Title
A Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement for Wildfire Mitigation and Suppression Planning
Presenter:
Aram Benyamin, Chief Executive Officer, Colorado Springs Utilities
Body
Summary:
Colorado Springs Utilities (Springs Utilities) requests City Council approval of two separate intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) between the City of Colorado Springs, on behalf of Colorado Springs Utilities and Teller County, on behalf of the Teller County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
Background:
In order to comply with several United States Congressional land grants to the City of Colorado Springs related to watershed planning and protection, the Catamount Wildland Fire Team (WFT) was established within Colorado Springs Utilities. The Catamount WFT is a 50 plus volunteer fire team whose membership is comprised from Colorado Springs Utilities, Pikes Peak America’s Mountain and the City of Colorado Springs Public Works. The team is designed to provide wildland fire suppression support resources to help protect Springs Utilities’ infrastructure and provide operational knowledge about Springs Utilities’ system during disasters like wildland fires, floods, and wind storms. The Catamount WFT currently works with local fire protection districts, counties where Springs Utilities has infrastructure, the State of Colorado, the U.S. Forest Service, and local military bases to protect Springs Utilities’ infrastructure from these types of disasters.
In 2014, Springs Utilities developed an internal team to work on formalizing agreements with various counties, local fire protection districts, and the local military bases to ensure that Catamount WFT resources are used to assist in the event of fires that could pose a risk to Springs Utilities’ infrastructure and the Colorado Springs community. As part of this effort, Springs Utilities has worked with Teller County to develop two IGAs related to: (1) wildland fire protection and incident response services and (2) wildland fire mitigation and suppression planning. The two IGAs work together to ensure that Springs Utilities is an active part of fire-related mitigation and suppression planning with the Teller County’s Sheriff’s Office to identify key assets and areas that may require special treatment and to ensure that Springs Utilities’ Catamount WFT is able to provide additional support during fire events that place Springs Utilities’ infrastructure at risk. The mitigation and suppression planning agreement further supports the requirements of § 29-20-105.5, C.R.S., which requires coordination between municipal utilities and the State and counties where a municipal utility owns infrastructure in the unincorporated area of a county.
Previous Council Action:
N/A
Financial Implications:
Entering into the IGAs is expected to help manage the cost associated with protection of Springs Utilities’ infrastructure from wildland fires through better planning and mitigation on the front end and by utilization of the Catamount WFT in the event of a fire. Where Springs Utilities’ Catamount WFT responds to fires in the community that do not involve City-owned, Springs Utilities’ controlled property, Springs Utilities will be reimbursed based on State-approved rates. Where Springs Utilities’ Catamount WFT responds to fires on Springs Utilities’ lands, the cost to Springs Utilities will be reduced based on the value of resources provided by Springs Utilities.
City Council Appointed Board/Commission/Committee Recommendation:
N/A
Stakeholder Process:
Springs Utilities’ staff worked with staff in the Teller County Sheriff’s Office in the finalization of the attached IGAs
Alternatives:
Approve the attached Resolutions or do not approve the attached Resolutions.
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
Move approval of the proposed Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement for Wildfire Mitigation and Suppression.
Summary of Ordinance Language
N/A