Mindy Leary, Gilpin County. At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, Timberline Fire District held their monthly board meeting online and via phone dial-in. In attendance were President Rick Wenzel, Treasurer Whitney Donoghue and Members-At-Large Chip Smith, Jeff Fisher and John Bushey. Others present included Fire Chief Paul Ondr and Secretary Jennifer Hinderman. Highlights included the approval of meeting minutes and the Chief’s Report.

A motion was made to accept the minutes of the January 12 meeting and the January 26 workshop; it passed unanimously with no discussion or public comment. 

There was no new business to discuss.

Old business included the Continuance of the Disaster Declaration. All were in agreement to continue.

The new Fire Chief Job Description was then presented. The Fire Chief serves at the pleasure, and under the direction and guidance, of the Board of Directors.

The Timberline Fire Protection District (TFPD) Board of Directors is proposing to revise the job description for the role of TFPD Fire Chief to align with the wage and salary data reported in the 2020 Survey of the Special District Association of Colorado (SDA) Compensation Survey Report, Job 86901: Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer. 

The TFPD Board of Directors would establish a full-time salary range of $90,000 - $125,000 per year plus benefits, depending on qualifications. Commensurate with this revision, the TFPD Board of Directors is also proposing to adjust the annual salary for the current position of TFPD Fire Chief, held by Paul Ondr, to the amount of $80,625. This reflects a regular budgeted assignment of 75% of a full-time equivalent position with a starting salary of $105,000.

The Chief’s Employment Agreement and Job Description was approved without discussion. 

Chief Paul Ondr delivered the Chief’s Report. We responded to 48 calls in January. They issued the new Dual Band portable radios to the officers on Thursday, all their mobiles and base radios are installed and ready. Working with dispatch, they have set the official “go live” date as April 13, 2021, at 10 a.m.

Concerning Covid, their current directives include fabric masks at all times when sharing space with others, N95 or P100 masks on ALL medical calls when closer than 20 feet to the patient. They continue to reevaluate policies to limit exposure if someone becomes sick and currently does not have anyone out or in quarantine. Approximately 30 responders have received the first dose of the Covid vaccine through Gilpin County Public Health. All have received their second dose as well.

They currently have adequate supplies of PPE (personal protective equipment) with small amounts in reserve. Gilpin County has additional reserves, if needed. TFPD is providing the support staff for the vaccine clinics, with 3-4 members for each clinic. They are doing paperwork, directing people, assisting people to the site, etc. 

Smith requested a thank you email be sent to the volunteer group helping with the vaccine clinic and that they have been representing Timberline well.

“The process is doing very well,” said Smith. 

Ondr continued, “I will be speaking to the Gilpin County Commissioners on March 2 regarding Station 3 lease. I met with Dave Rich from Public Works and we agree that reducing our footprint in Rollinsville to one bay will work for TFPD as well as helping the county. I am going to propose this as a no cost option (free to TFPD). I am also planning to tell them we likely will need this for 3-5 additional years.” 

Ondr said they are interviewing 12 new volunteers, the cream of the crop out of 70 applications. 

There was no public comment.

Meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.

The next regular board meeting for Timberline Fire Protection District will be publicly and virtually held Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at 6 p.m. and can be accessed via their website under the “Board of Directors” tab.

(Originally published in the February 25, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)