Monument Volunteer Fire Department seeks $698,263 pumper; county discusses stipends to boost volunteer recruitment

County staff and Monument Volunteer Fire Department representatives asked the commission to authorize purchase of a 2026 Barton ERV International 6x6 pumper for the Monument Volunteer Fire Department to replace a 1986 engine.

Mr. Pruitt introduced the request and said the custom unit costs $698,263 and is an off-road-capable, dual-purpose apparatus able to carry approximately 3,000 gallons of water and deliver roughly 1,200–1,250 GPM. Monument Fire Chief Justin Solomon and Captain Steve Barr explained the apparatus would consolidate personnel and equipment for faster response on industrial and remote incidents, reduce the need to dispatch multiple vehicles from separate stations, and provide pump-and-roll capability and six-by-six mobility for oil-field and off-road response.

During Q&A, commissioners asked about the expected service life (Chief Solomon estimated about 20 years as a guideline) and annual call volume (roughly 140 calls per year for volunteers, with Captain Barr making many of the calls). Chief Solomon said the department has been piloting stipend concepts—point-based or reimbursement models—to offset volunteers’ lost wages, fuel and time spent responding or attending meetings and training, and said a stipend would not solve recruitment but would reduce barriers to volunteering. Commissioners and staff discussed prior junior programs and the possibility of further outreach; Apache previously donated one tank for Monument water storage, Mr. Solomon said.

The commission moved the matter and the purchase authorization proceeded through the approval process (the earlier vote recorded on the agenda advanced the item). Next steps include executing the procurement and carrying over funds as needed for delivery and outfitting.