Sheriff buys surveillance cameras and metal detector

Lynn Volkens

04/24/2008 - Gilpin County Commissioners Jeanne Nicholson, Ron Slinger and Forrest Whitman, took a look at Justice Center security and expansion, and several agreements with other agencies dealing with forest fire management, water, parking and inmate health care at this week’s Tuesday morning meeting.

Fire Operating Plan

  Commissioners approved the 2008 Gilpin County Annual Fire Operating Plan with Colorado State Forest Service. The agreement is renewed annually. It provides state funding assistance to fight a wildfire in Gilpin County and regulates radio communications in this kind of emergency, plus sets procedure and outlines resources available to Gilpin.

Candid Camera

  The Colorado State Court Administrator’s Office (SCAO) responded to a February grant application by awarding Gilpin County $21,975 for a video surveillance system at the Justice Center (four cameras and a magnetometer). Gilpin has until December 31, 2008 to spend the funds ($11,901 for cameras; $4,073 for the magnetometer; and $7,191 for installation) but must file a progress report by June 30^th. SCAO will reimburse the expenditures on a quarterly basis. The funding is part of an agreement between the County and the Colorado Judicial Department to provide court security. The cameras will be located on the west side of the main entrance, in the main hallway and over the judge’s desks in the courtrooms. The magnetometer, a walk-through metal detector, scans for weapons as people pass through the entrance. The Sheriff may seek a mobile magnetometer unit to be moved where needed. In the future, the County may have personnel to monitor the system. The Human Services Department, also located at the Justice Center, will be consulted as to how best to utilize the system in a way that won’t intimidate their clients. Commissioners approved a contract with Siemens Building Technologies, Incorporated, to provide and install the system. Commissioner Slinger was appointed to the Local Security Team as required by the state.

Inmate Health Care

  Commissioners formally approved a contract with Correctional Healthcare Management (CHM) to provide health care and related administrative services to inmates at the County’s jail. CHM is to assess health needs and schedule sick calls as needed plus cover costs of ambulance, dental, mental health, pathology, radiology, pharmacy and prenatal services. Gilpin will pay $75,469 for seven months (June-December 2008) of service for a jail population of up to 55 inmates. The County will incur a per diem fee of $2 for each inmate/detainee over the 55 cap. The contract limits CHM’s liability for off-site services to $17,500 and provides reimbursement to the County of 50% of the difference between CHM’s cost for those services ant the $17,500 cap, if costs do not exceed that. CHM provides additional services, mainly in mental health, at a better rate, said Sheriff Hartman. The contract is renewable each January 1^st.

   In making the switch to CHM, Commissioners terminated their contract with the current inmate health services provider, Health Care Partners Systems, effective May 31^st.

ISDS

  Foss and Tina Gustafson requested approval of a composting toilet for a planned cabin on a 4.71-acre site in Russell Gulch. Water in the area is non-potable. They propose a portable water tank to store water brought in and a 1,000 gallon vault to dispose of grey water. Jennifer Lavely, Gilpin’s Director of Public and Environmental Health, asked Commissioners to consider the difference between approving an Individual Sewage Disposal System for an existing cabin as a remedy to an inadequate ISDS, such as an outhouse, and approving this type of system for planned construction. Commissioners denied the composting toilet as inappropriate for new construction and discussed clarifying the regulations. During Public Comment, a Gilpin man told Commissioners there was no need to change the regulations. “The rules are simple,” he said citing the County’s regulation that properties under two acres in area require an enhanced ISDS and those over two acres require a standard ISDS.

Opera Parking

  Commissioners agreed to lease the Courthouse parking lots to the Central City Opera House Association for weekend and evening performances when the County offices are closed. The lease agreement runs from Friday, June 6^th, through Sunday, August 10^th, 2008. St. James Church will continue to have use of the lot on Sundays until 12:30 p.m. Cost to CCOHA for the seasonal parking - $10. That’s up tenfold from the price last year. CCOHA allows the County to use their parking lot during all but the opera season months.

Justice Center Expansion

  Because Neenan Company was the only respondent to a call for design build companies regarding the Justice Center expansion project, a work session to discuss design-build proposals was canceled. Instead, Commissioners met briefly with Donna Smith of Neenan and County Facilities Manager Bill Paulman, during the regular meeting. Plans to build a parking structure and evidence room on the south side of the Justice Center were postponed at the time of the original construction because the County lacked funds at that time. Last year the Sheriff’s Office applied for a Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant of $950,000 hoping to fund approximately half the $1.9 million expansion that way. DOLA awarded $200,000. That’s enough to proceed with the design but no construction. The County decided to move forward in phases and advertised for a design-build firm to handle the project. Four companies requested information, however only Neenan followed through by the April 15^th deadline. Commissioners wanted assurance that other companies had had enough time to respond. Paulman said they’d had at least a week to a week and a half, plenty of time. Smith said her records showed there had been well over two weeks for responding. The County must provide a 50% match to the DOLA funding. As gaming revenues are down and future DOLA funding is undetermined, Commissioners decided to table this item for one week so they can confer with DOLA about the possibility of future funding and consider how to move forward.

   During Public Comment, a Gilpin man said he’d like to see Commissioners conduct a work session with public input to look at parking structure alternatives that “could be done for several hundred thousand dollars versus millions.” He’d like to be involved in that discussion. “Don’t get locked into a contract at this time,” he advised.

Preserve America Community

  County Planner Ray Rears, requested Commissioners approve an application to have Gilpin County designated a “Preserve America Community” (PAC) in time for the mid-summer tourism peak and the sesquicentennial celebration of the discovery of gold in Gregory Gulch. If successful, the County will receive a PAC road sign, use of the PAC logo on promotional material, internet listing in a PAC directory, press releases, White House recognition and eligibility for PAC grants. In the interest of enhancing community visibility and pride, and promoting heritage tourism, Commissioners approved the application.

Upper Clear Creek Watershed

  Gilpin County Commissioners have long participated as active voting members of the Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association; however they had not officially signed the most recent Memorandum of Understanding authorizing them to do so. They remedied that at this meeting. The UCCWA monitors water quality in the Upper Clear Creek Basin and recommends water management plans to the Denver Regional Council of Governments. Other members: Black Hawk, Central City, Georgetown, Silver Plume, Idaho Springs, Golden, Central Clear Creek Sanitation District, Black Hawk/Central City Sanitation District, St. Mary’s Water and Sanitation District, Clear Creek County, Jefferson County, Clear Creek Skiing Corporation, Henderson Mine and Adolph Coors Company. Gilpin paid $2,898 as this year’s dues to belong to UCCWA.

Monthly Departmental Reports

  Community Development Director Tony Petersen, noted his department has expended 21% of the annual budgeted expenses, mostly in salaries ($20,830). Total expenditures year-to-date was $81,982 at the end of March. Only 4% of the budgeted revenues have been collected due to reduced call for building permits over the winter. The number of caseloads being handled (25) is low for the same reason.

  Human Services February report showed assistance to 14 Gilpin households with childcare services. Child Welfare services included out of home care for one Gilpin child, and subsidized adoption for five. There were new referrals for 13 children (9 families) in February bringing the ongoing caseload to 38 children (24 families). Twelve children (five families) received mental health assistance and seven children (four families) received help with substance abuse. 82 Gilpinites received financial assistance for heating costs during February. Human Services spent $116,561 to provide February’s assistance programs (those listed above plus several others) paid for through a combination of federal, state and county funding.

  The County’s Food Bank is funded locally and served 68 individuals (39 families) during February. Meals on Wheels delivered 185 meals during the month.  The total cost of the assistance programs that are funded solely by Gilpin County, for February, was $20,579.

  Gilpin Victim Services March Report showed 64 new clients (44 non-residents) with the bulk of the new cases (37), coming from Black Hawk. The County originated 18 of the cases and Central City originated eight. There was one case that originated from other sources. Of the 42 gaming-related cases, only one involved a Gilpin resident.

  Human Resources Director Susie Allen’s March report showed a total of 184 employees on the County’s payroll. Two employees had been added in March and two had left the County’s employ. There were 108 full-time employees, 68 part-time and 8 property tax work off participants working for Gilpin at the end of March. The County’s employment web page was visited 1,745 times during the month.

MMRR Quarry/Wolf Trust

  County Attorney Jim Petrock, told Commissioners Gilpin resident, Philip Wolf, had transferred ownership of all his property, including the property Brannan Sand and Gravel wants to use for the MMRR Quarry, to a trust. That may further delay the MMRR quarry hearing (tentatively scheduled in June), said Petrock, as Wolf is no longer the owner and he didn’t know where that left the sale of the property to Brannan. All Petrock knew of the trust was, “just a name,” he said, “But it’s guaranteed to be interesting.” Wolf got sideways with the County several years ago when he refused to recognize their authority regarding construction. Meanwhile, he is accruing penalties on his property (also transferred to the trust) until it gets straightened out.

  The Commissioners meet next on April 29^th.