Carson, Fountain formalize construction partnership

By Scott Prater, Fort Carson Public Affairs OfficeJuly 19, 2021

Carson, Fountain formalize construction partnership
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Col. Nate Springer, commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson; and Gabriel Ortega, mayor, City of Fountain, officially sign an intergovernmental support agreement (IGSA) in Fountain City Council Chambers July 13, 2021. (Photo Credit: Scott Prater) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT CARSON, Colo. — Fort Carson and City of Fountain leaders signed their second partnership agreement since 2020 during a ceremony at Fountain City Hall July 13, 2021.

The pact, known as an intergovernmental support agreement (IGSA), stipulates that the City of Fountain will provide general facility construction services to the Mountain Post, beginning later this year.

Services may include a variety of construction related work, such as electrical, plumbing, remodeling or modifying existing facilities. This new agreement will benefit both the installation and the city, with Fort Carson achieving cost savings that supports its mission, and the city generating revenues that can be invested back into the community.

“It is an honor for Fort Carson to partner with the City of Fountain, and sign our second Intergovernmental support agreement, the ‘General Facility Construction’ IGSA, which is a benefit to both of us and shows how interconnected our communities are,” said Col. Nate Springer, commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson. “This IGSA will enable us to complete small projects faster on Fort Carson, save money and support contractors from the (local) area.”

Fountain has provided pest control services to the Mountain Post since the partners signed an initial IGSA in March 2020.

“The military, particularly those who serve at Fort Carson, form a large part of the fabric of our community in Fountain, so we are very proud to have this new agreement with our Army neighbor,” said Fountain Mayor Gabriel Ortega.

With more than 70,000 Soldiers and Army civilians either working or living on the post, Fort Carson is the third largest employer in the state of Colorado and the 16th largest metropolitan area by population.

Springer explained that this latest IGSA will benefit the installation by significantly shortening the bidding-and-contractor-selection process for small projects or repairs in buildings on the Mountain Post.

“We conduct a lot of big projects, but that selection process can take as long as six months to complete,” he said. “Whereas, if we have a relatively small project – say an electrical repair on a single floor in a building, we can now simply contact Fountain city officials, who can send their selected contractor on post and have that project completed in a much shorter time frame. It really helps us deliver services faster and better for our Soldiers, civilians and Family members.”

In a unanimous vote, the Fountain City Council approved the IGSA measure before Springer and Ortega made it official with their signatures.

“I can’t think of a more mutually beneficial relationship,” Springer said. “The local support we get from the city of Fountain and our surrounding communities has always been first class. We value this relationship and will continue to look for creative ways to partner in the future.”