RYE FIIRE PROTECTIION DIISTRIICT
Election matters and audit updates topped the discussions at the brief February 20 Rye Fire Protection District meeting.
Lifetime Greenhorn Valley resident, Dan Wachob was on hand to express interest in filling the vacancy on the RFPD board. He shared that his father, Jack had been chairman of the RFPD board many years ago, giving him a longtime interest in the happenings of RFPD.
The board was happy to have someone of Wachob’s strong community background, intelligence, and with time to devote, interested in joining the board. They spared no time in accepting his application although paperwork will have to be filed with the state and county and details completed before he can take his seat on the board.
Ironically, since Wachob will be filling a vacancy on the board, his term will expire at the next election so he will also have to file paperwork by February 24 to run for the May 2nd election. Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder’s decision not to handle the elections for special districts is complicating the election matters for RFPD. In an organization already pushed to find time to do paperwork, they must now find time to make sure property owners get election materials mailed out to them. Approximately $6000 (the cost of the election when Pueblo County run it) was budgeted for 2023 but with having to use a third-party company the cost is estimated to be approximately $20,000.
There are three seats up for election on the RFPD board.
One seat is due to the vacancy needing to be filled. Rich Simpson and Wallace Rice are term-limited with new state mandates actually cutting their terms short a year.
RFPD Fire Chief, Steve Bennett was happy to report that the auditor has finally received the information needed to complete the audit and is doing so. Bennett called for a special RFPD meeting on February 27 to get the audit approved so that it can be filed.
Bennett expects the hold that Pueblo County has on tax revenue funds scheduled to go to RFPD will be lifted as soon as the state confirms they have received the audit.
Resolutions 23-006 and 23007 were passed, naming Bennett as the Designated Election Official and outlining technicalities regarding election handling.
Bennett thanked Captain Jim Beach for contacting several construction companies about the needed construction at Fire Station #1 in Rye. Bids are starting to flow in for the project to enlarge the door to accommodate the hazardous materials truck and will be reviewed at the special meeting on the 27th.