Mountain View Fire Protection District election

The Mountain View Fire Protection District (MVFPD) is conducting a mail-ballot election for two available director positions. The MVFPD is governed by a five person Board of Directors who must live in the District. Each director serves a four-year term with a maximum of two terms.

Residents of the MVFPD should have received their ballots in the mail. Ballots are due by May 6.

Mountain View Fire Protection District Background

MVFPD was founded in 1961. At the time, the district was primarily composed of volunteer personnel who protected the town of Mead and defended unincorporated areas of Boulder County and Weld County from fire. They also responded to motor vehicle accidents and medical emergencies.

The communities now protected by MVFPD include the towns of Erie, Mead, and Superior, the city of Dacono, and the communities of Niwot and Eldorado Springs as well as many square miles of unincorporated areas in Boulder and Weld counties. MVFPD's stated mission is to preserve and protect the community from all hazards through outstanding preparedness, prevention, education, and emergency response. The district has over 150 employees.

The Candidates

Below are condensed versions of each candidate's bio found on the MVFPD's website at https://www.mvfpd.org/elections.

Tiffany Heisler

Tiffany Heisler of Erie is a Business Banking Sales Manager with 21 years of experience in the banking industry. She serves on the Boards of A Precious Child in Broomfield and Habitat for Humanity Denver. She has dedicated time to organizations like Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, Junior Achievement, and the Women's Bean Project.

Heisler's bio states that her decision to run for the MVFPD board is inspired by her firsthand experience with the incredible courage and dedication of MVFPD firefighters. She says that during the devastating Marshall Fire, her childhood home was saved by the tireless efforts of local firefighters. This life-altering event motivated her to advocate for the protection and well-being of the very individuals who safeguard our homes and communities.

Cole Lathrop

Cole Lathrop of Longmont is the owner of Coles Unlimited, a landscaping company in Firestone for the past 22 years. Lathrop is a Colorado native, raised in Boulder County, who has lived in the Firestone area since 2000. He retired after 32 years of fire service experience and has served as an MVFPD board member for the past three years. Lathrop began his fire service career in 1983 with the former Cherryvale Fire District, now part of MVFPD. In 1990, he started with MVFPD as a reserve firefighter and was hired as a paid firefighter in 1993.

Lathrop says that his goals as a Director focus on ensuring that district employees are provided with the tools, gear, and equipment needed to make a dangerous job as safe as possible. He continues to push for competitive wages and benefits to attract new firefighters and retain current staff, while ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent according to a "well thought out plan" and that the district remains fiscally sound and transparent to citizens. He supports being open to seeking alternative methods to assist with the budget. He desires to see the MVFPD grow with the communities that it protects to ensure that coverage and response times are appropriate.

Mike Mrla

Mike Mrla of Erie has nearly two decades of fire service experience and a background in commercial construction, providing a blend of operational knowledge and project management expertise to guide MVFPD's future.

Mrla began his fire service career in 2007 with Boulder Rural Fire Rescue (BRFR) as a captain. If elected to the Board of Directors, Mrla states that he will prioritize responsible department growth and firefighter safety and ensure the MVFPD remains well-equipped and prepared to serve the residents. He believes in fostering strong community ties and wants to guarantee that MVFPD continues to serve and grow in a manner that benefits our residents.

Mark Spangler

Mark Spangler of Superior has lived in Colorado since 1974. He retired after a career as a network engineer working primarily with companies headquartered in Southern California. He traveled throughout the U.S. supporting Fortune 500 Companies. In 1991, Spangler volunteered and trained as an Engineer at Cherryvale Fire Protection District. He was elected as a Director and served for over 20 years, ultimately becoming board president of the Cherryvale FPD, which is now part of MVFPD. During his tenure, Spangler earned certifications as a Fighter I, EMT, Wildland Red Card, and many others.

Spangler's vision for the MVFPD is to support all district constituents by providing exemplary service at the most economical tax cost, ensuring the safety of firefighters during operations, offering them competitive payroll and benefits, supporting the department's administrative staff, and developing planned fire stations along with the necessary Fire/EMS apparatus and equipment to serve the district effectively.

If you have not received your ballot, please contact the Mountain View Fire Protection District at 303-772-0710. Ballot drop-off locations include the MVFPD Administrative Office at 3561 N. Stagecoach Road, Longmont; the Town of Superior at 124 E. Coal Creek Drive; the Southwest Weld County Services Complex at 4209 County Road 24.5, Longmont; and the Erie Community Center at 450 Powers Street, Erie.