UNIFICATION PUBLIC HEARING 
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2024 at 6:00 PM
11993 Blackfoot Rd, Conifer, CO 80433

The Elk Creek Fire Protection District has received various questions related to the proposed unification process. In preparation for the Public Hearing on Unification, scheduled for November 21, 2024, the District is providing the following information to assist in answering or clarifying recent questions from the public on the unification process and related public hearing.

Proposed Unification:
1. The proposed unification is based on a statutory process in Section 32-1-501(1.5) that allows for a fire protection district to initiate an exclusion of property at the Board level if another fire protection district agrees to immediately include that property. 
2. No election is required if the district excluding property has a higher mill levy then the district that is including the property.
3. If approved, the proposed unification would result in the North Fork Fire Protection District’s (North Fork) boundaries being expanded to include the property currently located within Elk Creek Fire Protection District (Elk Creek) and Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District (Inter-Canyon). North Fork will then be renamed Conifer Fire Protection District.
4. The proposed unification will be based on the mill levies certified by each District for budget year 2025, not the current mill levies certified for budget year 2024. 
5. If approved, the unification will not change the mill levy amount assessed in budget year 2025 for Elk Creek citizens. Elk Creek citizens will be assessed the mill levy certified by the Elk Creek Board of Directors for budget year 2025. 
6. If approved, the unification will result in a single mill levy being assessed on the entire unified district (Conifer Fire Protection District) in budget year 2026.
7. The base mill levy of Conifer Fire Protection District will be 12 mills and could include adjustments for (i) refunds and abatements; and/or (ii) offsetting revenue decreases due to changes to the assessment rates.

Public Hearing Process:
1. The Elk Creek Board of Directors will preside over the unification public hearing. 
2. The public hearing will be similar to a typical public comment period at Board meetings. 
3. All individuals interested in speaking must sign up prior to the start of the meeting on the provided sign-in sheet.
4. The Board will not respond or answer questions. This is a time for citizens to provide their respective perspectives to the Board.
5. Each speaker will be permitted to speak for 3 minutes and provide comment to the Board related to the proposed unification.
6. At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board will deliberate on the proposed Resolution and Order of Exclusion.
7. Approval of the Resolution and Order of Exclusion would authorize a completion of the unification process.

Unification Public Hearing Information Document