Rock recycling proposed for Glory Hole mill site
Commissioners say seasonal flu vaccine coming in October
Gilpin County Commissioners Forrest Whitman, Jeanne Nicholson and Buddy Schmalz met September 1st for their regular weekly meeting.
Mountain Meadows ISDS
Jack and Peggy Abeyta requested and received approval of a pretreatment Individual Sewage Disposal System (ISDS) for their 0.93 acre property at 312 Morning Star Circle. As part of the approval, the onsite outhouse must be abandoned and an ongoing operation and maintenance contract must be maintained on the new system.
LEAF Application
Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office will apply for a $33,509 Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (LEAF) grant for 2010. The funding supports DUI enforcement in Gilpin, specifically funding overtime pay to conduct DUI checkpoints throughout the year. Gilpin is seeing an increase in DUI incidents over the past several months as enhanced gaming has drawn more visitors to the area. An increase in the number of people using recreational trails and camping in Gilpin has also resulted in more incidents related to alcohol and off-highway vehicles. This is the third consecutive year the Sheriff’s Office has applied for the grant. In 2008, they received $19,000 and in 2009, $20,000. At this time, it is unknown whether the 2010 LEAF will fall prey to state budget cuts.
Historic Lump Gulch Cabin
The Stackcow Cabin, located in Lump Gulch, was built in 1947 and is representative of the rustic architectural style used for such construction in the 1940’s. It also served as a gathering place for residents of the area after World War II and into the 1960’s. The cabin is now owned by the U.S. Forest Service and they are proposing demolition to alleviate liability concerns. Based on the architectural style and social history, the cabin may be eligible for local landmark status. The County’s Historical Preservation Advisory Commission (HAC) recommended Commissioners contact the Forest Service with the recommendation the cabin not be demolished. Commissioners agreed. Commissioner Schmalz noted once these buildings are demolished there’s no replacing them.
Legislative Priorities
Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI) lobbies legislators regarding issues important to their member counties. Each year CCI asks members to identify and then rank issues important to them. From that information, CCI determines its lobbying actions. Gilpin Commissioners identified fees for Core services (Child Welfare and other human services) as their number one priority. Other counties have identified the following as their number one priorities: repeal office supply bid requirement, remove Commissioner district requirement (might be withdrawn), eliminate the need for bonds for elected officials, excepting the Treasurer, allow counties to require businesses to register, allow governmental entities to use credit unions, Urban Renewal Authority (URA)/Tax Increment Financing(TIF impact mitigation, affordable housing, municipal annexation of county roads and prohibit slow-moving vehicles from impeding highway traffic. Other issues brought forward by different counties, that Gilpin Commissioners are taking an interest in, are: creation of cemetery districts, expanded reasons for executive sessions (homeland security, for one), closing the two year gap between SSI and SSDI coverage, eliminating the subdivision exemption or increasing the acreage requirement (currently 35 acres), allowing counties to use credit unions and regulating placement of parked train cars.
Rock Recycling Proposal
A public hearing regarding Sentinel Mining/ Kitzman Trucking’s proposal to operate an aggregate sorting and recycling center at the Glory Hole mill site was continued from August 25 to today’s meeting to allow the Black Hawk City Council time to review the Special Use application regarding impact to their streets and traffic. Black Hawk requested more time for review but noted, if further postponement wasn’t possible, the amount of rock exported through Black Hawk be limited to that which originated in Black Hawk. Route restrictions are threatening to “land-lock” the operation to the point they won’t be able to generate enough operational revenues. Commissioners approved their Special Use Permit and advised them to meet with Central City again, to see if they might change their minds and allow limited use of the Parkway. They also suggested a meeting with Black Hawk to see if there’s any leeway there. As it is, the company will need to use Virginia Canyon for much of their trucking. As part of the Special Use, they must meet environmental, reclamation, stock pile, type of rock, rock origination, hours of operation and truck volume and scheduling conditions. The company has been very cooperative in working with the County, said Commissioner Nicholson. They’ve paid all permits and taxes. If they can work out the route difficulties, they believe their company will be beneficial to the County, Black Hawk and Central City for a long time. There had been public comment supporting the operation at the earlier hearing with none against. There was no further public comment at this hearing.
DOLA On Hold
Commissioners had notification from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) that the 2009 Local Government Limited Gaming Impact grants to contiguous counties have been suspended “until future revenues become available.” The Sheriff’s Office had applied for funding to upgrade the kitchen at the jail. Commissioners observed they have no objection to Gilpin shouldering the same burden as the rest of the state in general budget cuts, but not the local organizations who depend on DOLA funding, Mountain Family Health Center for example, are suffering the general cuts and would then be cut again if DOLA grants are eliminated. They object to Gilpin entities being cut twice. They also question whether Governor Ritter has the authority to cut the DOLA funding. Because the funding was legislated for a specific purpose they believe it will take a change to that legislation to make that cut. Commissioners intend to contact the Joint Budget Committee and other legislators to object. Legislators have yet to approve the Governor’s budget.
Human Services Board Opening
Commissioners accepted, with regret, the resignation of Rick Newman from the Human Services Citizens Advisory Board. Newman said his commitment to all volunteer work is for ten years and then “to get out of the way” so others can serve. Letters of interest for this open seat must be received by September 28th. Contact Sharon Cate (303-582-5214) for more information.
Public Health Settlement
Commissioners approved a severance settlement of $15,529 for former Public Health Director, Jennifer Lavely. The amount was based on two months pay, offset by insurance costs.
Monthly Departmental Reports
Public Health’s August report showed 13 ISDS applications approved, and 8 more in process. 16 ISDS inspections had been completed. 55 ISDS maintenance contracts were received. Warning letters are in process for those who are not in compliance. There were no violations in July and August violations await response to warning letters. Eight water tests were done. 55 record requests had been handled. There were two visits for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. $2,424 was collected for the County Treasury. Vouchered expenses totaled $136.
Because of past misfiling of ISDS maintenance contracts, just finding the proper files is slowing down updates and recordkeeping. Help from a Road and Bridge worker, currently limited in duties by recent surgery, along with additional hours over the next three weeks for the staffer in charge of the records, should help rectify the situation.
Commissioners told Craig Sanders, who oversees Gilpin’s ISDS matters as part of the Public Health arrangement with Jefferson County, they were unaware that inspections were not being done in the past. They requested inspections be done as a matter of course, unless an emergency situation or very large parcel size warrants an exception. Sanders had drafted a fact sheet about ISDS procedures that, once approved, will be distributed to the public.
H1N1 Vaccine
The H1N1 vaccine will be available mid-October and will be administered to the at-risk population then. That population is different from those at risk of seasonal flu. Young people, 6-24 years old, will be given priority for the H1N1, as will pregnant women and those 24-65 years old who have chronic health conditions.
The seasonal flu vaccine will be administered, beginning this month. Commissioner Nicholson said Gilpin will be ready for whatever is needed and has the Jefferson County health professionals, as well as a pool of local Registered Nurses able to assist as needed.
Power Line Clearing Project
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has given utility companies authorization to remove all dead and dying trees 200 feet on each side of transmission lines and 75 feet on each side of distribution lines that traverse Medicine Bow-Routt, Arapaho and Roosevelt, and White River National Forests. The width of the removal areas was determined to be the necessary distance for fuel hazard reduction near power lines based on research done in Canada. Notification was not received in time to make near-by meetings. The USFS is soliciting public comment at open meetings in Silverthorne (September 2) and Walden (September 3) or by mail to Mary Ann Chambers, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building E, Fort Collins, 80526, or by e-mail to machambers@fs.fed.us. Comments need to be received by October 2, 2009. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r2/bark-beetle for more information.
Head’s Up
Following the business meeting, Commissioners conducted a work session regarding the WindStream Technologies proposal to locate their corporate and manufacturing headquarters in Gilpin. There is no Commissioners’ meeting on September 8th. Commissioners meet next on September 15, 2009.