Wildfire Protection Plan deadline extended
Comments accepted through April 14th
Gilpin county Commissioners Forrest Whitman, Jeanne Nicholson and Buddy Schmalz began their weekly Tuesday morning meeting with a proclamation supporting youth, then worked through routine business, including a grant proposal and follow-up action for ambulance service.
Elks National Youth Week
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) designated the first week in May as “youth Week” honoring the nation’s youth for accomplishments and recognizing their services to community, state and nation. Central City’s Elks Lodge 557 is observing the week in tribute to Gilpin’s youth. They urge all governmental agencies, civic, fraternal and patriotic groups and fellow citizens, in general, to participate in appreciation of youth, “the nation’s greatest resource.” Commissioners are the second governmental agency to make the official proclamation. Central City was first.
Clerk and Recorder’s Report
Clerk and Recorder Jessica Lovingier’s February report shows $110,718 in revenues, the majority coming in by way of Ownership Tax ($73,540 and License Fee/Permit ($21,438). That’s an increase of $16, 751 over February 2008’s revenues ($93,967). Of that, the Clerk retained $13,164 and disbursed $91,054 to the State; $4,906 to the County Treasurer; $1,533 to Central City; and $70 to Black Hawk, their portion of license fees.
Lovingier has also broken out transactions for the Late Fee and the Uninsured Motorist funds. The former had a February balance of $1,606; the latter contained $2,903.
Gilpin Gardens BLE
Brenda D’Alessandro requested and received a Boundary Line Elimination combining Gilpin Gardens Subdivision Lot 85 (0.72 acres) and Lot 86 (1.31 acres) into one 2.03-acre Lot 85A. Allessandro received a BLE bounty of $500 for removing one property from future development. Hers is the third BLE for this year. That brings the number of BLE’s issued by the County, since the program began in 1987, to 443, removing 1,474 lots from development. Total issued in bounties: $85,270. “Only 26 more BLE’s to go,” quipped Nicholson, referring to the 1,500 mark celebration. Commissioners jokingly assigned Rears the mission of getting them.
CCEDC Participation
Following up from last week’s meeting with representatives of the Clear Creek Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC), Commissioners approved a packet of documents including an Intergovernmental Agreement and the Revolving Loan Fund Application the group will use in applying for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). CCEDC hopes to obtain $600,000 in grant funding. Commissioners will consider a County contribution to CCEDC at budget time next fall. The group administrates loans for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and offers other start-up services. Schmalz has requested the number of loans that have gone to Gilpinites in the past. There are several current Gilpin applicants, including a sawmill, restaurant and coffee shop.
CDBG Grant
Commissioners approved Resolution 09-07, authorizing the CDBG grant application approved last week for Community Development’s housing needs assessment. It further authorizes Commission Chairman Whitman to sign all necessary documents and contracts.
Ambulance Agreement
Commissioners approved the First Amendment to the 2009 service agreement with Gilpin Ambulance Company. The County will add $43,603 as a supplemental subsidized payment to the $172,000 agreed to at budget time and the $27,000 the County provides in workers compensation insurance. The additional funding is the County’s portion of a $107,000 shortfall and will see the ambulance service continue at the same level until July. Central City has agreed to subsidize an additional $13,642. Black Hawk’s portion of $49,755 will be considered at their next meeting, though Mayor David Spellman indicated agreement during last week’s work session when representatives from all three governmental agencies worked out the dollar amounts. Nicholson questioned how Central City Mayor Ron Slinger came up with the 25% figure that Gilpin’s additional funding is based on, explaining she needs to be able to justify it to citizens. “It’s more important that people in the north end of the County get the care they need, and we not quibble about money,” she said but also cautioned that Commissioners were not setting precedent for the County always paying 25%. She requested data on time spent in transportation of patients in unincorporated Gilpin County. Schmalz provided copies of the data he’d received as representative to Gilpin Ambulance Board. After July, the ambulance company hopes calls and revenues will increase with enhanced gaming. However, officials are also exploring restructuring the company as an Ambulance Authority, keeping it eligible for grant funding.
Highway 72 Variance Request
Commissioners, acting as the Board of Adjustment, approved (with Nicholson voting against) two after-the-fact variances for Scott and Pamela Frazier (1299 Highway 72). The first reduced the distance between the centerline of Highway 72 and their two-story addition from 120 feet to 79 feet. It also reduced the required distance from the side property line from 15 feet to 8 feet. The second variance, for a stable, reduced the required distance from the structure to the front property line from 30 to 10 feet. County Planner Ray Rears, told Commissioners both structures were built without a permit. Rears noted the terrain of the 0.88-acre site is steep and a drainage culvert runs through the center of the property, limiting the area for construction. The Fraziers are using the side of the highway as a parking area, said Rears, and will need to work that out with the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Nicholson objected to the Fraziers’ decision to build without getting permits. In general, the County is very selective in granting variances. “I’m concerned to grant a variance at this point when we weren’t given the opportunity to consider it when we should have. This is so close to the highway, we could be held liable (by CDOT). What’s to keep people from building and then coming back and asking forgiveness? We don’t want willy-nilly construction and we need to consider the environment and the neighbors.” Schmalz said Commissioners would “probably” have approved the variance had it come at the proper time because of the lack of other suitable building areas on the property.
Rears said there would be sanctions in the form of doubled permit fees. The Fraziers have signed an agreement to obtain their permit prior to July 14, 2009. They must also address any needed Individual Sewage Disposal System (ISDS) concerns and must reimburse the County for costs associated with mailing and publishing notices. No one spoke in favor or against the variance during the public hearing, though one neighbor had sent a letter with concerns about the creek in the area. That will be checked into.
Monthly Departmental Reports
Road and Bridge Director Earl Robinson reported the cardboard recycling program began February 25th. Flattened cardboard is transported to Commerce City at a disposal cost of $15 per ton. A new attendant’s shelter will soon replace the one currently at the transfer site. The slash yard was opened from February 28 to March 1 so residents could clean up after Gilpin’s winds. They brought in 135 loads of slash. The department has changed vendors for oil and lubrication products and is comparing costs and service for gasoline and tools hoping to stretch the budget. They’ve added foam insulation to the Rollinsville facility to improve energy efficiency. The crews had removed trees from county properties and hauled logs out of the Cold Springs campground for the Colorado State Forest Service.
Community Development Director Tony Petersen’s February report shows revenues collected year-to-date at 49%, when 15% would be expected. That’s due to larger than expected fees paid by Frei Sand and Gravel relating to the Gilpin County portion of their quarry. Frei paid $42,000 and the County had budgeted for $9,000. The department has handled 24 cases year-to-date, mainly enforcing regulations. Petersen said the caseload is about what’s expected. There were no ISDS applications during January and February causing Commissioners to speculate whether an additional employee (now being considered) would be needed in the Public Health department if the trend continues.
Human Services Director Betty Donovan submitted her January report. It showed 47 Gilpin households were receiving child care assistance that month. 143 households received food assistance. 95 received assistance with heating costs via the LEAP program. The tally total was 435 Gilpin households receiving assistance from one or more of the various programs provided through a federal, state and county partnership that provides funding ($1,234,313 for 2009) and services. That included child welfare assistance cases that were ongoing with 41 children (23 families). Counseling for mental health, substance abuse and other services to preserve families, had been provided to at least nine families (15 children). The County funds an emergency assistance program (one household served in January), the food bank (53 families/116 individuals served), meals and transportation for senior citizens (at least 54 individuals served) and veteran services (4 individuals served). The County has budgeted $193,308 for these programs in 2009.
Public Health Director Jennifer Lavely did not turn in a report. Nicholson commented it was the fifth month without one and referred the matter to County Manager Roger Baker. Whitman noted it is the second referral to Baker for the reports.
Emergency Preparedness reports were also absent and referred to Baker.
NACo Report
Commissioner Nicholson spent March 6-8 in Washington D.C. representing Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI) at the National Association of Counties (NACo) conference. Nicholson serves on the Health Steering Committee. CCI funded the trip. All of the resolutions put forward by that committee were adopted by the NACo Board and become lobbyist platforms at Congress. Additionally, Nicholson spoke at the conference about forest health, telling the national congregation the issue is a priority in Colorado and stimulus money is needed immediately to work on thinning and other projects before wildfire season pulls manpower to that role. “We are starting to see that money roll in now,” she said, adding that some is slated for the Arapahoe/Roosevelt forests of Gilpin.
Attorney’s Update
County Attorney Jim Petrock quipped the County had no new lawsuits, “as of 9:05 this morning.” Last Tuesday, the County was notified the Weekly Register-Call had filed a suit against them for choosing the Gilpin County News as newspaper-of-record.
Commissioners are to meet with Petrock and an employee’s attorney on April 28th about a personnel matter.
CWPP Comment Extension
Wes Isenhart, representing the Citizen’s Initiative group, asked Commissioners to extend the period for public comment on the County Wildfire Protection Plan. That deadline is now April 14th. Because CWPP maps were not adequately displayed at the last CWPP meeting, causing difficulties for everyone to view their own neighborhoods, copies of the maps are to be placed at the library, community center and courthouse. The CWPP draft can be read online at www.extension.colostate.edu/gilpin/natres/shtml. The plan, even after approved, can be changed to address new situations.
Gilpin County Commissioners meet next on March 31, 2009.