Commissioners consider Prom

Lynn Volkens

2/9/2006 - Gilpin County Commissioners Forrest Whitman, Jeanne Nicholson and Al Price convened their weekly Tuesday morning meeting, starting with a discussion regarding use of Recreation Center facilities for after-prom activities.

Wanted: Recreation Center for After-Prom Parties

  Both Nederland and Gilpin High Schools have made inquiries about using Gilpin’s Recreation Center for their annual after-prom parties, events that commence when prom ends (approximately 11 p.m.) and progress through the wee hours up to about 5 a.m., depending on the attendees. The after-prom activities are conducted by parent volunteers, sometimes in conjunction with community groups, in an effort to provide a fun and safe place for prom participants to continue their special evening. The County had not yet developed a policy for after-hours or overnight events. Director of Gilpin’s Parks and Recreation Department, Penny Kipley, said that she had been approached several times for such events. Now, with the after-prom committees’ requests, she and County Manager, Roger Baker, had discussed the need for development of a policy to cover all such events fairly and consistently. They had prepared their recommendations for Commissioners to consider.

  In order to protect the facility, Kipley and Baker suggested a one million dollar liability insurance policy be provided by the sponsoring organization – a cost to that organization they estimated at $100-$500. An adequate number of chaperones (for a group of 150-200 teenagers, such as the Nederland after-prom party, that would be 20 parent volunteers) would need to commit to the event and meet with Recreation Department staff to agree upon chaperone location and duties during the event. The sponsoring organization would need to pay required County staff at time-and-a-half pay rate plus bonuses by the sponsoring organization. The sponsoring organization would also be responsible for paying a cleaning crew to come in after the event to ready the building for public use. Finally, a building use fee of $1,000-$2,000 would be charged to the sponsoring agency, paid in advance. Melissa Greiner and Karen Monserud, speaking on behalf of the Nederland After-Prom Committee (a committee of parent volunteers independent of the school), said the fees would take about 80% of their total after-prom budget, leaving little for food, prizes and other expenses. It was not doable for them, they said. Members of the Gilpin Booster Club, who sponsor Gilpin High’s after-prom event (also independently from the school), said they would not be able to afford such fees, either. All three Commissioners were willing to work with the groups to make the situation workable. Commissioner Nicholson moved to approve the Nederland group’s request for use of the facility with conditions that students not be allowed to enter again after leaving the event, the insurance condition be met, the 20 parent chaperones be provided, all of whom had met with the Recreation staff prior to the event. As part of her motion, Commissioner Nicholson said the County would pick up the tab for the cleaning, paid staff and bonuses ($500). The sponsoring organization would still need to pay the fee (in this case, $2,400), but Commissioner Whitman allowed that the groups “could anticipate a more generous contribution” than the County’s already budgeted commitment of  $500 for each of the school’s after-prom parties. Commissioner Price would not second the motion, saying he felt the fee should be more in the range of $1,000. He said the $2,400 fee was too high and felt it expressed a lack of willingness to “give back to the community” on the part of the County. Commissioner Whitman stepped in to second the motion and it passed 2-1 with Commissioner Price voting “nay.” Even with the County’s concessions, however, the Nederland group, now approved to use the facility for after-prom, wasn’t sure they could afford it. They will, said Greiner and Monserud, go back to their group with the information and, depending on the figure the County decides to contribute (Commissioner Whitman is to call them with that figure within the next ten days), they will decide how to proceed.

  The group has used the Student Union at Colorado University in Boulder, and the Boulder Recreation Center in past years. They had not had to provide an individual insurance policy, said Greiner, but had provided waivers signed by students’ parents to protect the facility agency from lawsuits if a child was injured during the event. Both Nederland’s and Gilpin’s after-prom sponsoring groups indicated that alcohol/drugs had not been a problem at prior events due to students not being allowed into the event if they were intoxicated, not allowed back in once they’d left the building and a high degree of supervision during the entirety of the event. The purpose of after-prom, said Monserud, is “no drinking.” Such groups have sponsored local after-prom events since at least the mid-1980s with good results. Both indicated they were looking for facilities that would be something different and refreshing for the kids, thus attracting them to attend. Keeping the kids close to home, away from drinking and driving, and providing a fun extension of their special night (prom) was their goal, they said.

  Speaking for Gilpin’s Booster Club, Michelle Welch and Susan Ball (co-presidents) said they would make a formal request for use of the facility and were pleased to know it would be considered now that a policy was in the making. They had asked a month ago and been denied, said Welch. Ball noted that the Gilpin group will require students to pass a breathalyzer test prior to entry. The Gilpin group also allows no one back into the event once they’ve left. She asked for clarification regarding the fee. “We’re a much smaller group than Nederland,” said Welch, indicating that the Gilpin group might still be unable to pay the use fees. (Approximately 40 students attended the after-prom party last year.) Gilpin Boosters will still hold their after-prom event, said Welch, but may need to hold it in the school’s cafeteria and were simply looking for something new to keep the kids coming. Commissioner Nicholson elaborated on the position of all three Commissioners, “The Board of County Commissioners agrees it is our responsibility to participate on a night when our kids are especially vulnerable,” she said, calling the after-prom event “one of the best ways for kids to be safe and have fun.” After the meeting, the after-prom representatives from both groups indicated their appreciation of the Commissioners going to bat for the kids and working to make the after-prom events possible. Both groups will need to hold their own meetings for members to decide whether or not to proceed with use of the Recreation Center. Both schools have scheduled their formal prom dances at local casinos in April and May.

Road and Bridge Land Deal/ Wolf Quarry Update

  County Attorney Jim Petrock informed Commissioners that the land purchase for the new Road and Bridge facility has been finalized. The County is purchasing 17.98 acres located behind the current facility, at a cost of $15,000 per acre. The County had set aside escrow money to cover 20 acres, so will receive about $30,000 back. Once that and the transfer of deed have been accomplished, the deal will be complete, said Petrock. The attorney also updated Commissioners that the Mining Land Reclamation Bureau had sent documentation conditions of the permit granted last fall to the Wolf Quarry applicants. They must comply with all County permit requirements and conditions set by the Black Hawk/Central City Sanitation District, he said. The County’s permit process is the last step in that process, he noted, and a public hearing will be published and held prior to issuance of any special use permit.

Temporary Liquor Permit for Rollinsville Store

  Stephanie Kuhne, representing the Rollinsville Country Store, requested and received a temporary liquor permit pending transfer of ownership of the store to Kuhne from Michael Pettorelli of Sunnyland, LLC.

Culvert Gone, Foot Bridge Okayed for Apex Property

  David and Melissa Zimmerman, owners of property on Apex Valley Road, received approval of their Variance request to build two additions eleven feet from their south property line. (County regulations require a 30-foot setback.) The variance had originally been requested last July, but the applicant had constructed a bridge over Apex stream and installed a culvert in the stream that did not meet County regulations. David Zimmerman appeared before Commissioners and agreed to narrow the bridge to accommodate foot traffic only (no vehicle access) and the culvert has been removed. Commissioners, acting as the Board of Adjustment, granted the variance following the required public hearing, based on compliance with that condition and the County being allowed an easement at the edge of the property.

Planning Commission Oops Corrected

  As a matter of housekeeping, Commissioners approved the reappointment of Leslee Alexander to the County’s Planning Commission. Alexander is a sitting member of the commission whose name had been inadvertently left off the reappointment motion at the Commissioners’ meeting on January 24^th. That was remedied when Commissioners voted to reappoint her for a three-year term, through 2008.

Teens Say Thanks

  Teens, Incorporated Youth and Family Center in Nederland had sent a letter of thanks to Gilpin Commissioners for their donation of $2,500 to that group. The funding, said the letter, allows the group to offer free programs and services to local youth up to age 19.

Joint Marketing Effort Moves Forward

  A letter from Innovation Marketing presented a proposal to prepare a detailed marketing plan for the Black Hawk/Central City area. The County contributed $5,000 to the joint marketing effort.

Monthly Report from Public and Environmental Health

  In the January monthly report for the County’s Public and Environmental Health Services Department, Director Jennifer Lavely summarized progress in assessing community health issues, improving maintenance (cleanliness and availability of hot water) at the Justice Center, development of a County ordinance for methamphetamine laboratory clean-up, development of a County ordinance governing home burial, distribution of flu shots and application of a grant to supplement emergency medical services in the County, including adding an emergency generator to the Community Center.

Vote “No” on HB1201

  Commissioners discussed House Bill 1201, briefly and in general terms. The bill deals with Colorado resorts and tourism, changing the process of distribution of funds for those purposes. None of the Commissioners favored the bill, citing an inflexibility in the process and a fear in the gaming industry that it could result in potential raised taxes. Commissioner Whitman commented, “We’ll send a letter saying we don’t like it.”

Highway Funds Sought for Gilpin Roads

  Whitman concluded the meeting with the announcement that the County would include 7.9 miles of Gilpin “summer-maintenance-only” roads in the application for HUTF  (Highway Users Tax Fund) monies. Summer-maintenance-only means the Road and Bridge Department grades roads of that designation only once a year during weather accessible months. The roads are little used but have just enough use that residents want to keep them passable.

Setting Goals – Bus Service Not Rolling Yet

  Following their public session, Commissioners held an informal work session to discuss their goals for 2006, then headed down to Black Hawk for a meeting with the Black Hawk Transportation Authority in ongoing efforts to come to agreement for expanded bus service to Gilpin County destinations.