Clear Creek officials refine FAQ and weigh fire funding options as public outreach continues

A joint meeting of Clear Creek County commissioners and municipal officials on Feb. 10 focused on a draft frequently asked‑questions document to explain the Clear Creek Fire Authority and to prepare public outreach about possible funding measures.

The FAQ effort is intended to accompany a public survey about public‑safety funding. Megan Heiler, public information officer for Clear Creek County, said the draft "took a few weeks" to assemble and was compiled "in conjunction with other people at the county," and that it is not yet published. Meeting participants agreed to publish the FAQ on the county website after incorporating edits and to share it with municipalities for use on their sites.

Why it matters: meeting participants said the FAQ must clearly explain what the fire authority is, how currently assessed mill levies work, and why the authority is pursuing additional revenue. Commissioners and fire authority staff flagged particular points the public raises frequently — the authority’s history, that the unincorporated mill levy has not increased since 1989, the difference between municipal funding approaches and the unincorporated funding mechanism, and concrete examples of what a mill means for a homeowner.

Key editorial and content decisions - Publish revised FAQ with most items updated; hold Question 8 (detailed breakdown of who the authority serves and visitor vs. local call shares) until staff from fire, EMS and the sheriff can jointly supply and vet data. The group agreed to release the FAQ without that answer if necessary. - Add a short, layperson definition of the Clear Creek Fire Authority and a concise opening sentence for the levies and funding questions so readers understand the basic mechanics before reading the details. - Include clear statements that the unincorporated mill levy was set at 4.569 (often cited in the meeting as 4.569 or 4.569 mills) and, according to meeting participants, "has not increased since 1989." The draft will say that explicitly.

What participants asked to be added or clarified - A one‑paragraph, high‑level history of why separate fire departments consolidated into the Clear Creek Fire Authority. - A clear sentence that county general fund dollars are not available to increase the ESD/ESG funding level without voter approval; municipalities have different funding mechanisms and some have voluntarily increased funding beyond the base mill level. - Examples to help residents calculate impact: several participants suggested showing what 1 mill would cost on a $500,000 home and linking to the taxpayer receipt tool so residents can compute exact numbers for their property.

Numbers discussed (as reported in the meeting) - 2024 total calls cited in discussion: 1,796 (meeting staff identified an "actual number" for 2024 of $1,208,435 in one data line used for the survey; staff also discussed an operating deficit figure of $623,000 as a year‑end difference between income and expenditures for the authority). - A summary funding need shown in the working "good column" was described in the meeting as about $1,900,000 for defined fire authority needs; meeting staff said that would be roughly equivalent to a 0.77% countywide sales tax or, if funded solely via property tax, a combined mill rate around 13.8 (participants emphasized these estimates are preliminary and include municipality‑by‑municipality nuances).

Next steps and scheduling - Fire authority staff, Clear Creek EMS and the sheriff’s office will meet to assemble the visitor‑vs‑resident call data and other call‑type trends requested for Question 8. - The group set the next joint meeting for March 10, 1–3 p.m., to review the survey draft, discuss courtesy patrol/fine revenue questions and follow up on billing‑for‑service options.

Speakers quoted or relied on in this article are those present at the meeting and documented in the transcript: Commissioner George Marlin; Megan Heiler, public information officer; Aaron Crowley, EMS director; and other county and municipal staff and elected officials who participated in the FAQ drafting discussion.