GOLDEN GATE CANYON - The Golden Gate Canyon Fire Protection District hosted an open house for Station 81, located at 32360 Robinson Hill Road, on June 26, 2025, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Then the regular Board meeting took place at Station 81 at 7 p.m.

President Deb Curlee called the meeting to order, welcoming everyone. Board members present for the meeting were Deb Curlee, President; Marith Reheis, Vice President; Mike Sever, Treasurer; and Karla Grahn, Secretary. Dave Primmer had an excused absence.

Reheis requested an addition to the agenda for timing the forming of the budget committee.

To audit or not?

Mike Sever introduced an update on the Audit Exemption application. It has been submitted to the state and is delayed by required signatures. It hasn’t been rejected, and he is confident it is accepted as he hasn’t heard anything otherwise.

Reheis said that at previous meetings going back to February. The board had been promising to do an audit to see if the District’s bookkeeping is transparent.

This dragged on for two more meetings, she continued, and did not get finalized. In the middle of April, she contacted the company which had the lowest bid for an audit. Pauline Davis said the quote they gave is still good, and that they have been waiting for approval.

The deadline was May 15. The list Reheis received of information needed to complete the audit was 80 pages long. The information requested had little relevant to the District but is what the state requires, Reheis said.

We had 10 days to respond, she added, when their bookkeeper reached out to the company. They asked, “Why are you doing this?”

He explained why they are planning an audit, but doesn’t know of another Front Range fire district performing an audit like this. She said the District qualifies for an exemption.

The District can decide what report they want for an hourly charge, Reheis said. “We can do an audit exemption, and they will review it and provide a report. We need to make a list and what is estimated, and then the board will have to authorize it.”

Sever introduced a proposal for a financial review for $5,000. The audit company will not conduct a full-blown audit and will look at transactions and offer suggestions. They have access to QuickBooks online.

They will look at how the District does business and look at all internal policies. Sever said he wants to move forward with that at an estimated cost not to exceed $3,000, and $5,000 was budgeted. The board are not required to do a full audit.

The board approved the financial review.

Other expenses

Karla Grahn provided an update on the CORA Form. She said she has been combing through documents for opportunities for improvement. According to the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) The State has changed to a minimum hourly cost of a $30 rate for document searches. The Board agreed not to change policies.

Sever introduced a question about an accident several months ago. The District owes a deductible of $5,000. The board approved paying that $5,000 from contingency funds.

Direct mail PR

Curlee introduced a discussion item regarding Direct Mail service costs. She said the District needs better communications with residents who are not internet savvy, so she looked into direct mail costs and found AlphaGraphics in Golden.

They can use an existing list for door to door mailing that will require some research. It would include about 450 cards for $300.

Curlee said they can send a card out to publicize  the new web site. Sever added that they can put a scan code on the card.

“I like the idea,” Sever said. Curlee suggested “We give them the copy, and it will be under $500.” She said she will see what she can come up with.

Budget committee

Reheis said the board routinely forms a budget committee, sometimes in July and sometimes in August. Chief Kyle Benson said the final budget comes in August. The board agreed to talk about what needs to be done and appoint members to the committee in July. They need two board members plus the chief.

Chief’s report

Chief Benson reported that the statewide Colorado wildfire resiliency code will be officially adopted by the state on July 1, 2025. Both GGFPD and Jefferson County will be required to adopt a WUI code by March 1, 2026, that meets the minimum requirements set forth in the statewide code.

Chief Benson has been appointed to a County committee to assist in the County code adoption, which will help the district in its own adoption process.

The Jefferson County Commissioners officially approved the expansion of the County’s wildland fire program on June 24, 2025, and approved 37 FTEs. GGFPD is slated for one of the initial mitigation projects as the County crew comes online in early fall, Benson reported.

The District received a grant for 30 sets of Tec Gen Wildland/EMS and extrication PPE. FFs were fit for gear in mid-April 2025. “Our spec gear arrived and has been approved and delivery is expected in six to eight weeks,” Benson reported.

Call volume continues to follow seasonal trends, with 26 calls to date for 2025. Tablet implementation has been delayed but is still slated for completion in the next 60 days, Benson noted.

“We are currently at an operational staff of 28 with two that fill a dual role as support staff and two single-role support staff. We have one staff on active-duty military leave,” he reported.

The CWPP update continues to move on schedule with physical project planning, mapping and prioritization completed. “We are now working on prioritizing projects that build the District’s direct capacity to mitigation and actively combat wildland fires.”

The District will be hosting a one-day slash collection on June 28 at station 83/GGFPD and the Golden Gate Grange from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Slash only (no pinecones, pine needles or logs over six inches).

The next regular Board Meeting will be on July 24, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Grange. For more information go to https://goldengatefire.colorado.gov/ .