Commissioners approve sawmill

GCN Staff

Sawmill:  John and Natalie Davison have been operating what amounts to a sawmill at their property located off SH. 72 in Coal Creek Canyon.  When a neighbor reported the enterprise to the county, the Davidson’s began a series of steps to be “legalized” by the county.  There were public hearings held during September and October, and a litany of subjects was identified as needing to be improved or installed.  It appears those conditions have been met.

According to High Country Fire Department Fire Marshall George Hoke, two underground storage tanks have been installed and buried.  Fittings needed to connect the tanks to the fire trucks are on back order from the Front Range Fire Apparatus.  In addition, commercial lumber and related items have been removed from a portion of the site.  An inspection by Ray Rears, Planner for Gilpin County, indicated, according to Rears, “…it is clear a determined effort was put forth by the applicants to complete the conditions of the approval and any delay can be attributed to seasonal conditions, apparent miscommunications, and obtaining a contractor and/or equipment to complete the necessary work.”  Rears recommended the continuation of the use until the next deadline for satisfaction of Conditions, due by September 15, 2005.

Wolf:  County Attorney Jim Petrock said he had received correspondence from Philip Wolf, a resident of Gilpin County who has said he does not recognize the authority of the County and as such has refused to obtain a building permit or a certificate of occupancy for his residence, located off Smith Hill Road.  As a result of Wolf’s refusal to comply with County regulations, the county has secured a judgment against him for the fines, fees, and costs it sustained in attempting to uphold the Gilpin County Building and Zoning regulations.  Those fines, fees and costs have resulted in a $42,500 judgment owed to the county.  Recent correspondence from Wolf indicates he considers the debt paid, but there are questions.

Wolf’s “payment” came in the form of a “Notice of Preauthorized Transfer via Exempt Exchange Item” allegedly drawn on his account at the Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C.  In the document, Wolf authorizes Secretary of the Treasury John W. Snow to pay Gilpin County $42,500 from the account, numbered 522-74-5670.  The instructions along with the letter order Snow to, “Please use my private set-off account for the adjustment of any fees associated with this transfer.  

However, according to the Treasury, contacted by telephone, the Treasury does not hold actual cash.  It only holds Treasury Bills or Notes.  In addition, the spokesman said the account number ordered used by Wolf is not one of their account numbers, it is not long enough.  The spokesman said, “I do not know why he would refer you to us.”

Therefore, unless the county sees actual real money, not a piece of paper consisting of account numbers that cannot be tracked or identified by the Department of the Treasury, the County will consider holding a real tax lien sale that could really cause Philip Wolf to lose the deed to his real property. 

Funding Policy:  The Commissioners got around to establishing a policy, although not etched in stone, for distribution of monies to organizations or individuals coming to the Commissioners with a request for funding assistance.  Commissioner Jeanne Nicholson said the policy would be somewhat more of a guideline.

The Commissioners said two principles guide the distribution of public funds to non-county agencies and programs in Gilpin County.  First, public funds must be allocated in the interest of the public’s health, safety, and welfare.  Second, funds must be available, in the sense of coming from a designated line item in the county budget specifically identified for such distribution.

Commissioner Sill said most of the funding handed out by the commissioners is legally in opposition to the new funding policy.  He said social services programs, Central City, choir, and most different situations, have their own source of funding, but they still receive money from the county.

Commissioner Eye said the commissioners must be cautions to differentiate between issues that an obligation of the county, such as animal control, which is a health, safety and welfare issue, and requests for assistance that are not county obligations.  The policy was passed as follows:

1. County Wide Projects

2. County-wide interest

3. Generally not funded

Triumph High School Funding Request:  After establishing a policy to allow an “out” for funding of Triumph High School’s request, the Commissioners reviewed the history of the school’s requests.  The last time Triumph made a request to the Commissioners was in 2001.  The Triumph School has approached Department of Local Affairs for funding and has been turned down all but one time.  The Commissioners voted to approve a $500 donation to Triumph High School to help provide alternative education for the students.  The school plans to use the money to help fund an Environmental Project.

According to Cynthia Combs, a member of the Advisory Board, the High School plans a project to discover what type of people litter, and to determine what types of foods and beverages are consumed by people who litter.

The program would be to define the test area, likely some two to three mile section of SH. 119, then to collect and catalogue the debris in the area.  Signs would be posted to explain the project in both English and Spanish.

On Saturday of each week the students would collect any debris in the designated area and catalogue the findings.  The project can be photographed and documented for public viewing and the project could become an article for the local newspapers.

Once the project is complete, the students hope to know what people consume, what brands of debris are most discarded and consumed, and the increase or decrease of littering.  

Yearbook Contribution: The Commissioners were asked to contribute to the Gilpin County Yearbook by purchasing an ad in the yearbook.  Commissioner Web Sill made a motion to contribute $60 for each yearbooks, one from Gilpin County and one from Nederland High School.  The motion was passed with Nicholson and Sill voting aye and Commissioner Eye voting nay.

Liquor License: Sunny Land Deli Liquor License.  The Commissioners approved the liquor license application of Sunny Land Deli in Rollinsville.