Premium content

Commissioners discuss fire suppression system issues at Hughes Pavilion

Posted

WinterFest was held Jan. 17-19, featuring a community bonfire, live music, an ascension of hot air balloons and a skijoring competition.

Skijoring is an athletic competition in which athletes are pulled by a horse around a snow track on either skis or a snowboard.

During a work session held by the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) on Tuesday, Jan. 14, County Manager Jack Harper indicated that there have been issues with the fire suppression system at the Hughes Pavilion, located at the county fairgrounds.

“We’ve been having issues for about two weeks with the fire suppression system out at Hughes Pavilion,” Harper said.

He explained the system at the Hughes Pavilion is a “dry suppression system,” meaning it uses a dry chemical powder to extinguish fires.

Harper indicated the system was installed by Cooper Fire Protection Services, a company out of Farmington, N.M.

He went on to explain that “because there’s no snow on the ground,” the contractor hired for the skijoring event, Skis and Saddles Skijor Pagosa, was using a county-owned fire hydrant to make snow for the skijoring event at the county fair grounds.

In doing so, water was released into the dry fire suppression system, Harper noted, creating a “water hammer” and freezing in the suppression system pipes.

“We’re trying to get all the water out of a suppression system which is a dry system,” Harper said.

Harper explained that Cooper Fire has been out to the pavilion to assess the issue, and that a permanent fix would not be possible until after the skijoring event.

Commissioner Veronica Medina asked why the county is responsible for the Hughes Pavilion, with Harper explaining the building is under the county’s insurance.

Medina also inquired as to why the contractor for the skijoring event was using the fire hydrant instead of hauling water, and asked if there was a contract in place between the county and the event contractor to use the hydrant.

Harper indicated that he was unsure if a contract with the county was in place, and that it may not be until the summer to get the system “100 percent” fixed.

Medina questioned if the contractor would be paying for repairs needed to the fire suppression system, with Harper indicating there would likely be an insurance claim.

After the event took place and during a work session held on Jan. 21, Harper indicated there are “no more issues with Hughes Pavilion” and that Cooper Fire was able to get everything “squared away.”

He added that the county is in contact with Cooper Fire to expedite the invoice process.

County Attorney Todd Weaver explained there was a contract in place between Skis and Saddles and the rodeo management group, indicating the contract held Skis and Saddles liable for any damages to the premises.

He explained that the Hughes Pavilion is leased to the rodeo management committee, describing the situation as “kind of a convoluted structure.”

Medina indicated that the county should be informed of the contract and asked Weaver, “Did you even review the contract?”

“No, I never saw it,” Weaver replied.

Medina mentioned that going forward those contracts should still come to the county to review because the county is responsible for the insurance on those buildings.

Weaver mentioned that there were “a number of lessons learned.”