Albany County Rural Fire District 1

The board meeting agenda includes an executive session followed by a public meeting to discuss various operational, financial, and administrative matters. Key topics include financial reporting, departmental disbursements, and the approval of specific expenditures for fire department gear, fire extinguisher inspections, vehicle repairs, and medical equipment. Action items focus on Impact Fund expenditures for station improvements, apparatus procurement, an operations chief RFP stipend, facility rent reimbursements, and potential staffing decisions regarding a grant writer, district administration, and EMS coordinator. The board will also conduct a review of the RFP and bid process, discuss communication protocols, and review roster updates related to benefits eligibility.

The board discussed the purchase of four Type 6 fire trucks, ultimately deciding to table the item and return it to the truck committee for further review or a new RFP process due to concerns regarding bid specifications and delivery times. The board approved the open market purchase of an HME Type 3 fire apparatus not to exceed $460,000. Additionally, the board approved the purchase of a used rescue vehicle from the Marion Fire District for $160,000, contingent upon a first-person inspection and including costs for bonded shipping not to exceed $175,000.

The meeting covered reports from external agencies and internal departments, including updates on fire department operations, wildland coordinator activities, and EMS coordination. Financial reports were reviewed and bills approved. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the allocation of impact funds for fire apparatus and protective equipment. The board approved the issuance of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for several fire vehicles, including a rescue unit, a tender, and type 6 fire engines. Additionally, the board discussed the EMS coordinator position, approved the purchase of video conferencing equipment, and reviewed department reports from various volunteer fire departments.

The meeting included approval of the agenda with modifications, including adding Public Assistance (PA) items and removing one uniform PA item. Key reports were received from outside agencies, notably the County Emergency Management regarding 2025 allocations and 2026 requests for the Statewide Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP), issues with notifications for the Mountain Cement fire concerning asbestos, and scheduling for a wide-area search exercise. The Dispatch and Fire Warden offices also provided updates. ACFD1 Operations Chief reported on the Mountain Cement fire after-action review, billing for 2025 fires, and plans for ordering patches. Financially, the Board approved the financial report and various department disbursements and PA approvals, including funding for equipment repairs, helmets, nozzles, and travel expenses. Major action items involved the approval of Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) 26-104 for Local Fire Positions, requiring mandatory CPR/BLS/AED/Stop the Bleed training and updating work capacity test language. The Board voted against purchasing a Pierce tender as it failed to meet critical RFP specifications. Approval was granted unanimously to purchase a different tender from Heli fire apparatus, contingent on contract agreement, and subsequently approved the purchase of a second identical truck. A used wildland tender purchase was also approved, requiring an additional $40,000 outside of the initial budget. Finally, the Board approved retroactive payment of administrative/overhead costs to the Operations Chief for time spent writing and reviewing RFPs using Impact Funds, and tabled a motion regarding the reallocation of the EMS Coordinator role.

Key discussions included the receipt of approximately $11,000 in back payments from the County due to accounting errors, which was subsequently moved to the fire pay line. The Board addressed the upcoming wildfire season by approving the creation of a specialized Wildland Division within ACFD1 to streamline coordination and training efforts, including coordinating resources with the BLM. Financial actions involved approving the 2023 engine pay distribution, setting the 2024 firefighter pay disbursement at an initial 75% rate, and initiating a review to potentially switch credit card processing services to Chase. The Board reviewed and approved several job descriptions/guides, notably approving the Local Responder Job Description and renaming others to 'Training and Qualification Guide.' Further actions included ratifying contracts for ongoing bathroom projects which were over budget, agreeing that departments will fund the 5% match for the upcoming AFG grant proposal for plymovents and PPE, and directing the WYCO type 6 engine to be housed at BLVFD. The Board also planned to update the 2019 Strategic Plan and begin the process to find a replacement for the retiring bookkeeper.