Loveland Rural Fire Protection District President Paul Bukowski said he has no plans to resign as critics cite transparency and leadership concerns

By Sharla Steinman
Loveland Reporter-Herald

LOVELAND, Colo. — The 300 signatures needed to move forward with the recall of Loveland Rural Fire Protection District President Paul Bukowski were approved Tuesday by the designated election official.

The Loveland Rural Fire Protection District Board will now have to schedule a recall election, which People for Unified Fire Protection member Tracey Powell said would be scheduled during a special or regular board meeting in mid-July.

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People for Unified Fire Protection, the committee of Loveland residents spearheading Bukowski’s recall, wrote in an emailed statement that Bukowski failed to be transparent with other board members and constituents, and didn’t seek their input or meet with them.

Bukowski said he understands the recall is part of the democratic process and a right that voters have, but said the decision has made him feel disheartened. Bukowski said those interested in his recall have completely ignored the extra support the rural board has provided to the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, including by going millions over the budget for equipment, better training areas, and salaries for full-time staff.

Bukowski said he is the only one of five board members being impacted, despite all members having navigated the same difficulties with the mill levy and former Fire Chief Tim Sendelbach’s separation from the department.

“I was one of five people that voted to deal with a very difficult and ugly personnel issue,” Bukowski said. ” … The waste of the district’s money (for a recall) is on them. It’s not on me … They are the ones who chose to do this.”

The committee is asking Bukowski to resign to avoid a potentially costly special election, according to the statement. Powell said the designated election official, Paralegal Micki Mills, estimated the recall election could cost over $100,000.

“The LRFPD Board should not require taxpayers to shoulder the cost of a recall election when the community has already made its position clear,” the statement states. “The Board should advocate for President Bukowski to do the right thing and resign from the Board voluntarily.”

Bukowski said he had no plans to resign, and said the recall election ballot will include a statement with his perspective for voters.

He said the rural board saved residents’ tax dollars, spent nearly $8 million outside the budget to support the LFRA, financially supported 13 full-time LFRA employees, and have consistently been good stewards of the rural district’s money.

One of the concerns raised by the recall committee was the repeal of the mill levy, which Bukowski said was a motion proposed by member Tim Brady, not him. Last year, the board approved a temporary mill levy rate reduction of 8 mills, down 3.186 mills from 2025, to provide property tax relief to residents.

“I’m the one they’ve singled out for whatever reason,” Bukowski said. “You name it, we have done it. For this to come to this has been very disheartening.”

Bukowski said that just as recently as this past November, the rural board received a letter of appreciation from Local 3566, the union representing Loveland’s firefighters, thanking the board for their support.

“Radios, bunker gear, brush trucks … we provided it,” Bukowski said. “Yet somehow we let them (the community) down.”

The recall committee is also advocating for former fire chief Tim Sendelbach’s return to the LFRA, saying since firefighters and residents supported Sendelbach, that the board shouldn’t spend resources searching for a new chief.

“The message from this community is simple, urgent, and impossible to ignore: the people have spoken,” the statement reads. “They have called for transparency, accountability, meaningful public input, respect for taxpayers, support for firefighters, and the return of trusted leadership.”

Although Sendelbach’s separation agreement from the department states he cannot be rehired at LFRA, Powell said contracts can be revisited.

The Loveland Rural Fire Protection District’s next regular meeting is scheduled for July 8. Although the agenda hasn’t been shared, the board may schedule the election during that meeting, and Colorado law requires the election to be held 75-90 days after the meeting in which the recall is addressed.

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