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The environment desk at Aspen Public Radio covers issues in the Roaring Fork Valley and throughout the state of Colorado including water use and quality, impact of recreation, population growth and oil and gas development. APR’s Environment Reporter is Elizabeth Stewart-Severy.

Aspen Fire Board election is Tuesday

www.aspenfire.com

Tuesday is the last day to cast a ballot for Aspen’s Fire Protection District board of directors.

Five people are running for three open seats on the board of directors for this special district. The board approves financial decisions for the Aspen Volunteer Fire Department, wildfire prevention and fire education. It also oversees the fire chief.

Three current members, David Walbert, Stoney Davis and Denis Murray, are running for re-election. They are challenged by Travis Van Domelen and Claude Salter.

Fire Marshal Parker Lathrop said it’s important to hear public input through the election process.

“We need direction from the public," he said. "We want to make sure that we’re providing the services the public wants and needs.”

There is an ongoing discussion of the current mill levy that funds the protection district; the next board will continue to examine if this is sufficient. Under the current tax rate, the district has about a $2 million annual budget. That goes largely to administration, direct fire-fighting expenses and equipment.

Ballots are due to the Aspen Fire Department by 7 p.m. Tuesday.

 

Aspen native Elizabeth Stewart-Severy is excited to be making a return to both the Red Brick, where she attended kindergarten, and the field of journalism. She has spent her entire life playing in the mountains and rivers around Aspen, and is thrilled to be reporting about all things environmental in this special place. She attended the University of Colorado with a Boettcher Scholarship, and graduated as the top student from the School of Journalism in 2006. Her lifelong love of hockey lead to a stint working for the Colorado Avalanche, and she still plays in local leagues and coaches the Aspen Junior Hockey U-19 girls.