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How Much Will the Proposed ERFPD Bond Issue Cost Me, Personally, as an ERFPD Taxpayer?

It is currently estimated that a residential property valued at $500,000 would pay about $3.94 per month or $47.31 annually. For a property assessed at $1,150,000, the estimated amount would be $108.81 annually or $9.07 per month. That amount may decrease as new properties come onto the tax rolls and the bond debt is spread over a greater number of property owners. The bond issue election establishes a maximum amount of debt the District may incur and the maximum interest rate it may pay; if the District reduces costs of the project or secures a lower interest rate, it will reduce the amount of debt it will incur and, therefore, it will reduce the cost to the District’s property owners.

The District is fully cognizant that this bond issue is in addition to our request in May 2012 for a mill levy increase which allowed the District to stabilize our revenue stream at the 2010 level and keep our four stations open 365 days/year. ERFPD is pleased to report that the increase approved as Ballot initiative 5A is operating as intended. In 2015, the mill levy stood at 9.32, which is the combination of the base mill of 5.55 and the supplemental mill of 3.77. With improving real estate valuations, in 2016 we estimate the additional mill will reduce from 3.77 to 2.642. Our longer range forecast is that by 2020, the 5A mill will further reduce to 1.838 mills.

The chart below provides a graphical presentation of this expected trend:

How Much Will the Proposed Joint Public Safety Facility Cost Me Personally, as a Town of Avon Taxpayer?

With the appropriation of existing taxes, including real estate transfer taxes, no new or additional taxes are required for the new Police Department. Residents and non-residents will continue to pay all taxes at the current rates.

If the Fire District Moves its Operations to the Proposed Joint Public Safety Facility, What Will the Town Do With the Wildridge Fire Station?

The Town of Avon owns the Wildridge Facility. The Fire District, which leases the facility from the Town, does not -- nor has it -- staffed the Wildridge Fire Station for emergency response. With completion of the Public Safety Facility, the Fire District will provide faster response to Wildridge than it does from its current location in Avon. The Fire District will staff the new fire station 24/7/365 with personnel trained for both structural and wildland fire operations, which is paramount for our neighborhoods. The Wildridge Facility can then be repurposed, potentially for a community center, worker housing, or other uses.

If Both Police and Fire Move Operations to the Proposed Joint Public Safety Facility, What Will the Town Do With the Current Spaces?

The Town of Avon completed a land use planning review of Tract G in the fall of 2015. Tract G includes the current Town Hall, where the Police Department is located, Harry A. Nottingham Park, the current Fire Station building and properties along the Main Street Mall to Avon Road.

The public process had a strong focus on the park, Fire Station and Town Hall and resulted in recommendations for an array of potential future uses of the 4.5 acres. The preferred option for location of the Fire Station and Police Department was identified as the Buck Creek site.

With a relocation of the Fire Station and Town Hall, the review identified the potential for the area to be used for expanded park fields, multi-use community center development, including more performance space and conference options, parking, and recreational development, including a permanent ice sheet.

The land use plans, will be considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission for recommendation to the Council as updates to the currently adopted land use plans. The proposed land use plans can be found at: http://www.avon.org/index.aspx?nid=156. 

What is the History of the Proposed Joint Public Safety Facility?

The concept began several years ago when Avon Police Chief Bob Ticer and Eagle River Fire Protection District Fire Chief Karl Bauer met over a cup of coffee to discuss their mission and desire to serve the community at the highest levels. And so the journey began…..

In early 2014, the Town of Avon and ERFPD formally began exploring the concept of a combined Public Safety Facility, after determining that   respective facilities were outdated and insufficient to meet the current and projected needs of each department. Both entities agreed that a combined facility would improve operations and efficiency by significantly reducing response times, increasing collaboration and reducing expenses though shared cost savings.

The Nexcore Group LLC approached ERFPD in late 2014, with an offer to purchase Lot 1A in Avon for a medical complex. Concurrently, Lot 1B became available. ERFPD agreed to sell Lot 1A and purchase Lot 1B, subsequently reducing its long term debt by roughly $2 million and saving taxpayers approximately $3.5 million over the life of the debt. The transaction was completed in the spring of 2015.

Lot 1B is centrally located in Avon and provides both police and fire an excellent location for response to the Town Core, Traer Creek, Wildridge/Mountain Star, and Interstate 70. Lot 1B is located between Buck Creek Road and Swift Gulch Road, next to the Buck Creek Medical Plaza.

Why Does ERFPD Need New Fire Stations Now?

ERFPD has the responsibility to provide a system that appropriately meets the community’s need for fire protection and emergency response. Fulfilling this responsibility requires the District to respond to fires and other emergencies with an effective response force comprised of the appropriate number of fire engines, ladder trucks, and firefighters, all arriving in time to save lives and protect property.

While planning to best serve the community’s current and future needs, the Fire District must take into account the scarcity of suitable land, which will most likely grow even scarcer and more expensive. After researching and evaluation suitable locations for several years, ERFPD has determined it is more cost-effective to build fewer fire stations, utilizing land it already owns.

Because the District operates as a system in which each engine company depends on the resources of other companies for many incidents, and because the District does not want to keep going back to the voters to request additional funding, the intent is to combine the costs for the new facilities into one bond request that will allow the District to implement its critical facility plan by replacing deficient stations in a cohesive and coordinated manner.

These stations will be built with the capability to house more than one company in the future, so that the District can appropriately respond to projected increases in the District’s call load. A dual company station is capable of permanent staffing by eight firefighters, allowing for response by both an engine company (first on scene focused on interior fire suppression) and a ladder truck company (second due and focused on exterior fire suppression, usually through the roof).

AVON FIRE STATION: The District has spent considerable time studying the effect the new Avon location will have on response times, and has determined that not only will response times improve in areas such as Wildridge and Mountain Star, but moving the station out of the congested Town core will improve public safety by removing the need to respond through a heavily-used pedestrian area.

The current facility was constructed in 1980; since that time, the size of firefighting apparatus has increased and the bays cannot accommodate modern apparatus such as the ladder truck, which currently is located 15-20 minutes away from the core of Avon where it is needed most. Even if the building could be retrofitted to accommodate the increased height requirements, an old water tank is buried under the existing apparatus bays, making it incapable of supporting the weight of a ladder truck. In addition to the functional deficiencies, significant capital improvements will be required just to maintain the building (e.g., roofing, balconies, painting, doors, etc.). Investing significant dollars for renovation on a parcel not owned by the District simply is not prudent, and maintenance and repair costs continue to grow on an annual basis. The new station will also be capable of housing additional equipment, currently housed in non-operational stations which adds to operating costs and places important specialized equipment in less than optimal locations.

EDWARDS FIRE STATION: The current fire station in Edwards was built as a temporary facility in 1985. The growth in Edwards has far outpaced the ability of the Edwards station to effectively respond to the Edwards community as it exists today, much less any future growth. The building is infested with rodents, is not structurally sound, and significant capital improvements would be required just to maintain a facility that has long outlasted its intended lifespan. An expanded station will also allow the District to house reserve and highly specialized equipment centrally.

Why Does the Avon Police Department Need a New Police Station?

In August of 2015, the Avon Town Council conducted a Facility Assessment and Space Needs Study of the current Town Hall, which houses the Police Department. The study found the current station to be antiquated, designed for half of the current staff, disjointed, and lacking in parking security. The study also identified the proposed Buck Creek site as the most desirable location for emergency response times and cited the benefits of co-location with the Fire District.

In addition, the Town of Avon researched other mountain resort town Police Departments to ensure that the operational program, square footage and parking spaces planned are commensurate with other departments of similar size.

What's on the Ballot - The Purpose of the Requested Funding

The funding is being requested to construct a 26,700 square foot building that would serve as a Joint Public Safety Facility, providing a larger space for the Avon Police Department, which has outgrown its current location. It would also function as a regional station for Eagle River Fire Protection District (ERFPD). Both the Town and ERFPD intend to build facilities that will address current service capabilities and anticipated growth through the next 50-plus years.

Funding will also provide for the rebuilding of the Edwards Station at its existing location and a much-needed training facility. The new Edwards fire station will be just over 18,000 square feet and includes space for the District to expand the facility to a dual-company station when needed due to anticipated population growth.

What Happens if Either Election Fails:

If either election fails, the Fire District and the Town will evaluate the election outcomes and determine next steps. A delay in new facilities will result in continued degradation of response times to emergencies. Resources will be further strained and the quality of service may be negatively impacted. ERFPD’s ladder truck will continue to respond from Cordillera. Both agencies will also continue to incur additional operating expenses due to significant capital improvements required to maintain the existing outdated facilities.

FAQ: Who is the Eagle River Fire Protection District?

Organized in 2000 as a regional fire district, Eagle River Fire Protection District (ERFPD) is a professional, full-service fire agency which operates a network of five full-time staffed fire stations (one by contractual agreement) equipped to protect residences, businesses, rural areas, high-rise resort hotels and forested areas throughout the District. Each station houses the workhorse of a fire response agency, the all-purpose engine; however, modern fire apparatus is growing larger and more specialized.

The typical station also houses supplemental equipment specific to the risks within that station’s primary response area. Every station is staffed with four on-duty firefighters 24 hours a day, with all stations providing backup and supplemental resources to each other. ERFPD responds to all risks including acute medical emergencies, hazardous materials releases, technical rescue and extrication incidents, as well as suppression of structural and wildland fires. 

The District’s primary goal is to ensure that our communities receive consistent, reliable emergency services at a reasonable cost. Its service area covers approximately 186 square miles, including five different municipalities and metro districts with over 25,000 residents. ERFPD’s coverage area stretches from Tennessee Pass to Minturn on Hwy 24, and west along Hwy 6 and I-70 to Wolcott; the population protected by the District increases exponentially during the summer and winter tourism seasons.

FAQ: Who is the Avon Police Department?

The Avon Police Department is a nationally accredited municipal law enforcement agency. The Department is comprised of 18 full-time sworn law enforcement officers and 2.5 full-time, non-sworn administrative professionals. The Avon Police Department’s mission to Make A Difference, is implemented through service and community partnerships focused on education, crime reduction/deterrence and traffic safety.

Over the last five years, on average, Avon Police Officers have responded annually to 16,000 calls for service, including 804 total crimes reported; response and investigation of 155 traffic crashes, 117 thefts, 42 assaults and 40 domestic violence incidents. The Department arrested 456 individuals, including 127 for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Avon has experienced its lowest Uniform Crime Rating index since 2001. The Avon Police Department also utilizes the Benchmark Cities Survey to compare Avon statistics. The data shows the average number of annual calls for service, per 1,000 citizens across all reporting cities, is 458 calls per year. Calls for service in Avon have been significantly higher over the last three years averaging 654 calls, indicating growing service call demands on the Police Department.

Department administrative staff provides daily support to the community for fingerprinting, VIN Inspections, breath testing, and a host of other services. The Police Department is committed to community outreach programs, including Citizen Police Academies, in both English and Spanish; National Night Out; Kids, Cops, and Hoops Basketball; Police Explorers; and, providing leadership with a variety of community non-profits, including Eagle River Youth Coalition; Eagle County Law Enforcement Immigrant Advisory Committee; and the Speak Up Reach Out Suicide Prevention Coalition. The Town of Avon has experienced its lowest rates of crime and traffic accidents over the last several years.



Fire Training Facility

Fire Training Facility:        

Training is the backbone of any professional fire service organization. Ensuring that our organization remains one of the best trained, well-equipped professional fire safety agencies in Colorado is one of our highest priorities. ERFPD responds to all risks including acute medical emergencies, hazardous materials releases, technical rescue and extrication incidents, as well as suppression of structural and wildland fires. As a result, firefighters are continually learning and practicing the latest techniques on a multitude of specialized scenarios.

Currently ERFPD’s closest training facilities require travel to Summit County or down valley to Dotsero. Both locations take companies out of service and unable to respond. A centrally located facility such as Minturn would allow ERFPD to train locally, as well as provide a facility for use by partner agencies such as law enforcement and other fire districts.

Location

ERFPD is still conducting due diligence and evaluating locations throughout the District. Currently, we are discussing possibilities with the Town of Minturn to locate a roughly 4,800 square foot training structure on land near the cemetery. Although details are still being finalized, the ballot question includes estimated costs for a proposed training facility that would support critical classroom and hands-on training needs.

 

 

Edwards Fire Station

 

Edwards Station:

 

Growth in Edwards and the surrounding areas is testing the ability of the Edwards station to effectively respond to the Edwards community even as it exists today. Any future growth will strain the entire system upon which the District relies, making it more difficult to continue to provide rapid and effective response to structure fires, wildland fires, medical calls and other emergencies.

 

The Edwards Fire Station is located on Highway 6, just west of Edwards Village Boulevard and next to the campus which houses Eagle County Paramedic Services. The location provides easy access to the Edwards Core and I-70. The current building was built in 1985 as a temporary structure, primarily intended to provide fire protection to Homestead, Berry Creek and Arrowhead, all of which were still being developed. It predated the development of most of the Edwards commercial center, including the Riverwalk.

 

The building is not structurally sound, and significant capital improvements would be required just to maintain a facility that has long outlasted its intended lifespan. An expanded station will also allow the District to house reserve and highly specialized equipment centrally.

 

Location

 

The Fire District spent a considerable amount of time conducting due diligence and evaluating the current location as well as other available options. Ultimately, studies determined that the existing location provides a quick and effective response to:

• I-70 for vehicular emergencies
• Homestead and Lake Creek neighborhoods
• Edwards core and business districts
• Singletree/Berry Creek neighborhoods
• Red Sky Ranch and Bellyache Ridge neighborhoods
• Future development west of the Edwards core, including Wolcott
• Meets Long Term Facility Needs

 The existing fire station is 3,650 square feet; it contains two small bays and houses four firefighters. The size of the station severely limits the type and number of apparatus which can be housed on-site. The building has outlasted its useful life and cannot be repurposed as a larger station as it is not structurally sound enough to support renovations, let alone additions such as additional bays and crew quarters.

 

A larger, more modern facility is required in order to effectively respond to the current and future safety needs of the entire District. The new design would replace the current aged building in the same location, and includes four appropriately-sized bays capable of accommodating modern firefighting apparatus as well as specialized equipment needed for operational response such as hazardous materials and ice rescue.

 

The new station is being designed as a 50+ year facility capable of serving the needs of the area’s projected growth. While timing of that growth is unclear, the District’s intent is to ensure it can continue to provide the professional service levels its communities have come to expect. As the Edwards area continues to grow, the building will accommodate the needs of a dual company station, which includes eight firefighters, capable of responding with two apparatus or to simultaneous calls.

Avon Joint Public Safety Facility

Buck Creek Location:

Eagle River Fire Protection District (ERFPD) and the Town of Avon (Avon) have been evaluating a joint facility for fire and police services for several years. The Buck Creek parcel (Lot 1B, located on Nottingham Rd. and Swift Gulch Rd.) was selected following detailed site analyses by each agency and found to be the preferred site for emergency response and interagency partnership.

Improved Response Times

The Buck Creek site strategic location provides improved response to I-70 for vehicular emergencies, as well as:

• Quick access to Avon Town Core, Wildridge and Mountain Star neighborhoods and the Walmart/ Traer Creek development
• More effective dispatch of the ladder truck throughout ERFPD’s regional service area

Meets Immediate and Long Term Facility Needs

A comprehensive site and facility analysis by Davis Partnership Group, a Denver-based architectural firm, found the Buck Creek site capable of meeting the facility needs of both agencies. The site can accommodate the operational needs of both fire and police, including parking, as a 50+ year facility.

Cost Savings

A successful negotiation for the Buck Creek site resulted in the Fire District obtaining significant long term debt savings that will save taxpayers approximately $3.5 million over the life of the bonds. Both agencies benefit from shared construction costs for building components such as utilities, foundation, roofing, mechanical and exterior siding.

Improves Safety

Current fire and police facilities are located in the congested pedestrian core of Avon near Nottingham Park, the Recreation Center, Library and bus stops. Access is slowed by year-round local and tourist activity. Private vehicles, buses, bicyclists and pedestrians share the egress streets with fire engines and police patrol cars

Proposed Facility:

Replaces Inadequate Facilities

Police: An August, 2015 independent study confirmed the current police facility, constructed in 1978, is in need of significant upgrades and has outgrown staffing and equipment space requirements. With the development of the Village (at Avon) and the projected doubling of the Avon’s population in excess of 12,000 by 2035, the Police Department will need to expand to 29 personnel.

Fire District: The District leases the current station, which was built in 1980 and has many deficiencies which do not meet the necessary functions of modern firefighting operations and apparatus.

Meets 50+ Year Build-out Projections

The proposed fire and police facility provides shared space for combined agency training and community meeting needs, and:

• Accommodates relocation of the ladder truck to the Avon core, a key component of ERFPD’s system for rapid and effective response to structure fires and other emergencies
• Facilitates police and fire working collaboratively on a day-to-day basis
• Meets all staffing, equipment, storage and operational needs for the next 50 years and beyond

What's on the Ballot: ERFPD Voters

Eagle River Fire Protection District (ERFPD) is seeking approval for its share of funding for a new joint Public Safety Facility, to rebuild the Edwards fire station and to construct a much-needed training facility. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters on April 11, 2016 with the following request:

EAGLE RIVER FIRE

PROTECTION DISTRICT VOTERS:

Approval for ERFPD to sell $25 million in general obligation bonds in order to better serve the citizens of the District. The bond issue will be used to implement the District’s critical facility plan, which includes building a new fire station in Avon to improve response times throughout the town’s boundaries as well as facilitating the relocation of the District’s ladder truck to the urban core.

The funding would also be used to rebuild the aging Edwards fire station, which was built as a temporary structure in 1985. Both buildings have for some time been inadequate to meet the needs of modern firefighting operations and apparatus. Lastly, funding would be used to construct a much-needed training facility.

 

Ballot Question:  

Shall Eagle River Fire Protection District debt be increased $25,000,000 with a repayment cost of up to $40,000,000, and shall District taxes be increased $1,300,000 annually to pay such debt and shall such debt pay for capital improvements, including:

• Constructing a new Avon Fire Station at a new location, replacing the existing Avon Fire Station in order to improve response time along I-70 and elsewhere, provide for an aerial ladder truck, and otherwise meet current and future service demands on the District’s regional system of fire protection and emergency response;
• Constructing a new Edwards Fire Station at the same location as the existing Edwards Fire Station, replacing the existing Edwards Fire Station in order to meet current and future service demands on the District’s regional system of fire protection and emergency response; and
• Constructing a training facility at which to train firefighters in skills related to fire protection and emergency response;

and shall such debt be General Obligation Bonds payable from a mill levy which may be increased in any year without limitation as to rate but only in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such debt or any debt issued to refinance such debt and shall such debt be sold in one series or more, for a price above or below the principal amount of such series, on terms and conditions and with such maturities as permitted by law?

Bond Project Totals*                                                         Start Date

Avon (land & construction):             $12,000,000                   2016

Edwards (land & construction):        $10,500,000                   2017

Training Facility:                               $ 2,500,000                   TBD

Total:                                                 $25,000,000  

* Based on engineered design plans and contractor pricing

Project Funding: Property Tax through General Obligation Bonds. 

Bond Debt Period: 30 years

Estimated Taxpayer Impact:

Residential Assessed Property Value of $500,000:        

$47.31 annually or $3.94 per month

Residential Assessed Property Value of $1,150,000:      

$108.81 annually or $9.07 per month

Commercial Assessed Property Value of $750,000:        

$258.54 annually or $21.54 per month

Commercial Assessed Property Value of $1,500,000:     

$517.08 annually or $43.09 per month

Please Support Your Fire District

by Voting YES on May 3rd!

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

What's on the Ballot: Town of Avon Voters

The Town of Avon is seeking approval for funding of the Avon Police Department portion of a joint Public Safety Facility in Avon. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters on April 11. Ballot return deadline is May 3, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. Ballot may be returned by mail or in person at Avon Town Hall, located at One Lake Street.


AVON VOTERS:

Approval for the Town of Avon to issue Certificates of Participation (COPs) in an amount up to $6.5 million to construct a new Avon Police Station. The funding is proposed in a 20-year debt issue, payable from the existing taxes, with appropriation of Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) as the source of payment, with annual debt service averaging $413,224 per year. No new taxes or tax increases are required for the new debt issue. The Town has recently retired debt using RETT, making these annual receipts available for funding the Police Department’s facility.

Ballot Question:  

Without raising any taxes, shall Ordinance No. 16-02 be approved and shall the Avon Town Council thereby be authorized to use certificate of participation financing, with a principal amount not to exceed $6.5 million, to construct a new police station facility in accordance with the terms of Ordinance No. 16-02? 



Current Staffing:
Sworn Officers: 18    Admin: 2.5
Projected Staffing:
Sworn Officers: 26    Admin: 3


Space Needs Analysis:     Square Feet
Current:                                  4,800
Current Deficiency:               4,100
New Facility:                       10,419

Project Costs: Based upon 2/15/16 Pricing
Building & Parking:       $ 5,396,112
Land:                                    875,000
Total:                              $ 6,248,112

Project Funding:
Financing Instrument: Certificates of Participation
Bond Debt Period: 20 years
Average Interest Rate: 2.547%
Annual Debt Payment: $ 413,224  

Source of Payment:
Existing Taxes. No tax increase or new tax required

Joint PSF Public Meetings:
March 2, 6:15 pm – Avon Library
March 23, 5:30 pm – Avon Police Department
April 11, 5:30 pm – ERFPD Station 7, Avon
April 27, 5:30 pm – Avon Police Department



If approved, groundbreaking for the Joint Public Safety Facility is expected to begin the summer of 2016.

For Resolution No. 16-03 and Ordinance No. 16-02, visit: www.avon.org

Please Support Your Police Department

by Voting YES on May 3rd!

Investing in You. Investing In Your Protection