Gilpin Commissioners Approve Supplemental Appropriations

By Clara Aucoin
Gilpin County News Senior Writer

The Commissioners approved a list of supplemental appropriations to the Gilpin County budget.  The appropriations were unanticipated funds in the form of both expenditures and revenues.

1.      $19,050 in unanticipated revenue from the Solid Waste Fund from trash fees and grants.

2.      $27,594 in unanticipated expenditures to the Solid Waste Fund for hauling, repairs, maintenance, capital outlay and miscellaneous disposal.

3.      $1,295 is supplemented as unanticipated revenue to the Fair Fund revenue.

4.      $7,900 is supplemented as unanticipated expenditures to the Fair Fund for operations. 

5.      $98,723 is supplemented as unanticipated expenditures to the Capital Improvement Fund for capital construction and treasurer’s fees.

6.      $18,489 for unanticipated expenditures to the PILT (Payment in lieu of taxes), treasurer’s fees and organizations donations.

7.      $898,546 was supplemented as unanticipated revenue to the General Fund from gaming and grant revenue.

8.      $602,249 was supplemented as unanticipated expenditures to the General Fund for supplies, professional services, salaries, computers, grant expenditures capital outlay, labor, travel and transportation and GCART (Gilpin County Animal Rescue Team) expenditures.

Cornerstone Project:  The Gilpin County Commissioners sent a letter to the Cornerstone project requesting the county be included in the project, at least until September 2005.  The caveat states that the approximately six children in Gilpin County who have been identified as “at risk,” must be affected by “positive outcomes for a few families voluntarily participating than with a large number of families being served with no measurable, positive outcomes.” Until September 2005 the program will be funded by the Federal government; but after that time the funding is set to expire and where the new funding would come from remains a mystery.

The organization had provided a presentation stating the “at risk” kids are those who are high risk for being involved in the juvenile justice center.

So far, only one child from Gilpin County has been identified, and the cost to the County will be $350 a month to pay approximately seven volunteer citizens for their time to serve on the advisory board.

Clerk and Recorder’s Office:  Clerk and Recorder Jessica Lovingier reminded the county that she has managed to alter her office hours without increasing personnel.  The hours have been extended from 7:30 to 5:30 every weekday, Monday through Friday.  The expanded hours are meant to assist county residents who must commute down the hill to have more of an opportunity to utilize the Clerk and Recorder’s office.  Lovingier said she has seen approximately 70 people utilizing the new hours.

Cease and Desist Order:  The Commissioners convened as the Board of Health to address a Cease and Desist Order that had been issued for a property located at 2575 South Beaver Creek Road.  Kara Cooper, the County Environmental Services Officer said she was notified by the renters at the residence there were problems with the septic.

She visited the site and the septic was full and overflowing.  In addition, the original one bedroom home has now become a three bedroom residence and is being used as a rental. The property owners live in Boulder.

There appears to be multiple violations of the residence, including not only the septic, but the addition to the house without a building permit or a certificate of occupancy.   Web Sill said, “This is what happens when a summer cabin becomes a rental house, a cabin that has been added to and does not have the proper sanitation system.  So many of the things we have done over the last eight years are an attempt to avoid situations like this becoming a problem.”

Cooper said the owners have tried different things.  They brought in a company who did a Rejuvenation of the leach field, which involves pumping the tank and inserting Styrofoam pellets.  It didn’t work.  There were blockages in the pipes and the system appears to be 30-40 years old.  Despite efforts, the waste, including the solids, was flowing down the hill and into the ditch.

The owners have asked the renters to leave, but Cooper is worried about the owners moving new people into the residence.  She said the situation must be resolved before new renters are moved in, and the Cease and Desist would keep new folks from moving in.

Cooper said the renters would be in the home until the end of the month.  Attorney Jim Petrock said the Cease and Desist could be issued and could be effective within a 24 hour period because of the urgency of the situation, the waste flowing down the hill toward the creek.

A new septic system must be installed before the Cease and Desist Order will be lifted.  The Cease and Desist Order was issued, effective December 31.  Cooper said she would be continuing to check back at the property to ensure the Cease and Desist Order is being honored.

LEAF Grant: The Commissioners approved an application of the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office for $15,000 in grant money to help with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) enforcement. The County also received word the State of Colorado had disbursed approximately $1.5 million to the program and the request by the Sheriff’s Office has been funded.

Donations:  The Commissioners decided to establish a criteria guide before disbursing taxpayer dollars to special interest groups or individuals.  The criteria will be determined on December 14.

No More Business License: The Commissioners repealed a 1992 Ordinance requiring a county license to sell or vend retail goods.

Senior Program Banking:  The Senior Program had an outside checking account to handle donation revenues and expenditures.  This account was closed and became a part of the General Fund at the County level.  The seniors said they have approximately $5,000 remaining in the general fund from donations they have received and asked the county to allow them to carry the donation money balance from year to year.  The Commissioners said it would be okay to carry the money forward, but they, “Wanted to see some paper for what it is for.”  Some of the money will be spent on senior scholarships (for seniors to use the community center).