Palisade’s Board of Trustees is considering signing and sending a letter to the Palisade Rural Fire District requesting a fire and EMS mill levy increase on the November 2026 ballot, from the current 5.242 mills (set in a 2011 IGA designed for a mostly volunteer department) up to 15 mills. The staff report explains that operating the now full‑time fire and ambulance department costs about 1.7M annually (excluding apparatus replacement), while the rural mill generates only around 150000 per year toward that cost compared to 750000 from town residents at 17.5 mills plus roughly 800000 in general‑fund sales tax support. If rural voters do not approve an increase, the Town warns it may revert service levels to the 2011 volunteer model or end service to the rural district, highlighting a potential shift in service models and infrastructure planning. This creates an important pre‑RFP signal: depending on the funding outcome, Palisade may need to restructure fire/EMS delivery, evaluate consolidation options, adjust staffing, and plan future capital purchases, presenting opportunities for fire service consultants, financial and rate analysts, EMS billing services, staffing and scheduling tools, and vendors of apparatus and station equipment to support planning scenarios and procurement strategies ahead of or after the 2026 election.

The 2011 IGA between the Town and District runs through 2031 with provisions for budget review, mill...