The community of Munds Park has been generous in both time and dollars in supporting the Pinewood Fire Department, and it has not gone unnoticed by Fire Chief Josh Tope and his crew. They are very grateful and want our readers to know how their donations have been put to good use.
Historically the fire district has had solid financial management and all operations are covered within budget. The Chief has a strategic plan for equipment replacement for items such as fire engines that can cost upwards of $600,000 and ambulances $300,000. These items will be purchased through their operating budget as needed.
Donations typically come through the Pinewood Fire Department Auxiliary, and the Auxiliary is excellent at raising money for our firehouse. The donations received allow Chief Tope to purchase the best equipment to serve residents in the Park and surrounding areas. These donations and a strong grant writing program make the Pinewood Fire District one of the best-equipped departments in the region.
Some items include emergency medical equipment, handheld portable radios, and upgraded mapping/dispatching software. Most items existed within their operations, and donations either augmented or replaced existing equipment.
In the last few years, requests from Chief Tope for funds from the Auxiliary have slowed to save and use later towards the new firehouse. As news spread that a new firehouse was needed, the community jumped into action, and in 2020 the first annual Agee’s Labor Day Celebration and Fundraiser was born. The generosity from the community was massive and the 2nd annual event raised $100,000 for the fire district.
These funds have been used to develop plans for the new fire station by hiring a bond council and financial advisor, creating architectural concepts and civil/survey work.
The cost of building is continually rising, and the bond will not cover the entirety of the new station. The Fire District has budgeted appropriately and plans to supplement the project through their normal operating budget. The communities donations have been highly beneficial—Covering the early costs outside the bond.
The Pinewood News, volunteers and donors supporting our firefighters are asking Munds Park to support Prop 446 this November. It’s the last step to complete this goal, ensuring our firefighters have a safe place to work and serve our community.
To vote, you must be registered in Coconino County. You can easily change your voting location if you are a property owner in Munds Park and not registered here.
The deadline to register is October 11, 2022.
For more information on Proposition 446 click here.
For any additional questions, you can reach Chief Tope at 928-286-9885 during regular business hours.
Article originally ran in the August 7, 2022 edition of the Pinewood News.
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