Fire Protection District Approves No‑Cost Discovery & Assessment

County Watch & Accountability
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I want to share an important update with the community.

The Costilla County Fire Protection District Board has approved moving forward with a no‑cost discovery and assessment, to be conducted through San Luis Valley Industries, LLC.

What this means

This approval authorizes a structured, fact‑finding review of the District’s current technology, records, and compliance posture. The goal is to establish a clear, accurate baseline of how systems and information are handled today.

The purpose of this work is practical and preventative:

  • Protect volunteer firefighters and board members from unnecessary legal and compliance risk

  • Ensure required public records, notices, and reporting obligations are handled correctly

  • Identify gaps or risks early, before they become operational or legal problems

  • Provide the Board with documented information to support informed future decisions

What this is not

  • This is not a spending approval

  • This is not a mandate to change systems or processes

  • This is not informal or ad‑hoc access by an individual

The work is being done through a registered Colorado LLC, with defined scope, documentation, and confidentiality expectations. Any future changes or investments would require separate discussion and Board approval.

Why this matters

Doing this kind of work before issues arise is how public institutions:

  • reduce risk instead of reacting to it

  • improve transparency without disruption

  • protect the people who volunteer their time to serve the community

As the assessment progresses, I’ll share updates at appropriate milestones so the community understands what was reviewed and what was learned.

:red_question_mark: What is “discovery”?

In this context, discovery simply means information‑gathering before decision‑making.

It involves:

  • Inventorying what systems, records, and tools exist today

  • Documenting who owns or manages them

  • Identifying where required public records are created, stored, and posted

  • Noting gaps, risks, or single points of failure

  • Separating facts from assumptions

Discovery does not mean making changes, buying equipment, or committing funds. It produces documentation and findings that are brought back to the Board so they can decide what—if anything—should happen next.

This approach helps ensure that future decisions are based on reality, not guesses, and that issues are addressed early rather than under pressure.

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