At 5 p.m. on June 18, 2024, Timberline Fire Protection District (TFPD) hosted an open house at Station 1 at 5927 Magnolia Road in Nederland.

Visitors mingled with Timberline staff and volunteers, enjoying cheeseburgers, chips, cookies, and Member-at-Large John Carder’s famous banana bread. The tone was light-hearted and the weather was agreeable.

High Country Auxiliary and the Timberline Volunteer Foundation were on site, sharing literature and taking donations.

The Open House was followed by a Board of Directors meeting at 7 p.m.

At the recent workshop on June 12, the Board met with Holman Capital to discuss a loan and lease terms for the remainder of the cost to build out Station 3, located at 19126 Highway 119, in the amount of $700,000. The collateral for the lease would be Station 7, located at 660 Highway 46, Black Hawk.

Two loan options were presented, for 15 and 20 years, with varying interest rates and payment terms.

Carder favored the 15-year term, and expressed concern for the future Board, 20 years from now, who may face the need to replace fire trucks.

The first payment of $36,441.27 would be due on January 3, 2025 and every six months thereafter for 15 years. The 15-year term saves the district about $159,000.

There will also be $15,000 in document fees and about $5,000 additional for the filing and title fees. Chief Ondr said this amount could come from overages in the budget.

The Board agreed to adopt the 15-year lease term.

Holman Capital requires a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment of Station 7, since it is the collateral for the lease. President Rick Wenzel suggested using Baseline Engineering because one of Timberline’s constituents works for the company. The detailed proposal is for an amount not to exceed $5,000.

The assessment will ensure the collateral is sound, clarified Carder. All were in favor.

Another notable item of discussion during the meeting included the ISO Evaluation, which Ondr said comes around every five years.

ISO is a supplier of data and analytics for the property/casualty insurance industry. ISO’s Public Protection Classification Program (PPC) provides an analysis of the structural fire suppression delivery system provided in a community.

The PPC program is not intended to analyze all aspects of a comprehensive structural fire suppression delivery system program, nor is it intended to determine compliance with any state or local laws. It can be used to help communities, fire departments, and other public officials as they plan for, budget, and justify improvements.

The PPC is based on a grading scale from 1 to 10. A 1 classification represents superior property fire protection, and a 10 classification indicates that the area’s fire protection does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria.

Timberline’s “Final Community Classification” of 5 and 10 included a summary of factors like Emergency Communications, Fire Department, and Water Supply for areas that are within five miles of TFPD stations versus outside of five miles from TFPD stations.

From Timberline’s website: “PPC Rating of 5: This rating applies to all TFPD residents and business owners within five road miles of TFPD stations 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 8, and 10. PPC Rating of 10: This rating applies to all TFPD residents and business owners outside five road miles of the above mentioned fire stations.”

Member-at-Large John Bushey asked how the community would use this. Administrative Chief Jennifer Hinderman replied that only insurance companies who pay into the system can see the ISO rating. The rating has not changed since the last report in 2018.

Mary Kate McKenna asked about some of the numbers and suggested more information be passed on to homeowners as to how it could affect their insurance rates. Hinderman said that every property is different.

More information can be found at https://www.isomitigation.com/.

The ending balance of the Fire and Police Pension Association was $1,505,574.80

Ondr presented updates on Station 3, including the status of the CDS Grant, and the Historical Grant for the roof installation. He announced that the roof is now 100% complete.

Policies regarding open records, Fire Chief appointment, Fire Chief Project Management, Fire Chief purchasing and grants, and fees were discussed at the previous workshop and were passed unanimously in one motion.

The meeting was adjourned at about 8:30 p.m.

The High-Country Auxiliary (HCA) has been in existence for over 50 years. HCA’s mission is to aid and support Timberline Fire Protection District (TFPD), Gilpin County Animal Response Team (GCART), and other emergency service organizations within the district. Aid includes providing food and water at scene responses or training sessions, purchasing supplies and equipment for first responders that are outside of their normal budgets, and providing scholarships to assist firefighters and other emergency services personnel to attend training events. Donations are always welcome and can be made at https://www.coloradogives.org/donate/High-Country-Fire-District-Auxiliary-Incorporated.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 24, 2024, at Station 3, 19126 Highway 119, Black Hawk, CO 80422.