Incorporation risks jeopardizing our relationship with one of the best fire departments in Colorado.
The incorporation committee says your taxes won't really go up because they'll renegotiate a cheaper fire protection contract. Here's what they're not telling you.
Town begins creating charter.
The new town government attempts to negotiate a "contract for service" with Mountain View Fire Rescue — a model MVFR says they've never done before and their legal team hasn't confirmed is even possible.
If MVFR agrees to a cheaper contract, the committee's budget projections might hold. If not, the town must either stay in the fire district at the current cost — blowing a hole in the budget — or find an alternative provider for your family's safety.
"We've never done that before in the way that they are proposing. We don't even have a verdict back from our legal department yet if it's even possible."— Rick Tillery, MVFR Public Information Officer
Mountain View purchased and renovated a $15.8 million headquarters building right here in Niwot in 2024-2025. They're investing in Niwot under the current arrangement. Disrupting that relationship is a risk with no guaranteed upside.
MVFR says Station 4 staffing alone costs ~$2.5 million/year — not including maintenance. The committee's budget assumes fire services for under $2 million. That's a gap the committee hasn't explained.
The committee admits Niwot has "no legal standing to negotiate" fire service terms until after incorporation. You're being asked to vote yes first and find out the actual cost later.
The entire "approximately no net change" tax promise is built on a fire renegotiation that hasn't happened, may not be legally possible, and can't even begin until after you've already voted to raise your own taxes. That's not a plan — it's a hope.
The professionals of Mountain View Fire Rescue have been there for us when we need them, providing gold standard emergency care and community involvement.
If this goes to the November 2026 ballot, only residents within the proposed boundaries will vote. That means every conversation, every informed neighbor, and every voice counts.
Whether you're firmly opposed or just want to make sure both sides are heard, there's a place for you.
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