Fort Mojave Mesa Fire board approves adoption of qualifying employee post-employment health plan

FORT MOHAVE — Fire board members approved a resolution to adopt a post-employment health plan for qualifying public employees of Fort Mojave Mesa Fire Department.

The adoption of Resolution 2025-03 established a post-employment health plan on behalf of eligible employees that unanimously opted into the proposed benefit.

IRS mandates unanimous consent by employee tiers to create the benefit. FMMFD Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) firefighters are currently the only tier of Local 4324 to vote unanimously for the benefit, which may be funded with employer contributions, mandatory eligible employee contributions or a combination of both.

DROP is a specific retirement option for Tier 1 Public Safety Personnel Retirement System members where they choose to defer their retirement and continue working for a set period of time and receive their retirement benefits into a separate, interest-earning DROP account, which is paid out as a lump sum on their eventual termination of employment.

The district has been in talks with Fort Mojave Professional Firefighters Association Local 4324 to create a mechanism to provide health insurance to firefighters who may retire in their 50s and find themselves without health insurance or fully responsible for health insurance costs until they qualify for Medicare at age 65.

"I fully support the introduction of the PEHP program for all our members," said Kyle Bakken, Local 4324 Union president during the call to the public. "Unfortunately (there are) some individuals who in my opinion are selfishly holding us back — But it's my job, our union's job, to hopefully change their mind so we all can benefit from this program."

Members also voted to accept a three-year contract renewal with SBi Business (formerly Sunstate Technologies), for information technology services. The district received three bids and presented to board members two quotes, the third not providing the services required at an in-line cost. After consideration, the board chose to accept the SBi Business quote.

In his monthly report, Chief John Clark informed members that Dot Foods awarded a $22,000 grant toward Phase II construction of Station 92.

The district is still in the running for several Tribal grants that have not yet announced awards, he said. FEMA's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant program, which would pay for three additional firefighters, equipment and training costs, have also not yet been awarded; the deadline for the agency to award those grants is end of September.

In Station 92 reconstruction updates, Clark said about 95% of the framing is completed in Phase I, and about 75% of plumbing and electrical. The decision was made to add a vinyl mix to the stucco, so the building will have a light body and black roof, with the interior finishes reflecting the same light/dark theme. The administrative portion of the building will receive a coat of the same finish to tie the reconstructed portion of the building to the existing structure. The administration portion of the building will also be re-roofed in the same material as the reconstruction area, as re-roofing that part of the building will be required in two years or less.

"It will look like the whole station is new," Clark said. Construction of phases 1 and 2 are being adjusted so that they will finish about the same time, with completion expected between end of February and end of March.

In his fire operations and training report, Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Smith said total ambulance revenue for the new fiscal year is about $155,224.67, with $78,618 from 911 calls and $76,606 from inter-facility transfers.

In the past five months, the department has reduced the number of on-duty members making long-distance transports, keeping those members available in district and reducing costs.

The district received applications from 40 people in the most recent application period in the hiring process, Smith said. Twenty of the applicants completed everything required and qualified. Fifteen of those candidates move forward to in-person interviews beginning Tuesday, Aug. 26.