Commission sets potential cap to 6 mills for Consolidated Fire District No. 1; staff to refine plan before final adoption

The Board of Douglas County Commissioners voted to authorize staff to notify the county clerk that Consolidated Fire District No. 1 (CFD 1) may adopt up to a 6‑mill levy for 2026 and established Aug. 27 as the hearing date for the revenue‑neutral and budget hearings.

County staff and commissioners discussed a recently received consulting report on CFD 1 needs, including personnel, vehicle replacement and station service levels. Staff said the district was established under a consolidation agreement and that the district has been operating under a 5.5‑mill levy as the organization stood up. Officials said the consultant’s recommendations describe a multiyear implementation with significant resource needs.

Sarah (county administrator) and Brooke (budget staff) explained the mechanics: the value of one mill for CFD 1 is smaller than a countywide mill because CFD 1 covers a portion of the county (staff cited a one‑mill value around $315,996 for CFD 1), while one county mill was roughly $2.2 million. Commissioners discussed the tradeoffs of increasing the cap now to give CFD 1 flexibility to implement portions of the consultant’s recommendations and to allow staff and the commission more time to build a prioritized implementation plan.

Commissioners debated timing: staff said a full work plan to implement consultant recommendations will take additional time, and that July 30 will include a review of the five‑year capital improvement plan and CFD 1 budget; commissioners suggested using a modest lid increase as a ceiling the district could work under while a more comprehensive plan is developed for 2027. One commissioner proposed and later withdrew a motion, then reintroduced a motion to set a potential cap of 6 mills; the final motion was seconded and approved on the record.

Public comment was solicited for the item; no speakers were recorded on the public record for that item. Commissioners emphasized that authorizing the notice to exceed the revenue‑neutral rate creates a ceiling, not an obligation to collect or spend at that level, and that future budget or levy decisions will require additional commission review and public hearings.

Staff said they will present more detailed options and a proposed phased implementation for the consultant recommendations in subsequent meetings, and that any final levy above the current 5.5 mills would be adopted only after public hearings and further commission action.