Links for the meeting are posted on the GGFPD website and have distributed through community email lists. This meeting will be VIRTURAL ONLY.”

The next regular Board Meeting will be on January 23, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Grange, 25231 Golden Gate Canyon Road, Golden. For more information, go to https:// MAIN - Golden Gate Fire Protection District.