"Then, with no executive session and no lingering business, the meeting ended early—a final, quiet close to a year that didn’t slow down."”

GILPIN COUNTY — Timberline’s 2025 story was mostly one long, loud construction project, layered over a district that kept running calls, deploying out of area, and expanding mitigation at the same time.

If the first half of the year was planning and contracting, the latter half was dirt, steel, invoices, and figuring out how to keep cash flow steady while waiting on reimbursements and federal dollars.

Board and leadership

Board of Directors 

1. Rick Wenzel, President (often attending virtually later in the year)

2. John Bushey, Vice Chairman

3. John Carder, Member at Large

4. Kristin Turner, Member at Large

5. Mary Kate McKenna, Member at Large

Staff

• Fire Chief Paul Ondr

• Administrative Chief Jennifer Hinderman

Carder and Turner were already declared elected in early spring, and by the end of the year, the board looked steady and familiar, even when attendance bounced around.

January

The year opened with routine approvals and a lot of moving parts. The board reviewed finances and heard that deployment revenue was coming in, but more slowly than expected. Station 3’s bay addition was already front and center, with RFP coordination underway and a mandatory meeting scheduled ahead of bids. 

Ondr reported 45 calls in December and noted a recent structure fire where Timberline, supported by Black Hawk Fire, responded in about eight minutes. Timberline also kept mitigation rolling when weather allowed, while Brush 52 and mitigation staff deployed to California’s Palisades Fire. 

By the end of the month, the district was also talking grant strategy, including SAFER grants tied to staffing and recruitment. Volunteer interviews were underway.

February

February was a pivot month. The board paused for a moment of silence for longtime member Charles “Chip” Smith, who had died, then got down to business, selecting the direction for Station 3.

Two proposals were discussed, with Krische Construction (KCI) ultimately chosen as the preferred option due to its closer alignment with the budget and broader scope. Ondr said Timberline’s funding for the project was about $1.9 million when combined with grants and capital already set aside. 

A timeline was discussed, with the goal of having exterior work largely complete by the end of September, and a board presentation expected once the plans mature. The board also discussed reserves and impact fees shifting from the County to Timberline, and approved a maintenance bay lease in Rollinsville.

Ondr reported 59 calls in January and described a travel trailer fire likely caused by a propane heater left running inside.

March

With the May election uncontested, the board declared Carder and Turner elected to four-year terms through 2029. Station 3 continued to advance, with KCI and Arete moving into contract work and the USDA funding component still affecting the timeline. The district also made a practical purchase: two used CSP F-150s to support training and operations and stretch the life of other vehicles. 

Calls stayed steady, recruitment remained strong, and mitigation assessments continued to draw interest through new website sign-ups. The board also noted a grant denial for a Boulder County cistern request, with future options still under discussion.

April

April brought regional politics into the room. The board discussed Black Hawk’s letter terminating its mutual aid agreement with Central City. Ondr outlined who Timberline has mutual aid agreements with and where automatic aid applies, and suggested the Central agreement may need revisiting, as it was previously a three-way arrangement. 

Timberline also moved forward with internal policy, approving a reserves resolution and adopting an updated fee schedule tied to the district, now collecting its own impact fees.

Ondr reported that Station 3 was moving along well and announced a competitive hiring decision, naming Nathan Fowler to begin regular employment in mid-April.

May

In May, Carder and Turner took their oaths of office, and the meeting had a lighter moment with Carder’s banana bread making the rounds. Under the surface, though, the mitigation program was growing fast enough that the board approved a new part-time Mitigation Assistant position, described as possibly temporary and dependent on future funding. 

Gilpin County had approved an additional $100,000 for roadside mitigation and chipping events, and Timberline needed more hands to run crews while the coordinator handled assessments and bids. 

KCI and Arete also presented Station 3 bay addition designs, explaining how the odd, historic building shape affected engineering.

Ondr reported steady call volume, strong volunteer turnout, and that Timberline’s new wildland engine was ready for deployment.

June

June was about keeping structure while adapting to reality. Wenzel started a new job in Arizona on a four-weeks-on, one-week-off rotation, which meant most meetings would be virtual for him unless schedules shifted. The board chose not to reorganize positions.

They also held off on a state-required firefighter benefits trust agreement to get more clarity before voting. 

Ondr reported 70 calls in May, continued progress on Station 3 with minor delays, and ongoing mitigation work with residential jobs booking out into July. Behind the scenes, Hinderman was deep in pre-audit work and the district was pursuing grant opportunities.

July

July turned financial. The board adopted an amended 2024 budget, adjusting the General Fund to $2,990,847, which was $475,882 higher than the original appropriation. The explanation was typical of Timberline’s year: contingency realities like delayed wildland reimbursement timing and Station 3 financing mechanics. 

Ondr confirmed that KCI would begin Station 3 construction on August 18, with groundbreaking planned for August 19. Mitigation remained busy and at times tense. He noted community “drama” driven by misinformation while Timberline waited for clarity from the Forest Service on roadside work.

Wildland deployments continued, and the points system introduced earlier in the year was described as producing positive results.

August

In August, Station 3 became the focus. The board approved a contract amendment setting a guaranteed maximum price of $2,446,900 for the bay addition. 

The revised scope outlined the project's extent: cistern storage, renovations, third-floor improvements, and major site work. The board also flagged the financial squeeze, with Timberline projecting a roughly $230,000 gap to be resolved in the 2026 budget and anticipating a familiar January cash-flow pinch before tax revenues arrive. 

Then, on August 19, Timberline held its groundbreaking. It drew a bigger-than-expected crowd, and the tone was celebratory but practical: After years of planning, the project was finally dirt and steel.

Speakers tied the station work to grant support and long-term district readiness. After the ceremony, the board handled only a handful of formal votes, with most of the meeting devoted to updates.

September

September brought one of the more human meetings of the year. The board recognized resident Noah Topia for putting out flames with a personal extinguisher before crews arrived at a Base Camp structure fire. 

Timberline also awarded black helmets to Nouh Lahoud and Halcy Webster, in recognition of the extensive training and certification they had completed. On the business side, the board made a concrete decision about rising benefit costs, approving health insurance changes after noting a 17% increase. 

Ondr reported 86 calls in August and commented that the Station 3 excavation was proving difficult, with rock-driving delays. Recruitment continued to build toward the fall academy.

October

October was a mix of progress and pitfalls, literally. The board toured the Station 3 construction site before the meeting, and Ondr said they were a couple of weeks behind schedule but still moving forward. But the bigger concern was outside Timberline’s control: USDA funding delays were made worse by the federal government shutdown.

Hinderman described paperwork slowdowns with the district fronting payments while waiting on federal reimbursement. The board also scheduled budget workshops for early and late November, indicating a December budget adoption. 

In operations, Ondr reported calls holding steady and mitigation continuing. Still, there were hard knocks too: stolen wildland gear, hail damage to vehicles, and Station 5’s generator destroyed during an incident involving a truck hauling rock.

November

In November, the board openly addressed the cash realities of operating a busy district while a major build is underway. The board approved the 2025 audit contract and then voted to transfer $200,000 from reserves for operational expenses only, to be repaid by May 1, 2026, after expected tax revenues arrive.

Station 3 updates included a change order related to an error in the soil report that required importing fill rather than using on-site material, resulting in a cost of $59,149.44. 

Ondr reported 55 calls in October, ongoing mitigation work nearing the limit of County funding for the year, and that the district was not selected for an $800,000 mitigation grant request, though other applications remained in play.

The meeting also introduced new volunteers and reinforced the district’s recruitment pipeline heading into 2026.

December

Timberline’s final meeting of 2025 wrapped it all together. The board recessed briefly as the Pension Board reviewed investment returns and confirmed receipt of the state match.

Back in the regular meeting, public comment included a visit from Jared, director of operations with KCI, the company handling the Station 3 buildout, who told the board, “We’re here to help you guys. Let me know if there’s anything we can do to help.” 

The board opened and closed the 2026 budget hearing without comment, then adopted the required budget resolutions, including a 2026 mill levy set at 9.359 mills after stabilization adjustments. 

They approved the 2026 meeting schedule, authorized a lease purchase agreement pending final legal review, and received a detailed Station 3 update: steel framing is nearly complete, interior work is progressing, and a cistern pad pour is planned for early January. 

Ondr reported 60 calls in November and said the district was again on track to surpass 700 calls, with 696 reports already started. He also noted grant wins that will support gear and EMS coverage in Boulder County in 2026. 

Then, with no executive session and no lingering business, the meeting ended early—a final, quiet close to a year that didn’t slow down.

By the end of 2025, Timberline wasn’t just planning a bigger Station 3. It was building it, paying for it, and running calls the whole time.