The Falcon Fire Protection District held its regular board meeting July 15. All board members were present, except Kelly Starkman.Treasurerís reportFire Chief Trent Harwig reported that the fiscal year is 50 percent complete as of June 30, and the district received 68 percent of its total budgeted revenue. Year-to-date general fund expenditures are at 42 percent. Harwig said the district still has some large planned expenses later in the year, such as insurance and the annual contribution to the volunteer pension fund. However, he said the district is in ìreally good shape as far as expenditures from the general fund.îDeputy Chief Jeff Petersma reviewed maintenance expenses for overhead door repair, installation of septic risers at Station 2, increased mowing of grounds and other items. He also discussed expenses related to a proximity lightning strike that damaged a universal power supply and sprinkler timer at Station 1; also a main board for the keyless entry system at Station 3.Chiefís reportHarwig reported that the district was awarded a grant to install a Plymovent exhaust extraction system at Station 3. The system consists of a hose that connects directly to the apparatus exhaust pipe to vent diesel exhaust to the outside rather than into the station. The $50,000 grant, awarded under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, requires a 10 percent match from the district. Harwig said he included that amount in the 2015 budget because he felt the district had a strong chance of receiving the grant, based on the criteria. He said installation should be complete in about six weeks.A $3,300 grant from the workersí compensation pool will be used for all-season jackets that meet standards for blood-borne pathogen protection and reflectivity/visibility.Another grant for $5,900 was received from Farmerís State Bank to purchase a second LUCAS chest compression system.The districtís general insurance renews in September, and Harwig said he expects about a 30 percent increase for the next period, as a result of the districtís loss history. Among the claims he cited were roof damage in 2014 ($89,000) and the fire truck that was stolen and wrecked a few years ago ($250,000).The 2014 audit is complete, with only a few minor items to be corrected.The preliminary draft of the 2014 annual report is complete and should be finalized by the next board meeting. Harwig said FFPD has never completed an annual report, and he anticipates future reports will be completed by April 1 each year.StatisticsFFPD responded to 152 incidents in June, putting the total as of June 30 at 983. The data analyst is working on the ability to show response times in terms of percentiles and meeting response time goals.The July 9 storm and subsequent flooding led to a spike in the number of people following FFPD on Facebook and Twitter. Information and photos posted by the districtís public information officer were picked up by local media outlets.Special volunteer pension board meetingThe volunteer pension board held a special meeting to address an overpayment of benefits to a former volunteer member who is on lifetime disability. The volunteer pension board had set this memberís monthly payment at $200, but the Fire and Police Pension Association automatically increased the benefit when full pension benefits increased.FPPA recently notified the district of overpayment totaling $4,380 to this member over a 10-year period. After discussing the issue at length, volunteer pension board members voted to ask FPPA to repay $4,380 to the district since the mistake was FPPAís, and to direct FPPA to keep the memberís monthly benefit at $200.Black Forest Reserve cisternHarwig said the installation of the cistern had been delayed because of weather. The cistern was installed July 20.Redesign of the Old Meridian Road/Highway 24 intersectionHarwig reported that the county is willing to work with the district on a design that will accommodate emergency apparatus response. He said the current proposals are all preliminary, with a final design to be completed in 2016, and construction scheduled for 2017.
