Ask Whitman 

Forrest Whitman
County Commissioner

3/2/2006 - When I get to the pearly gates I'll be asked: “What issue did you get the most e-mail, phone calls, etc. about when you were a Gilpin Commissioner? Was it your promise to keep the County rural and preserve the unique Gilpin heritage? Was it water? Was it new housing developments, or ways to develop more small businesses and jobs?” To date the answer is: after-prom parties!

  Every county has a policy about the use of county facilities by groups the county doesn't sponsor. Some counties just say no. A few try to make a profit on rentals. Many, like Gilpin, allow non-county sponsored groups to use facilities, but have a policy of charging fees that cover all (or as close to “all” as possible) costs. You can get a copy of the policy manual by calling the courthouse. Recently we set the fees for all night events at the Community Center at a level that meets our policy requirements. Some have said that the fee is too high. We'll most likely look at the numbers again next year when we have more accurate figures based on an actual overnight event or two. I'm not predicting that the fee for overnights will go up or down.

  Lately there have been several tentative requests for overnight events. This year both Gilpin and Nederland high schools have shown interest in renting the facility for after-prom overnights. I think after-prom events are a good use for our Community Center and hope it becomes a tradition. Maybe someday the two schools would even decide to hold a joint after-prom party.

  Concerning this year's after-prom events: The County has long had a budget line for granting money to the two schools for their after-prom parties ($500 per school currently). At our last meeting we increased the County contribution significantly so the two events could afford to rent the Community Center. That's because we felt that it contributed to the public health, safety, and welfare. We earmarked the increase exclusively for rental of the Community Center. The prom committees may decide not to use the Community Center, in which case they'll still get the already budgeted $500, but won't get the extra money. I hope we'll have two after-prom parties at the Community Center this year. For that matter, I hope we'll see overnights for some of the other groups that have expressed interest. Now that we have a fee policy in place, it will be easier for them to consider it. Our policy of recovering all costs when non-County groups use our facilities has worked for some time. I see no reason to change it now.