The Durango Fire Protection District will hold its first board election in 11 years on Tuesday, when voters will choose three candidates from a field of five to fill open seats.
The six-member board of directors oversees the district’s budget, appoints committees and hires the chief.
Board members serve four-year terms, and elections are held every two years if there are enough candidates to necessitate an election.
This year, two incumbents are seeking reelection.
The Durango Herald spoke with all five candidates this week to learn why they are running, their backgrounds and what they hope to contribute if elected.
Samantha Gallagher, one of two incumbents, said she is already involved with DFPD and highlighted her background in government finance.
Born and raised in Durango, Gallagher is the chief financial officer for Fort Lewis College. She also serves on the board of the Colorado Association of School Business Officials and sits on the small institutions committee for the Western Association of College and University Business Officials.
She said her financial and governmental experience is a strength she brings to the board.
In 2024, Colorado expanded the number of people eligible for property tax cuts. Gallagher said while the change benefits homeowners, it adds pressure to the district’s budget, which relies heavily on property taxes.
Looking ahead, she said balancing the needs of the community with the emergency services provided by the district will be even more important.
Gallagher said she has dealt with similar budgetary pressures working in education.
“You really have to go through those budgets with a fine-tooth comb and look at what's a want versus a need,” she said.
During her time on the board, Gallagher said she and her colleagues delivered clean audits and balanced budgets.
She said that experience is a significant asset, particularly because she would not need time to get up to speed on board operations.
“I've been really privileged to be on the board, and if I'm lucky enough to get elected for a second term, I think it would be my privilege to help the fire district move forward,” Gallagher said.
Like several of the other candidates, TJ Hermesman is a lifelong Durango resident. He graduated from Durango High School before serving four years in the military, which he believes affords him a perspective that would be an asset to the board.
Hermesman said being a service member in the lower echelons of the military shares many commonalities with the day-to-day experiences of firefighters. That understanding could be beneficial in helping shape fire district policies that support staff, he said.
As a member of Team Rubicon, a veteran’s disaster response group, Hermesman said he has experience with emergency services.
Additionally, he has a close, personal connection to the Durango Fire District. His mother was the first female firefighter employed by the district, and his father is a volunteer lieutenant.
Hermesman said he would prioritize fiscal responsibility, policy oversight and stronger connections between firefighters and the community.
Hermesman is also a local entrepreneur. He owns Ted’s Rental and Sales, along with several other properties in the La Plata County area. As a business owner, he said he understands the perspective of those who pay the mill levies that fund the district, as well as the residents who rely on its services.
“I would love the opportunity and the ability to help the fire department,” he said. “That's kind of what it’s all about.”
Tina McCallum, the board’s treasurer, said she has gained knowledge about the DFPD over her four-year term, and highlighted her commitment to community service.
McCallum is a financial planner at Baird Private Wealth Management, as well as the chair of the Business Advisory Committee. She works with the Women Aid Count Council, and spent around eight years as chair of the city of Durango Retirement Board.
“I really like to genuinely give back to my community from here and it’s important to me that I try and make a difference,” she said.
After hearing about the board opening in 2022 from some of the firefighters, she decided to try it out and said it has been an extraordinarily rewarding experience.
“I've never learned this much being on a board,” she said. “We have gone through a retiring chief, hiring a new chief, buying a building, selling buildings – you name it, we've done it. It's been incredibly rewarding.”
She said it was a steep learning curve, but after four years absorbing knowledge about city and county governments, finances and special districts, she feels prepared to tackle another term.
Looking forward, she said the biggest challenge is finding ways to increase firefighters’ pay.
It’s up to the board to closely examine the budget and ensure everyone is taken care of, which McCallum thinks the current board has collaborated together on very well.
“We have a great board right now,” she said. “Everybody really works together well.”
Jason Moore landed in Durango 4½ years ago after a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft maintenance officer. Since his arrival, he has spent his winters working on ski patrol at Purgatory Resort.
Moore said both of those positions have prepared him for a seat on the board.
As an Air Force officer, Moore was responsible for a large number of people and airplanes, logistics, quality assurance and budget management of an organization that he said operates in a similar way to fire departments, which are paramilitary organizations.
Moore said he managed a significantly larger budget than what the fire department works with, which would be useful to the board.
He acknowledged his unfamiliarity with the board's past activities and current financial challenges but said he is eager to support the department's growth and expansion, pointing to the potential new fire station in Three Springs subdivision.
Moore expressed a strong desire to give back to the community anyway he can, and said serving on the board would allow him the opportunity to do so.
David Stokes has close connections to the Durango fire district. He spent nine years working for the district as a volunteer, a part-time wildland firefighter and a reservist, before eventually moving into a full-time position.
Stokes said he would bring “an experienced eye in many levels of the fire service” to the board, as well as a varied background of community service and involvement.
Stokes has been involved in the Durango community since his arrival in 1999. He volunteered at the adult education center, taught at-risk youths for several years at the Southern Ute Community Action Programs and coached club and high school volleyball.
Originally from Maryland, Stokes is the president of the Marion and Edward Gallagher foundations – philanthropic organizations that provide financial assistance to the John Hopkins Hospital.
If elected, Stokes said he would be continuing a family tradition of service.
The election will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Votes must be cast at one of two polling locations: 103 Sheppard Drive in Bodo Park or at Station No. 6, 31263 U.S. Highway 550.
Eligible electors must be registered to vote in Colorado and must reside in or own property within the Durango Fire Protection District. The city of Durango is not technically in the district; rather, the city contracts with the DFPD for fire services, which means city residents are not eligible to vote or serve on the board unless they own property that is in their name within the district.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
