Publish Date: 2/23/2007
Question of coverage
By Alicia Beard
The Daily Reporter-Herald
As Johnstown continues to annex land along Interstate 25, Loveland firefighters are spending more time in the neighboring town.
The once-rural areas along I-25 are urbanizing, and with that, emergency response has become a complex issue.
At the interstate’s U.S. 34 and Colorado 402 interchanges, Johnstown has annexed large areas of land that are within the Loveland Rural Fire Protection District. As the rural district pays the city of Loveland to provide fire service in that area, Loveland firefighters increasingly are crossing into Johnstown as first responders.
With development expected to accelerate, some Loveland officials say the current agreement between the city and the rural district will leave city residents shortchanged.
The District
In many ways, the volunteer-based rural district and the Loveland Fire and Rescue Department function as one, said Gary Gerrard, president of the rural district board.
“The city and district has enjoyed an incredible relationship over the years that is mutually beneficial to both.”
That sharing includes fire coverage, equipment, storage and some administrative services.
But the marriage of the rural district and the city department splits when it comes to Johnstown.
Gerrard said the new tax revenue from Johnstown keeps the district from starving to death financially.
“We’re being just about annexed out of existence in the city of Loveland,” he said.
When the city annexes land, it takes over the property taxes as the Loveland Fire Department becomes the primary fire service provider. Whereas when Johnstown annexes into rural district boundaries, the rural district collects the property taxes as the main fire service provider.
Gerrard also noted that rural district voters outside of Johnstown have so far been unwilling to support a property tax increase.
Loveland and the rural district encompass 274 square miles, stretching from Drake east out past I-25. The city sits in the center of the rural district like an island.
According to the 2007 budget, the rural district will collect more than $1.1 million in property tax revenue. The Johnstown developments, especially at I-25 and U.S. 34, will double that by 2016.
Gerrard said with the contract, the rural district gives Loveland 65 percent of its budget to provide fire service. The remainder goes to the rural district’s administrative costs, capital purchases, equipment and gear for the volunteers.
“We don’t know if this is the way we’re going to proceed in the future — we need to discuss it,” he said. “I think it’s important and beneficial for everyone involved to keep the district healthy.”
Although he is not sure what the answer is, he knows the rural district will need to work something out with both Loveland and Johnstown.
The Neighbor to the East
In Johnstown, the Johnstown Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department has its hands full covering its own district.
Within the Johnstown Fire District, Chief Darrin Rutt said the call volume jumped from 499 in 2005 to 593 last year.
“A lot of the town’s growth is in the district,” added Johnstown Deputy Fire Chief Chris Klaas.
While covering I-25 and U.S. 34 isn’t impossible, Rutt said it takes Johnstown crews well outside of their district boundaries and into the rural district.
While there is a process that allows entities to change fire district boundaries, most of the lines were drawn more than 50 years ago.
Typically, when Loveland does send fire crews into Johnstown, the Johnstown Fire Department sends a truck to cover Loveland’s Fire Station No. 6 in Centerra.
Klaas said with the anticipated growth, the department will continue to look for ways to cooperate with neighboring agencies, but its focus is on improvements within its own district. Voters in the Johnstown fire district approved a property tax increase last year.
As for the town’s involvement, Johnstown Town Manager Roy Lauricello said the Johnstown fire district will continue to operate independently.
On the Home Front
In Loveland, some officials are worried the day will come when multiple emergencies in Johnstown and the rural district will leave some Lovelanders high and dry.
“I have a problem with dumping our fire stations into Johnstown,” Loveland City Councilman Glenn Rousey said. “In my opinion, it’s shorting the citizens of Loveland.”
So far, the agreement with the rural district has sent Loveland fire crews into Johnstown a limited number of times.
But Loveland Fire Chief Mike Chard said the 60 calls to Johnstown out of the Loveland department’s 5,346 calls last year were an increase.
“Any call that we go to that’s of significance is going to draw resources,” he said.
Loveland City Manager Don Williams said the discussion about how to handle fire coverage where Loveland is the first responder in another community is sparked every year when the rural district contract comes up for renewal.
Williams said the Loveland City Council probably will look at it again in a study session later this year.
Rousey, who spent 30 years in fire service, said he is committed to keeping the discussion on the table. He said he understands the rural district’s need for tax revenue, but he thinks Loveland should either be compensated by or have a strictly mutual aid relationship with Johnstown.
Question of coverage
By Alicia Beard
The Daily Reporter-Herald
As Johnstown continues to annex land along Interstate 25, Loveland firefighters are spending more time in the neighboring town.
The once-rural areas along I-25 are urbanizing, and with that, emergency response has become a complex issue.
At the interstate’s U.S. 34 and Colorado 402 interchanges, Johnstown has annexed large areas of land that are within the Loveland Rural Fire Protection District. As the rural district pays the city of Loveland to provide fire service in that area, Loveland firefighters increasingly are crossing into Johnstown as first responders.
With development expected to accelerate, some Loveland officials say the current agreement between the city and the rural district will leave city residents shortchanged.
The District
In many ways, the volunteer-based rural district and the Loveland Fire and Rescue Department function as one, said Gary Gerrard, president of the rural district board.
“The city and district has enjoyed an incredible relationship over the years that is mutually beneficial to both.”
That sharing includes fire coverage, equipment, storage and some administrative services.
But the marriage of the rural district and the city department splits when it comes to Johnstown.
Gerrard said the new tax revenue from Johnstown keeps the district from starving to death financially.
“We’re being just about annexed out of existence in the city of Loveland,” he said.
When the city annexes land, it takes over the property taxes as the Loveland Fire Department becomes the primary fire service provider. Whereas when Johnstown annexes into rural district boundaries, the rural district collects the property taxes as the main fire service provider.
Gerrard also noted that rural district voters outside of Johnstown have so far been unwilling to support a property tax increase.
Loveland and the rural district encompass 274 square miles, stretching from Drake east out past I-25. The city sits in the center of the rural district like an island.
According to the 2007 budget, the rural district will collect more than $1.1 million in property tax revenue. The Johnstown developments, especially at I-25 and U.S. 34, will double that by 2016.
Gerrard said with the contract, the rural district gives Loveland 65 percent of its budget to provide fire service. The remainder goes to the rural district’s administrative costs, capital purchases, equipment and gear for the volunteers.
“We don’t know if this is the way we’re going to proceed in the future — we need to discuss it,” he said. “I think it’s important and beneficial for everyone involved to keep the district healthy.”
Although he is not sure what the answer is, he knows the rural district will need to work something out with both Loveland and Johnstown.
The Neighbor to the East
In Johnstown, the Johnstown Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department has its hands full covering its own district.
Within the Johnstown Fire District, Chief Darrin Rutt said the call volume jumped from 499 in 2005 to 593 last year.
“A lot of the town’s growth is in the district,” added Johnstown Deputy Fire Chief Chris Klaas.
While covering I-25 and U.S. 34 isn’t impossible, Rutt said it takes Johnstown crews well outside of their district boundaries and into the rural district.
While there is a process that allows entities to change fire district boundaries, most of the lines were drawn more than 50 years ago.
Typically, when Loveland does send fire crews into Johnstown, the Johnstown Fire Department sends a truck to cover Loveland’s Fire Station No. 6 in Centerra.
Klaas said with the anticipated growth, the department will continue to look for ways to cooperate with neighboring agencies, but its focus is on improvements within its own district. Voters in the Johnstown fire district approved a property tax increase last year.
As for the town’s involvement, Johnstown Town Manager Roy Lauricello said the Johnstown fire district will continue to operate independently.
On the Home Front
In Loveland, some officials are worried the day will come when multiple emergencies in Johnstown and the rural district will leave some Lovelanders high and dry.
“I have a problem with dumping our fire stations into Johnstown,” Loveland City Councilman Glenn Rousey said. “In my opinion, it’s shorting the citizens of Loveland.”
So far, the agreement with the rural district has sent Loveland fire crews into Johnstown a limited number of times.
But Loveland Fire Chief Mike Chard said the 60 calls to Johnstown out of the Loveland department’s 5,346 calls last year were an increase.
“Any call that we go to that’s of significance is going to draw resources,” he said.
Loveland City Manager Don Williams said the discussion about how to handle fire coverage where Loveland is the first responder in another community is sparked every year when the rural district contract comes up for renewal.
Williams said the Loveland City Council probably will look at it again in a study session later this year.
Rousey, who spent 30 years in fire service, said he is committed to keeping the discussion on the table. He said he understands the rural district’s need for tax revenue, but he thinks Loveland should either be compensated by or have a strictly mutual aid relationship with Johnstown.
