The Nederland Fire Protection District (NFPD) Board of Directors met on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at 7 p.m. to vote on a resolution calling an election and appointing a designated election official. The NFPD Board was also tasked with voting whether to approve an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Boulder for water use and hydrant facilities.

Chief Mike Scott’s report for January highlighted efforts toward a State of Colorado EMT Grant for a new ambulance, noted the NFPD’s need for tow straps after having recovered four motorists stranded in the snow over the last month, and mentioned that area firefighters completed an Ice Rescue training at Mud Lake. It was also stated in the January report that the NFPD has experienced major chain breakage on trucks 5641 and 5601; the breakage caused considerable damage which has yet to be fully assessed.

An EMS report stated that their ambulance license renewal is moving forward with Boulder County and that co-medical officers have been stationed to Sugarloaf and are training to the same medical standards as Nederland.

The Fire Marshal’s report highlighted work with the town of Nederland and SAFEbuilt to create a process by which to review code amendments. SAFEbuilt requested collaboration with NFPD on initial plan reviews regarding these amendments in order to obtain their goal of eventually performing reviews on their own. The Fire Marshal’s report also noted that Eldora was making “major strides” towards addressing deficiencies and outstanding fire code issues in all their facilities.

The Board discussed within the Chief’s Report the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the city of Boulder concerning the District’s access to City water facilities. Section 1b of the IGA states “the District shall have access to the water from the In-District Hydrant, or from other City facilities at the City’s discretion, provided that the District shall utilize such water for public firefighting purposes only and in accordance with all rules, regulations, and requirements of the Boulder City Charter and Boulder Revised Code.”

The Board provided their final review and advice on how to move forward, with the major concern being language in the agreement stating that Boulder County can charge NFPD for using their water during an emergency situation. The Board advised Scott to inquire about having the language removed and voted to approve Scott as the official signer of the agreement with Boulder County.

The NFPD Board discussed the delegation of powers in the absence of the Fire Chief.

The assigned captain on duty assumes the position of Acting Chief when the acting Fire Chief is unresponsive to calls for an extended period of time. The Fire Chief can also assign an off-duty captain to act as a standby Duty Officer to assist during an absence of the Fire Chief.

The Acting Chief receives additional “specialty pay” on top of their regular pay from the moment they assume the role. Duty Officers receive “standby pay” per 24-hour shift. Also, non-exempt employees will be compensated for responding to calls when off duty during the Fire Chief’s absence.

The Board wished to add language referring powers of delegation for Acting Chief and Duty Officer duties to the Board. There was also a discussion on requiring a limit as to how long an Acting Chief can be in charge while receiving specialty pay, and requiring a time frame for when the Board should step in and appoint a new Fire Chief.

The goal for creating a succession plan in the case of the Fire Chief’s action is to assure the continued management of the district’s operations without causing inner friction or confusion as to who is in charge.

The Board was tasked with making actionable decisions on several resolutions in preparation for the May 2 election, including appointing a designated election official (DEO) and setting the district’s official notice locations. The election will vote in three new Directors to replace those whose terms have ended.

The NFPD Board of Directors is comprised of five representatives of the Fire District’s taxpayers’ interests who are responsible for “filing and managing an annual budget of approximately $1.2 million, filing an annual audit and any other statutory notices, and ensuring that the District provides Fire and Emergency Medical and Rescue Services within the district boundaries within the terms of the special district service plan.” The NFPD Board employs the Fire Chief, who is responsible for the operations management of the district, and supports the volunteers who serve the district.

An official statement from the NFPD Board stated that experience in Fire or EMS was not necessary in order to serve on the Board, nor was any previous board experience required. Any knowledge of how Colorado Special Districts operate would be considered an advantage. Required qualifications include being an eligible elector in Colorado, being either an owner of taxable real or personal property in the district, obligated to pay taxes in the district, the spouse of an owner of taxable real or personal property in the district, or a resident of the district.

Employees or volunteers of the district have no required qualifications. Directors serve a term of four years and are free to resign at any time. Submit letters of interest to the NFPD by mail at:

Nederland Fire Protection District

PO Box 155

Nederland CO 80466

Or by email at: admin@nfpd.org.

The Board approved a motion to vote by mail in the May 2 election. They approved Sherry Snyder as the DEO, who is authorized to cancel the election. The NFPD Board approved the designation of the district’s website and the main entrance of Nederland Fire Station at 1650 Lower West Fourth Street in Nederland as official posting places for all public notices.

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 February 15, 2023, at 7 p.m. For more information go to: https://www.nfpd.org.

[The current membership of the NFPD Board is: Iain Irwin-Powell, President; Guy Falsetti, Vice President; Todd Wieseler, Treasurer; Russ Panneton, Director; Jessica McElvain, Director; Mike Scott, Chief.]