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Douglas County commissioners signal support for full CFD No. 1 staffing increase
Summary
After a presentation by county staff, a majority of commissioners said they support Option A — a supplemental request to add 10 FTEs to Consolidated Fire District No. 1 — and asked finance staff to finalize mill-levy calculations; commissioners debated funding of onboarding and PPE costs.
A majority of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners expressed support for a full supplemental staffing request from Consolidated Fire District No. 1 that would add 10 full-time equivalent positions, and asked county staff to return with precise mill-levy calculations for a July hearing.
County presenter Sean laid out the district's request and operational data, saying the district handled about 1,000 incidents in 2025, of which roughly 676 were ‘‘low-acuity’’ calls and about 32% were fire-related. He described three staffing options: Option A (10 FTEs: six firefighters, three captains and one chief officer), Option B (nine positions, deferring the chief officer) and Option C (six firefighters only).
Why it matters: Commissioners said the staffing request responds to geographic coverage challenges, a thinning volunteer base and rising personnel costs. Chair said the package would produce a more stable service model across the district.
Commissioners weighed the options and community feedback. One commissioner favored phasing the increase across two years to lessen immediate mill impacts and proposed a compromise that would add six firefighters plus a chief officer as an interim ‘‘B-and-a-half’’ approach. Other commissioners said phasing would leave the district without necessary on-shift supervision and preferred Option A.
Commissioner (functional label) said, "I am supportive of the full increase and the full ask of 10 positions," adding that fuller staffing would "stabilize the department" and expand consistent coverage across a wide geography. Another commissioner who said they had heard no negative feedback from residents within the district also voiced support for Option A.
Commissioners debated whether onboarding and personal protective equipment (PPE) costs should be treated as a one-time expense or folded into the mill levy as ongoing costs. Staff noted an estimated $13,000 per new position for radios, bunker gear and related items and a $130,000 one-time line; some commissioners argued PPE replacement cycles mean those costs are effectively recurring.
County staff agreed to update the spreadsheet to show the mill-levy impact of the chosen option and to prepare the R&R notice showing the exact mill amount. Chair summarized the direction: commissioners were largely in favor of the full staffing request and asked administration to confirm the math and return with final figures for the commission's July 15 meeting.
Next steps: Staff will recalculate mill-levy impacts and return with a revised package and the R&R notice; no formal vote was recorded in today's session. The commission will revisit the CFD levy amount at a future meeting.
