The Falcon Fire Protection District held its regular board meeting April 15. All board members were present except for Joan Hathcock, who was excused because of a family emergency.Community Wildfire Protection PlanKeith Worley, a wildfire mitigation specialist who has been hired by the district to create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, defined a CWPP and its benefits to the district and residents.Worley is a forester who served as the president of Pikes Peak Wildfire Prevention Partners. He also contributed to the governorís review of the Black Forest Fire.Treasurerís reportChief Trent Harwig reported that the fiscal year is 25 percent complete as of March 31. The district has received 40 percent of anticipated revenue, and total budgeted expenditures are under budget at 21 percent.The districtís annual financial audit has been completed. Harwig said the district spent $1,000 more in the pension fund than the amount originally estimated for the budget. He said the budget has to be finalized in January, but the pension fund fourth-quarter report isnít received until February. Harwig said the fund has ample money to cover the expense, and the issue can be resolved in the budget with a contingency line.Harwig reported that the district has received a state safety grant of $35,000 to purchase structural and wildland firefighting protective gear.Chiefís reportMonthly statistics: The district received 179 calls for service in March, with emergency medical service calls accounting for about 55 percent of those alarms. As of March 31, the districtís total number of calls for the year was 514, an increase of 14 over the same period last year.Station 4: Harwig met with Jim Reid, executive director of the El Paso County Public Services Department, to discuss a proposed site for Station 4. However, he noted that the district is keeping its options open for other sites as well.Black Forest Reserve cistern: After bids were reviewed, Sieck Contractors was selected to install the cistern. The total cost for the project, including the cistern purchase, is estimated at about $66,000. The cistern has been ordered, and Harwig said installation will likely be in June.Harwig said the remaining funds in the Rural Water Fund will be used for a cistern in Armonia Ranch that needs work and a cistern near Elbert Road and Sweet Road that isnít plumbed properly for fire apparatus to draw water.New chaplain: Harwig swore in new chaplain Dick Glasgow. Glasgow, who resides in the district, previously was a state patrol chaplain in Iowa for 17 years. He will assist the current chaplain, Mike Collins. Harwig said, ìThis district is one of the few that has chaplains on board when we need them.î
