Commissioners consider wind turbine at Community Center
United Power/ CSU proposal
Gilpin County Commissioners Forrest Whitman and Buddy Schmalz made a quorum at the weekly Tuesday morning business meeting. Commissioner Jeanne Nicholson was absent.
United Power Wind Turbine
Commissioners plan to investigate insurance liabilities prior to making a decision at their October 6th meeting on whether to proceed with a proposal from United Power to erect a wind turbine near the Community Center/Exhibit Barn. If they proceed, a 35.5 foot tower with three blades mounted at the top (rotor diameter of twelve feet) will be attached to a base on the island at the entrance of the parking lot. It will be wired to a live meter in the lobby of the Exhibit Barn where Extension Agent Irene Shonle will compile and put online, the data on the wind energy produced. That energy will feed into the grid that powers the County facilities. The proposal represents a partnership with United Power who will provide and install the $20,000 turbine, Colorado State University who, via Shonle, will handle the data and propose applications, and the County, who provides the location. United Power would like to get the system, which includes a 2.4kW residential generator, up and operational as soon as possible. Not only will the data be used for wind energy applications throughout the nation, but the system will serve as a permanent demonstration project for residents interested in using them to power home and commercial use.
Mary Anna ISDS
Commissioners approved an application for a pre-treatment Individual Sewage Disposal System (ISDS) for Max Felix at 136 Rudi Lane West. The pre-treatment system is required because the distance between the leach field and adjacent wells is less than 200 feet as required by County code. The system will serve a four-bedroom home and requires an ongoing operation and maintenance contract.
Craig Sanders, who now handles Gilpin’s ISDS cases, clarified the procedure for handling cases of failing ISDS’s in which the resident does not make repairs or replacements. In those cases, there is first an administrative hearing with a report to Commissioners who then hold a public hearing prior to taking further action.
Ambulance Agreement
In preparation of Gilpin Ambulance Authority’s assumption of ambulance services in January 2010, Commissioners sent a letter notifying the current provider, Gilpin Ambulance Incorporated, of the County’s intent to terminate their service agreement. The plan is to renegotiate a contract with the current provider just through the end of the year. That should enable Gilpin Ambulance Incorporated to transfer assets to Gilpin Ambulance Authority without IRS liabilities. Black Hawk and Central City, the other two entities making up the new Authority, have already sent their termination letters. Meanwhile, ambulance service is to continue throughout the changeover.
Lone Ponderosa Drive Variance
Charles M. and Donna Harler Smith requested and received a variance to construct a 24’ x 14’ addition to their cabin at 136 Lone ponderosa Drive. The location of the addition puts it approximately 24 feet from the adjacent property line which does not meet the 30 foot setback required by County code. The owner of the adjacent property sent written permission for the Smith’s addition.
Mountain Meadows BLE
Commissioners approved a Boundary Line Elimination (BLE) for Christine and David Current to combine five parcels in Mountain Meadows Tracts into one parcel of 4.87 acres. The Currents earned a BLE bounty of $2,000 for permanently removing four parcels from future development. Since the BLE program’s 1987 inception, the County has achieved 1,496 BLE’s and paid out $88,946 in bounties. Commissioners have promised a celebration when they reach 1,500. Four more to go…
Christ the King Church
Paul Dellinger and Bob Unruh, representing Christ the King Church (CTK) requested a subdivision exemption to create two parcels at their site near the Dory Hill Campground on Highway 46. Parcel 1 is for the church building(s) and grounds. Parcel 2 is for a residential site. Commissioners approved the subdivision request, as well as a restrictive covenant and deed restriction for the residential parcel. Dellinger and Unruh also requested a waiver of the $1,500 subdivision exemption application fee. Commissioners, noting others had been required to pay similar fees, said they were reluctant to set precedent of waiving them so did not waive the fee.
Conservation Easement
In 2006, the County entered into a Conservation Easement agreement with Brew Gold, LLC for two regarding two properties located in the area of King’s Flats. In order to complete tax credit transfers the grantors of the easement asked to amend the language in the original agreement to stipulate that should the County terminate either easement, and should any proceeds be realized in that situation, they be applied to similar conservation efforts. Commissioners agreed.
Treasurer’s Report
Gilpin County Treasurer, Alynn Huffman, presented her August report showing 98.58% of the County’s 2009 taxes have now been collected. County accounts held a grand total of $10,451,258 at the end of August. Huffman informed Commissioners the annual tax lien sale is coming up. She commended her staff for working with Gilpin taxpayers to get caught up on past year taxes. They had successfully resolved all taxes due the State for prior years. This year they started with 1,250 cases of delinquent taxes, and have reduced that to 412.
Monthly Departmental Reports
The Road and Bridge Department’s August report noted 27 small loads of hot (beetle-infested) logs for the month (down from 46) and slash deliveries had dropped from 753 to 538 loads. A partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service provided the funding for fencing materials to construct a rail fence at the slash yard. The department has been trimming branches along the perimeter and repairing the fence and gates of Bald Mountain Cemetery. Road maintenance projects included widening, raising and laying on road base for Sunrise Lane, culvert installation, road base on Gap Road, covering exposed rocks on Meadowlake Drive and assisting Golden Gate State Park with improvements at Aspen Meadows campground (for which the County will be paid). The CDOT Highway 119 project is providing the County with dirt, rock and ground up asphalt that can be used on County roads in the future. July operating costs for the Connector shuttle were $18,001. Grant reimbursements have not been figured into that amount.
At the Library there were 2,402 items circulated in August with DVD movies and children’s materials the most popular. Year-to-date circulation is 19,401 items. 1,857 people visited the library during the 21 days in which it was open, an average of about 89 per day. A new reading series themed, “Love and Death in the Western World” is being planned for next spring with Nancy Ciccone, chair of the English Department at University of Colorado (Denver) again leading discussion.
Human Services Director Betty Donovan’s June report (delayed while waiting for data from the State), was also the end of the fiscal year report and showed how spending ended up for various services provided in Gilpin. Donovan’s summary totals over expenditures for County Administration, Child Care and Child Welfare at $198,532 which was covered by a combination of Federal, State and County funding. For a detailed breakdown of all categories of spending, obtain this report from the County’s Human Services Department.
Attorney’s Update
County Attorney Jim Petrock informed Commissioners they were being sued by Phillip Wolf in Maritime Court for an amount in excess of $38 billion. Petrock said he’d discuss the case further in a future executive session.
Head’s Up
There is no Commissioners’ meeting next Tuesday, September 29th Commissioners meet next on October 6, 2009.