DENVER — Mark Brunner, President of the La Veta Fire Protection District Board of Directors, was named one of two winners of the Special District Association of Colorado’s 2015 Board Member of the Year Award. The Special District Association of Colorado (SDA) presents this award annually to a special district board member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and service to their district. This year the remarkable contributions of the nominees resulted in a tie between Brunner and Rick Owens, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Highlands Ranch Metro District. The awards were presented at the SDA Annual Awards Luncheon as part of the SDA Annual Conference which was held September 23-25, 2015 in Keystone, Colorado. Brunner has served on the board of directors of the district for 11 years. Brunner also serves as a certified emergency medical technician and a certified firefighter for the district on a volunteer basis. As president, Brunner has partnered with the fire chief and EMS director to increase the scope and breadth of both services as well as to meet the needs for further education for the volunteer staff. Brunner was also the driving force for an increased mill levy for the district to support a higher level of medical services and to build a desperately needed new fire
station. The mill levy, which passed in 2013 by 66% of the eligible voters, increased the district’s revenue by approximately one-third. Additionally, Brunner has worked with other board members in obtaining grants and loans of over $1 million in the last year alone. Brunner has also diligently grown the district’s volunteer staff, from about seven when he began to the current level of close to 30. Brunner cares greatly for the well-being of his community which is reflected in his unwavering dedication to the district. Ann Terry, SDA’s executive director, was honored to recognize the exceptional work of both Brunner and Owens. “Mark is a very deserving winner of this award, and we are pleased for the opportunity to commend him and the extraordinary contributions he has made to his district.”
