Program unavailability may delay use of voting machines in November election

Lynn Volkens

2/16/2006 - Gilpin County Commission Chairman Forrest Whitman convened the February 14^th Board of County Commissioners’ meeting at 9:00 a.m. with Commissioners Jeanne Nicholson and Al Price both present.

Public Comment

  Wes Isenhart, a Colorado Sierra resident, asked Commissioners to consider the impact of noise, pollution and road deterioration on Highway 119, near mile marker 15, where the County plans to construct the new Road and Bridge building. “It will be highly visible there,” he said. He also asked for historical and procedural information regarding term limits for elected officials and TABOR funding. He asked for a copy of the County’s budget document and asked how much the County had budgeted for the Parks and Recreation Department in 2006 ($932,000). He also asked how much had been budgeted for natural resource management such as water engineers. County Manager Roger Baker indicated that services such as those are not broken out in one place in the budget and would take some research to tally. Isenhart urged Commissioners to fund programs for sustainable resources, especially studies on water resources.

  Medill Barnes, from the Black Hawk/Central City Transportation Authority, asked if Commissioners intended to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding as requested by the BHTA last week, regarding bus service to County destinations. Commissioners said they would be doing so in executive session.

Clerk and Recorder’s Report

  The Clerk and Recorder’s monthly report for January 2006 shows revenues for the month totaling $196,401. That’s up from January 2005’s total of $130,760. Ownership taxes ($152,845) and licensing fees/permits ($20,566) accounted for the majority of revenue. Funds were disbursed as follows: $25,137 to the State; $156,058 to the Gilpin Treasurer; $1,355 to Central City; $13,852 retained by the Clerk and Recorder.

  The Clerk was asked by Commissioner Nicholson if she would support an extension of the deadline to get voting machines up and running by the November election. The Clerk said that she would support an extension, as there had been a “little bump” in getting a certified operational program (there are no programs certified as of yet, she said) and she would have more time to train people and test the equipment with an extension. Commissioners indicated they would support an effort at the Federal level to have the deadline extended.

Who’s In Jail? - Sheriff’s Report

  At the Detentions Division, the Gilpin Sheriff’s Office reported 89 total bookings (74 male, 15 female) in January 2006. Of these, eight were residents of Gilpin County. Most of the bookings (15) were DUI arrests, followed by eight domestic related arrests, three gaming related arrests and one DWAI arrest. Eight of those arrested were held for detoxification. The majority of the arrests originated at the Detentions Division (39) followed by 11 arrests by the Sheriff’s Patrol Division. The Division of Gaming accounted for 19 arrests, Black Hawk Police Department contributed 16 arrests and Colorado State Patrol had three arrests. Central City had no arrests transferred to the Detention Division in January. The average daily population for the month was 50. Income generated via housing, phone, bond fees, etc., totaled $5,372.

4H Time Change - Extension Service Report

  At the County’s Cooperative Extension Office, the meeting time of the 4H general projects club has been changed to meet on the first Monday of every month, immediately after school (4:15). Gilpin and the TriCounty Workforce are collaborating to develop workforce classes for youth aged 14-18. The Extension Service also reports sales of seedling trees as higher than in past years and the war against noxious weeds continues with future work planned along Tolland Road.

At the Library…

  Library Director Larry Grieco is actively pursuing a series of poetry writing workshops for local teens, probably beginning in spring. Local poet/artist Leo Goya has been asked to be the lead facilitator. The end result of the proposed workshops is anticipated to be a spiral-bound book of the poems written by the participants and a poetry-reading/party at the project’s end. The Friends of the Library group is funding the program.

  The Richard Brautigan Tribute and Poetry Reading event on January 30^th was well attended with over 30 people, Grieco reported. The works of the late poet/novelist were read by several local residents.

  Grieco’s report said he felt Gilpin’s library has a “very good chance” to be selected as one of the thousand libraries to receive a “We the People” bookshelf stocked with 15 classic books for young people. Many have themes exploring American history, culture and ideas that embody a general theme of “Becoming American.” This program is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities in conjunction with the American Library Association.

  The newly formed Colorado Book Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the library. First book on the reading list is “Fire On the Plateau: Conflict and Endurance in the American Southwest.”

2005 Summary of Community Development

  An eight-page report detailing the year’s accomplishments and future goals of the County’s Community Development Department was included in the Commissioners’ informational packet from the County Manager. A copy can be obtained from the Courthouse.

Windfall (?) for Gilpin Schools

  County Manager Baker notified Commissioners that, per Colorado Statute 34-63-102 (3)(c)(l), the County must distribute at least 25% of the County’s share of revenue from federal Mineral Lease payments to each school district within County boundaries. The State Treasurer is not allowed to disburse the funding to the County until Commissioners send written notification specifying what percentage of the funding they will pass on to the schools. Deadline for that notification is March 15, 2006. For the past several years, noted Baker, Commissioners have split 25% of the Federal Mineral Lease Distribution equally between Gilpin RE-1 and Boulder Valley RE-2. Commissioners voted to do the same this year. Baker anticipated that each school would end up with “about $9 each.”

PTA and Booster Club Submit Requests

  The Gilpin Booster Club submitted a formal request to Gilpin Commissioners for use of the recreation center for the school’s after-prom party, which they host. Several members of the Booster Club attended the meeting. Booster Club Co-President, Michelle Welch, joined the Commissioners at the table with questions regarding the contribution amount and what the $2,400 facility use fee included. The policy is not yet set, so not all fees have been costed out. However, the fees, as stated, would put the facility out of reach for the after-prom party, said Welch. Commissioner Nicholson made a motion for Commissioners to contribute $3,000 (in addition to the $500 they had already budgeted) with the condition that the contribution be earmarked to help defray recreation center use costs and that the County make the same contribution to the Nederland After-Prom Committee. Funds are to come from the Commissioners’ discretionary PILT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) fund. Commission Chair Whitman seconded the motion. Price objected to the earmarking of the funds, commenting it was simply moving the money from the general fund to the recreation center fund and that the group should be able to use the money as they saw fit. The motion passed by a 2-1 vote with Commissioner Price voting “Nay.” Members of the Booster Club said they would meet to discuss the offer.

  The PTA submitted a list of food and non-food items needed to provide the 1,000 breakfasts they will serve to students during CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program) testing for two weeks in March. They asked Commissioners to consider providing funding or actual items. Commissioners directed the County Manager to contact the PTA and ask for a copy of their project budget and a specific amount for their request.

More Study Needed Along I-70

  Commissioners directed Baker to mail letters to the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) supporting Clear Creek County’s position favoring a Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the I-70 Mountain Corridor.

Community Center Water Rights

  Commissioners adjourned their public meeting at 10:10 a.m. and conducted a work session regarding water rights for the Community Center.

Executive Session

  Following the work session, an executive session was held to discuss pending litigation with water attorney Rick Fendel. Commissioners also consulted County Attorney Jim Petrock, regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) requested by Black Hawk Transportation Authority to explore bus services to the County. Commissioners resumed their public meeting after executive session long enough to unanimously approve a motion to have Fendel file an amendment to the existing plan for (water) augmentation with the State Water Court in Greeley. They took no action on the MOU.