By Sharla Steinman
Loveland Reporter-Herald
LOVELAND, Colo. — The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Board voted Monday morning to continue with the process of terminating Chief Tim Sendelbach.
The board convened an online-only special meeting at 9 a.m. during which board members spent over three hours with legal counsel in a closed executive session discussing a letter of intent to terminate Loveland’s fire chief, ultimately leading to a unanimous vote approving the letter be shared with Sendelbach. The meeting continued last week’s three-hour discussion on the letter.
| EARLIER: Colo. fire board delays decision on termination of high-profile chief
After the meeting ended Monday, Sendelbach said that he wasn’t overly emotional about the board’s decision to proceed, adding that he understood the letter was part of the termination process.
“Obviously, I am pretty perplexed that we’ve gone this far and I still don’t know — I mean we’re three weeks in and still haven’t gotten the first inkling of what the cause is,” Sendelbach said. “… But this is their decision, so I’ll go with the process and see how things end up.”
Sendelbach was placed on paid administrative leave Jan. 28, but the board has not publicly stated its reasons for pursuing termination and declined to answer any questions about what it describes as a confidential personnel matter.
Sendelbach said that although he is frustrated, he feels most ready to get back to work. As of Monday afternoon, Sendelbach said he hadn’t received the letter but said he was in discussion with the board about it.
The board will reconvene at 9 a.m. Feb. 24 in a closed executive session with Sendelbach, where he will have the opportunity to discuss the “just cause” reasons laid out in the letter with the board, per his contract.
After the meeting, the board will have five days to issue a written decision, also according to his contract.
During the meeting, the board didn’t decide whether the Feb. 24 meeting would be held in person or online, but Loveland City Councilmember Andrea Samson, who also serves on the board, said the agenda would include details closer to the meeting.
Like last Thursday’s meeting, the public was not invited to comment on agenda items during Monday’s meeting. After roll call, the board immediately went into a closed executive session. Upon return, each board member shared insight into how they came to their personal decision on whether or not to continue with the process of terminating the chief.
Loveland Mayor Pat McFall, who serves on the board, said that because he was not on the board during the past areas of concern or tension, that he had to base his decision off his leadership experience and interactions with the chief while he was a City Council member.
“Dealing with personnel matters is not an easy thing,” McFall said during the meeting. “Try to make sure to do what’s right and what’s good, not just for the person but also the organization.”
He said his decision rested on governance and the agency’s long-term stability and had nothing to do with the firefighters.
Samson, who made the motion to proceed with the letter, thanked residents for engaging in the personnel matter and assured viewers that she has taken the time to listen to public comment and to read emails, letters, petitions and comments from residents.
“We’ve heard from rural members that I had never heard from before because we don’t hear from you on City Council as often,” she said during the meeting. “… For me personally, tears have been shed. There have been a number of times where I have re-read things over and over to ensure I still feel the same way the next day.”
Samson ultimately said that she believed the decision to move forward with the termination process will best serve Loveland’s community.
During the meeting, LFRA Board Chairman Jeff Swanty said that although he appreciated and understood the support the community has shown for the chief, he hopes the public realizes the board is trying to do what is best for both the rural district and the city.
“I really appreciate the difficult position that we have put the fire authority and their employees in,” Swanty said. “And appreciate your loyalty to the chief.”
He said that as a member of the board that initially hired the chief, he views Sendelbach’s success as a reflection of his own. After the board unanimously approved the motion to send Sendelbach the letter, Swanty reminded the public that the board is trying to be transparent while respecting the legal process.
“We will talk about this as much as we can at the right time,” he said.
The agenda for the Feb. 24 meeting will be posted at https://lfra.org/AgendaCenter/LFRA-Board-2 within 24 hours of the meeting.
While not always obvious, our commanders-in-chief and firefighting have intersected throughout history
Police say the gunman was among three people killed in a targeted shooting tied to a family dispute at a Pawtucket hockey rink
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said the federal funding will support a new Staten Island EMS classroom site, upgrades at Squad 8 and other FDNY firehouses
A 157% spike in 311 complaints and repeated incidents at active fire scenes have prompted criminal summonses and steep fines
© 2026 Loveland Reporter-Herald, Colo.
Visit www.reporterherald.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The discount is 10% off the total order and can be reused on future purchases
