Ask Whitman 

Forrest Whitman
County Commissioner

1/19/2006 - Q: What's the County going to do about public transportation? For at least 10 years people have asked for a van service. Why don't we have one? Do you think it makes sense to take the Black Hawk offer about transportation? I don't.

A: You're certainly correct. Folks have asked for a van service for a good many years. The problem is  what to set up that might work. It's often been suggested that we lease a 9 passenger van, hire a “driver/minor mechanic” at Road & Bridge. Then we'd run the van up and down 119 half a dozen times a day from Nederland to Central City, stopping at flag stops along the way (such as Pete's, Taggart's, the library, the Community Center etc.) and retrace the route. We could use existing county facilities, such as the radios and communications center and the county shop. I call that the “shuttle” option.

  It's also often been suggested that we have an on call service similar to that which the seniors and handicapped persons in the County can call for presently. I call that the “taxi service” option. When I was on Planning Commission we talked about both options and transportation is in the county master plan as a goal. I hope many people will respond to the survey in the County Newsletter so we can have some idea of what might work here. We obviously need to try something, maybe even a hybrid of the two options. But, before we spend taxpayer money I've got to have some reason to think the system is likely to work.

  Concerning the Black Hawk and Central City “offer” you mention: They have an excellent, award-winning transportation system and a transportation wizard at the helm (Mr. Philo Shelton). Their offer to extend their quite “upscale” system to the Gilpin Community Center is a very generous one. I say “generous” since it's not likely to influence casino business one bit. It would cost the county $137,000 in the first year. But, there is a drawback. I can't imagine the Black Hawk & Central City transportation system ever embracing either the “shuttle” or the “taxi” options that seem to make sense to many county residents, obviously including you. At a recent meeting we heard from their governing committee that the idea of the Black Hawk & Central City system even expanding as far as the library was “impossible at this time.” We'll see how it all turns out. I definitely do want to work for a county transportation service of some sort.

Q: I saw you Commissioners sent out a letter about wastewater runoff. What's that all about? Does Gilpin have a problem? c.f.

A: I'm on the state C.C.I. committee on land use and natural resources and we hear about runoff a great deal. Some counties are really being hit hard by runoff from oil and gas rigs. Also, we heard a presentation down in Colorado Springs fall CCI meetings suggesting that even at our altitude some energy pockets exist and will eventually be drilled. Our letter joins us with other counties in urging strict enforcement of storm water runoff rules. This seems to put us in a fight with the “feds” who apparently are directed to do the laxest enforcement possible. It sure looks like that's their directive in the new federal energy bill. This is going to be an issue as long as the energy boom continues. There was a story in the Denver papers not long ago about it all, which mentioned our position. By the way, I really do think all the time I spend on state and national committees is worth it, even when sometimes the issues don't seem immediately relevant to Gilpin.

About questions for this column: You can call 303-258-3951. If I'm not here, leave a message. Mostly I get your questions as www.weddingsyourway.org or govgilpin@gmail