Fire protection district won’t ask voters for funding increase this fall

Waiting for clarity on Cypress/Foothills annexation project

By Alissa Johnson

The Crested Butte Fire Protection District will not be going to voters this fall to ask for a mill levy increase, though that could still be a possibility in the future. The district has discussed looking into more of a paid service in order to hire more staff, replace vehicles and equipment as needed, and maintain its level of service.

“We are proud to have maintained the goal of having an Advanced Life Support person on every call, and it is clear we need to take that next step in order to continue fulfilling that goal, providing the best possible care to our community and our guests,” Paul Hird, chairman of the district’s board of directors, said last month.

The district also has plans for employee housing in order to attract and retain qualified staff.

This week, however, Hird confirmed that the district would not seek a funding increase from voters this fall because of potential changes coming as a result of a proposed annexation project north of the Gas Café. Based on conversations with the town of Crested Butte, that project could mean the development of a public safety complex to house local law enforcement offices and the fire and EMS divisions. As a result, the board has opted to wait for clarity on the annexation project before going to voters.

In the meantime, Hird says, “We feel we can fund the immediate needs of the district but will be watching the finances carefully as we realize the need for additional paid EMS and Fire personnel and also considering construction of the housing.”