Lowest number in ten years

Gilpin County Commissioners Buddy Schmalz, Jeanne Nicholson and Forrest Whitman considered a funding request from Red Rocks Community College during their meeting of March 2, 2010, and then moved on to more routine County business.

RRCC 40^th Anniversary

Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) will celebrate its 40^th anniversary on June 5^th with tours of the Opera and Teller Houses, a special performance by members of the 2010 Central City Opera cast and a 1960’s Vegas style dinner and entertainment (Sinatra impersonator) at the Ameristar. Ron Slinger, representing the RRCC Foundation told Commissioners the goal is to net $40,000 for scholarships and asked them to consider sponsoring the event. Commissioner Schmalz commented, “This is in our county and it’s a big deal. It’s important for us to do our part.” Slinger said he had pushed RRCC to have the event in Gilpin County because of the partnership between community colleges and gaming that resulted from Amendment 50’s passage. The event will promote Central City, the Opera Association and Gilpin Historical Society, he said. Commissioners voted to contribute a sponsorship of $5,000 from the Payment in Lieu of Taxes fund (PILT). That gets the County a table for 10 at the dinner, tickets to the tours/opera performance and numerous marketing spaces on the event’s promotional materials and the RRCC website. It also earns the County a scholarship offered in its name.

Council on Aging

Commissioners appointed Lorita Davis to represent Gilpin at the Denver Regional Council of Government’s (DRCOG) Council on Aging.

Year-End Report

Community Development Director Tony Petersen submitted his 2009 Year-End Report showing his staff had handled 202 cases last year. There were only 7 new home starts in Gilpin during 2009; 28% of the 3-year average. That was the biggest single drop in caseloads for the department and because of that, the building inspector position has been reduced from 40 hours per week in 2009 to 24 hours per week for this year. The majority of the department’s caseload was in other building (additions, remodels, etc.).

An unexpected Special Use Permit payment of $48,159 (Frei Quarry) resulted in surplus Special Use revenues $37,324 above the budgeted expectation and a surplus of $11,293 in total revenues. Because of the Frei payment, the Open Space fund was increased from $4,925 to $21,773. Open Space receives 5 cents per cubic yard for each yard of fill material Frei deposits in Gilpin County. Increased building permit fees also contributed to additional revenue. Expenditures came in at 98.5% of the budgeted amount, resulting in an unspent $4,660.

A ten-year case load table shows the department handled 467 cases in 1999, but case load has averaged 233 cases per year over the past five years. At 202 cases, 2009 is the low point.

Public Comment

Central City Mayor Ron Slinger invited Commissioners to attend the Council meeting later that evening. A presentation from the contractor Central City is considering to install a solar system to power their water plant was on the agenda.

Attorney Update

Attorney Brad Benning told Commissioners there are three active litigations. The Dory Lakes Property Owners Association’s appeal is proceeding. The record is still being compiled for the Brannan Sand and Gravel case and they have threatened to file another motion regarding discovery. Finally, Philip Wolf has appealed to the Federal (10^th Circuit) Court.

Forks of Creek Bikeway

Following a presentation by Clear Creek County Community Development Director Bert Weaver, Commissioners directed County Manager Baker to write a letter to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in support of awarding transportation enhancement funds for the Clear Creek Forks Bikeway Interchange project. The project will tie together bike paths from Clear Creek, Jefferson and Gilpin Counties where the three converge at historical Forks of Creek, near old Tunnel Four and close to the Highway’s 119 turn-off from Highway 6. Although the bike trails are not yet in place from all three counties to the interchange, Weaver is looking to go ahead with this part of the project in order to tie in with CDOT improvements planned for the area. The projected cost of the bikeway interchange is $500,000. Weaver said he’d be applying to CDOT for $400,000 and Clear Creek County has committed to put in $100,000 from their Conservation Trust Fund. Gilpin County will consider a funding contribution in 2011. If funding is in place, construction is scheduled to begin in July 2011.

Head’s Up

Gilpin County Commissioners meet next on March 9, 2010.

The philosophy behind the big celebration

Today gaming brings most of the tourists up to Gilpin. They may be clutching a copy of The Gambler and looking for the deals. But, if you’d been in these parts between about 1870 and 1920 a good many tourists would be found here clutching different books. They hold the works of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, Lydia Pinkham or Horatio Dresser. Those tourists were seeking not fun, but better health. The invigorating mountain air was supplemented by draughts of radium water and a healthy daily exercise regimen said to put one in touch with a vital flow of energy. This approach to health was often called vitalism.

Vitalism was based on some very old notions of health going back to the middle ages in Europe where the “regimen sanitatis salernitanum” outlined the basic vitalist principles.  Mostly the regimen consisted of breathing exercises and generally exercising in high mountain air. Indeed many claimed to be cured of tuberculosis, dropsy, poor circulation and other diseases by following the regimen. The vital energy flow obtained was thought to be more potent in these parts than down in the flat lands, hence the health tourists. At least an echo of that vitalist philosophy is still alive and well in these mountains. Nederland’s upcoming Frozen Dead Guy Days, whether acknowledged or not, is a celebration of that concept.

Hold Onto Your Hat Nederland!

It’s time once again for Nederland to shine in the international spotlight. Frozen Dead Guy Days are here and 6,000 visitors are expected. Cars will line 119 almost to the Sundance Restaurant and down at least to Barker Dam. Tourists from all over the U.S. and many other countries will gather to celebrate this most bizarre of all local festivals. There will be coffin races, the ever popular blue ball and the events go on and on. Visitors will leave lots of money in town and a good time will be had by all. It’s all in honor of a corpse stored in a box of dry ice. It’s a curious thing, this corpse of Grandpa Bredo Morstoel. This is the 20^th anniversary of his death so it’s good time to cogitate. What possessed Trygve Bouge to bring his dead grandfather here from Norway in the first place? Why did it end up at his mother’s house overlooking town? That answer has to be in the philosophy Trygve Bouge apparently believed in, vitalism.

Trygve Bouge, Preacher of Vitalism

Frozen Dead Guy Days is all for fun and no one takes it very seriously. Few of us took Trygve Bouge very seriously either. Yet, back in the day, I would hear Trygve Bouge hold forth on the “life force” and “vitalism” and I found it fascinating.  Whether or not he’d ever read any of the vitalist philosophers, he, like many others, used their phrases and philosophy. Many a “new age” writer expounded on the “life force” and the “vial force” back in the 1970s without tipping their hats to the originators of those phrases either. Trygve may not have been much of a philosophical expounder, but he was listened to by many as he talked of health and the life force. In fact, he was effective as a speaker and organizer for polar plunges, snow immersion, and many other practices.  Many of his health regime ideas were adopted by city councils, groups of spiritualists, and on and on.

Getting Into The Life Force

Trygve urged us all to get out in the elements and become one with the vital force. He advised all of us to run, ski, or swim, no matter what the weather and preferably naked. Some do that naked running and swimming thing (even bicycle riding) today. That leads to the endless vexation of the Boulder City Council. The debate over public nudity gave rise to some great moments in Boulder City Council history. Who can forget the recitation by a local columnist of “The Old Swimmin’ Hole” by James Whitcomb Riley as the council was about to pass an ordinance against nude swimming? I think it was Trygve who popularized the various polar plunges around the state. I believe it was his “lectures” in bars in Boulder and in Nederland that got the whole idea of the New Year’s plunge in Boulder Reservoir started. That’s an ever growing event with, say some, over two hundred plungers this year. I do think it’s a bit too bad that as we celebrate Frozen Dead Guy Days few consider the philosophy behind it all.

Vitalism Is Here To Stay

During the late 19^th century (and here and there today) the philosophy of vitalism was quite popular in Europe and was preached by many a popular lecturer here. Among these were Phineas Parkhurst Quinby, Mary M. Paterson, Horatio Dresser and, of course, Lydia Pinkham. Vitalism found a special home in north Germany and the Scandinavian countries. I don’t doubt that Trygve and Aud his mother heard plenty of vitalist ideas as they grew up in Norway. While the idea of the “vital force” or the “Odic force” was probably never formally preached in young Trygve’s hearing he would certainly have heard those ideas expressed in his native Norway. Even today Scandinavians are famous for their vigorous winter exercise, their saunas and for doing lots of this in the nude so they can soak up the energies all about them. Vitalism is certainly practiced today. Trygve himself still holds the world’s record for submersion in ice water. He stayed in ice water for one hour and four minutes in Feb. of 1994. A lot of this goes back to one of the European fathers of the vitalist movement, Karl von Reichenbach. Reichenbach would have approved of Trygve’s preaching whether or not Trygve would formally claim to be a vitalist.

Karl Ludwig von Reichenbach

Karl Reichenbach, like Trygve, believed in a vital force (called the Odic force by von Reichenbach). This vital human spark formed a kind of energy field around all living beings. One could measure the electric impulses, heat, magnetism and so on, coming from every living thing, and the healthy exercised body exposed to all nature gave off more. Those measurable forces did not quite add up to the Odic force, the life force itself, however. That force was something one felt. Human beings who exercised, who lived life fully, who danced and sang, all could exhibit this Odic force and cultivate it. The sexual urge itself was another example of this force animating the human. Indeed, Trygve often seemed to give off a good deal of such vital life force. I noted how many a young woman would sit at his feet as he expounded the vital force philosophy. He certainly did command attention in a kind of wild Nordic way. Some young men were jealous.

Cryonics

In many ways the believers in contemporary cryonic science follow in the path of the vitalists. By freezing a human body they assume some of the odic force in that person will be captured though (they may not put it that way). When the family of grandfather Bredo froze his body cryonically from 1990 till 1993 they followed this philosophy. Put very simply, just because someone has been declared medically dead, or even clinically dead, does not necessarily men they are dead from an information-theoretic point of view. There may be all sorts of information still stored in the brain. Scientists think this information-theoretic death comes fairly soon after clinical death, but who’s to say? If the life force could be re-programmed into that brain all sorts of material might come forth. In fact, if medicine could find a way to re-start the heart and so on maybe the brain (which could possibly survive information-theoretic death) could pop back. At least believers in cryonics argue that.

Bo still brings the dry ice

Exactly how the body of grandpa Bredo came to be in Nederland is never clear. One theory is that Trygve and Aud simply couldn’t afford the rent on the cryogenic facility in California. Trygve was in the process of building an H-bomb proof house in Nederland so the little shed next door seemed a good spot for grandpa. The house, by the way, was never quite finished and still stands built of heavy concrete slabs. It is clear that Aud called the Nederland police department to complain that she had no help keeping the body frozen out in her shed and that she had no electricity or water in her house.  That’s what began the long saga of Bo Shaffer bringing dry ice to the shed and now and again taking donations to keep up the work. Bo has been nicknamed “the ice man” ever since taking up the task.

Vitalism Today

Vitalism has influenced many philosophic movements such as nudism,vegetarianism and even breatharianism. The basic concept of “energizing, life force, the force,” and so on are part of our every day language now. While no conclusive scientific evidence has been found for the “vial force” in humans, poets long have felt it to be there. Where would love poems be without the strangely attractive force leading one to the beloved? That force simply can’t be calibrated? Athletes experience the force and talk of days when they’re “energized”. It’s too bad Trygve was deported back to Norway. I’d love to buy him a drink in the P.I. and quiz him. In any case we’re in for a great celebration of frozen dead guy days. It’s got lots of philosophical roots in these mountains.

A finger-licking good time had by all

The Masons of Central Lodge No. 6 hosted their annual Washington’s Birthday/Cherry Pie Festival on Wednesday, February 24, at the Lodge hall on Eureka Street in Central City. The Lodge provided a dinner of Sloppy Joes with drinks, wonderful cherry pie and educational entertainment to a packed house of more than 140 Gilpin County 4th-6th graders and their families.

The Masons hold this event honoring George Washington, as he was a Mason who belonged to a Virginia lodge. George Washington was originally a surveyor who became a general, and then a president–the first President of the United States of America. Washington served two terms as president from 1789 to 1797.

After dinner the kids were gathered in front of Washington’s famous Glendenning portrait for a George Washington question-and-answer session led by Mike Katich and his lovely assistant Zoe and stagehand Drew. At last year’s Cherry Pie Festival, Katich challenged the students to bring their Washington questions for him to answer at this year’s event. If a student’s question stumped him, he or she would be rewarded with real United States legal tender, “gold” dollar coins with James Monroe’s (our fifth president) portrait minted on one side of the coin.

One of the first student questions was “What do the Masons and Gilpin County students have in common?” After being stumped, Katich found out the answer was all are smart and he rewarded the student with a gold coin. Katich and the kids had fun with the question, “What were his teeth made of?” Katich offered the answers of Silly Putty, Play Dough, only to find out the real answer was hippo teeth.

The special guest of the event was Henry M. Teller, Esquire – as portrayed by Neal Standard – complete with a white beard and period costume of top hat and frock coat. Mr. Teller told students stories from his life, that he was born in New York and moved to Colorado in 1861, settling in the mining camp of Central City to practice law, before Colorado became a State of the Union in 1876.

Teller served as the first U.S. Congressman from Colorado and later became the Secretary of the Interior. Teller served in Congress for thirty years, first as a Republican and then as a Democrat, from 1885 until 1909. Teller was president of the local Colorado Central Railroad, involved in building the Central City Opera House and his own luxury hotel, the Teller House, in 1872.

When President Ulysses S. Grant visited his friend Teller in 1873, mine owners laid 26 ingots of solid silver from local mines, including Caribou Mine, to make a path to the entrance of the Teller House. It was said that the president became angry and used the wood boardwalk instead. The U.S. Congress was then deciding whether to back our currency, the dollar, with gold or silver and President Grant said he would not show favoritism by walking on silver.

After leaving office Teller practiced law in Denver, Colorado, until his death in 1914. He is buried in Fairmount Cemetery in Denver. When the Masons’ Mr. Teller (Neal Standard) was asked why he was buried in Denver, he responded he often visited his family in Denver and his brother, Willard, “got me my gravesite for free!”

Mike Katich answered a few more Washington questions such as what was one of his dog’s names. The student-supplied answer was “Sweetheart!” How many presidents were after Washington? Forty-three followed. Katich declared everyone a winner, instructing Zoe and Drew to give everyone 16 years old or younger a gold coin. As a thank you the Gilpin County school students presented Katich with gifts, most notably a gold-and-black pom-pom so he could be a cheerleader at the sports games!

A final question from a student was how were the pictures painted? A member of Central Lodge No. 6, a Scottish artist named John J. Glendenning, painted most of the twenty-two symbolic pictures on the Masonic Hall walls exclusively by candlelight in the 1860s.  No sunlight reaches the hall and a city ordinance at the time prohibited the use of kerosene lamps for light. The wall paintings are now flanked by inactive kerosene lamps, which have fans on the bottom to prevent soot deposits on the wall. These well-preserved paintings are world renown for their vibrant beauty.

The evening closed with many smiling faces and lots of small hands clutching gold coins. Once again a bighearted thank-you goes out to the members of Central Lodge No. 6, especially Ernie Clore, Mike Katich, George Snyder, and other participants who organized this generous and highly popular annual event.

Lot’s of folks were watching the Vancouver winter Olympics last week. But, why not have our own Gilpin County Olympics featuring our very own special mountain contests? Here are my suggestions.

The Tow Chain Untangle

Many of our citizens have a tow chain ready to yank their neighbors out of ditches or their own driveways. Lots of folks with big trucks enjoy pulling their neighbors, friends, even enemies, out of these snow drifts. True tow chain Olympians compete about how fast they can do it. Normally these tow chains are in closets under heaps of junk, or mud rooms under heaps of other stuff. Sometimes they’re in the back of trucks under heaps of still other stuff. Sometimes they are, well, who knows where. The contest is to get those chains out, untangle them, and attach them to the vehicle that’s stuck. Then you, pull out the vehicle and get rewards from the owner such as hugs and kisses, free beer, etc. It’s a better reward than some old medal. We do it right in these mountains.

Awarding Points In Tow Chain Untangle

Points are awarded for length of time finding the tow chains as well as how long it takes to unwind each kink in the chain. Techniques include the g-d pull. Here the participant grabs any end and just pulls while cussing loudly. This can work, but often makes the tangle worse. Another technique is to lay the chain out in the snow under the starlight (it always is night) and chant over it. Still another technique is to build a small fire under the chain and get at least some of the attached ice off the links.

Point deductions: For pulling the bumper off the towed vehicle. For breaking the tow chain. For pulling the tail gate off the towed truck. For leaving the scene and going to the bar to re-think. Extra points are awarded for patience and style. Real mountain style includes offering your Carharts to the stuck person if they’ll just slide under there and hook up the tow chain.  Other style points include flourishing the untangled chain and petting the dog in the stuck vehicle. Speeds are highly variable for this event.  Average qualifiers do this whole thing in 31 minutes, but some have qualified in two days. No points are awarded if participants call Tim over at Help Towing or make a quick call to Black Hawk Towing.

The Post Office Dash

Since most of our local post offices and the Credit Union in Black Hawk close for lunch, most mountain folks wait till ten minutes before the closing then hop in the old jalopy and put the pedal to the metal. Points are awarded for pulling into the Post Office without looking in either direction. Extra points if you cut off a State Trooper with the move. Still more points if you leave the car running and then sprint up to the window all out of breath.

Deductions: If you forget the stuff you were going to mail. Still more deductions if you discover the due date on your credit card bill was yesterday anyway. Times vary, but one Central City citizen claims to have done this from her home to the Post Office in six minutes, five horn honks, two bad fingers, one shaken fist, and one other vehicle ending up on the sidewalk.

The Wood Pile One Foot

Points here begin when the participant realizes the wood box is empty. Participant puts on the one boot he or she can find. Participant hops on one foot to the wood pile and gathers firewood. Extra points if the one found boot is actually tied. Times vary greatly, but can range up to five minutes.

Deductions: No extra points for returning without any wood and shouting at cabin mate to go get it her/himself.

The Marital Relay

Participants must be married couples (or at least mountain style married) and own an older pick-up truck without four wheel drive. The truck must have no weight of any kind in the truck bed, this includes anything other than the set of tire chains. The course includes any county road leading up to the cabin, or the long uphill drive leading the same place. Play begins after any big snow dump. The woman suggests that they put the chains on the pick-up so they can make it home. The man replies that he’s been driving trucks since he was fourteen and can darn well make it up there. Points are given for the amount of time the man can hold out. The woman gains points for each time the truck slides backwards.

Penalties: If the truck actually ends up in the ditch the man is penalized. If the woman actually gets out and starts walking she has forfeited.

Awarding Points In The Marital Relay

The marital relay aspect occurs during the next trip up the same stretch of road. This time the woman is at the wheel, and the tire chains are on the truck.

Deductions: If she can’t get up the hill he gets points. If she gets half way up she gets half points and so on. The relay continues until spring, or when a divorce ends the contest.

The Jumper Cable Jump

Participants must be alone and temperature in Gilpin County must be zero or below. Two vehicles are needed, one which will start and one which will not start. Participant coasts the running vehicle to within cable stretching distance of the nonstarter. Jumper cables are extended from the running vehicle’s battery to the dead vehicles battery. Participant jumps over the cables and gooses the accelerator in the running vehicle to keep it going. Participant then jumps back over the cables to the dead battery and makes sure the cables are attached to negative and positive terminals even though they are completely covered with green corrosion. Participant then jumps back over cables to running vehicle to goose accelerator. Participant then jumps back to dead vehicle, turns key and hits that accelerator hoping for a start.

Awarding Points In Jumper Cable Jumping

Points are awarded for general agility in jumping back and forth over the cables.

Deductions: If the participant’s black lab is standing behind participant and he falls backward over the dog, points are deducted. If participant cusses and stands up suddenly hitting head on hood, points are deducted. If both vehicles die, points are deducted.

Other Mountain Olympic Games

What’s Vancouver got on Gilpin County? Nothing! Our Olympics begin in September and last till May. Our Olympic champions can train year round because it snows here year round. Best of all, anyone can suggest a game for our Olympics. I’ve already had suggestions such as “dog poop scoot” and “Moose jumping.” It takes a certain kind of champion to live around here. We ought to be awarding the gold.

The Dog Poop Scoot

Look the other way, hum a tune.

Veteran thriller-writer James Rollins has a newly published book, Altar of Eden, an adventure novel of suspense featuring a female veterinarian named Lorna Polk. (Rollins is a veterinarian himself and he always wanted to put a vet in the lead of one of his books.) On an island off the coast of Louisiana, Lorna stumbles on a shipwrecked fishing trawler. With the crew either missing or dead, she finds a frightening cargo:“a caged group of exotic animals, clearly part of a black market smuggling ring.” The beasts, however, have disturbing deformities that “make no sense.” Lorna finds herself teamed up with U.S. Border Partol agent Jack Menard to hunt for a beast that escaped the shipwreck, and to solve a mystery related to fractal science and genetic engineering, “all to expose a horrifying secret that traces back to humankind’s earliest roots.”

Juliet Marillier writes historical fantasies and none have been more enthralling than her new one, Heart’s Blood. The story takes place in a crumbling fortress built into a wooded hill called Whistling Tor, where resides a chieftain, Anluan, whose name “is spoken throughout the region in tones of revulsion and bitterness.” A long-time curse lies over Anluan’s family and his people. A young scribe, Caitrin, appears in Anluan’s garden, “admiring the rare plant known as heart’s blood.” Caitrin is retained to sort out family documents and, in doing so, begins to bring about desirable changes in the household. But the trick will be to unravel “the web of sorcery woven by Anluan’s ancestors before it claims his life.”

Historical mysteries have proven to be one of the most popular types of book to check out in our library. One such practicioner of this subgenre is Alan Gordon, whose new “Fools’ Guild Mystery” has just been published. The title is The Parisian Prodigal, set in Europe in the year 1215, and it features Theophilos – fool by trade, family man by choice, and spy by design – who is ensconsed as the “Chief Fool in Toulouse.” Theophilos has a foolish family too, and together they give the appearance of being the entertainers they claim to be.  They are also members of the Fools’ Guild, and “working behind the scenes to stabilize as much as possible, a turbulent Europe.” Theophilos is thrown into a murder case, hired to prove the innocence of a newcomer to court, one Baudoin, who claims he is being framed for the murder. Theophilos must find out the truth, “and truth is something that only fools can be trusted to uncover.”

A Tennessee Williams Film Festival concludes on Saturday, February 27, with The Night of the Iguana, starring Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, and Sue Lyon. Directed by John Huston. “A man has got just so much in his emotional bank balance. But mine has run out.” In a remote Mexican seacoast town, a fallen Episcopal priest struggles to pull his shattered life together. This Tennessee Williams play was adapted to the movies in 1964. The film begins at 1:00 p.m. Film critic Walter Chaw will be on hand. Admission is free while popcorn, cookies, and ideas are free-flowing, all courtesy of the Friends of the Library.

I was walking downtown in Denver, when a guy with a grocery cart walked up to me and asked for money. I looked at him with his ragged and torn clothes, and toothless grin. As I reached into my pocket and handed him a few dollars, I started to ask him questions. How long have you been in Denver I asked? Since the 60’s he responded, I moved here after I came back from Vietnam. I then asked him, “Do you have any family here?”

Used to, he said, my dad is dead and my mom lives in a nursing home in Cleveland. They disowned me when I came home. I was into drugs and didn’t want to work, then I started hitting the bottle pretty hard. I was kicked out of my parents house and here I am, on the streets. I have been on the streets of Denver for over 30 years. I have been in the VA hospital several times, and living under different bridges through out Denver. I have seen hard and snowy winters, and hot summers. I have lots of friends, and seen a lot of them die.

He went on to share his story of suffering and hardships. We probably talked for about 10 minutes as we leaned against a corner cafe. While we talked he would walk over to strangers and ask for handouts, as they walked by. I was slightly embarrassed as people gave him coins and bills.

Many of the homeless that I have talked to, will blame others for their past failures. They don’t take any responsibility for past mistakes or bad decisions. Many would rather ask for handouts and panhandle, then work. How many of these people have you seen on exit ramps, holding signs and begging for cash?

I asked the guy I was talking to, why didn’t you go to college or hold down a decent job. He flat out told me, he didn’t want to work a regular job! He enjoyed being with his friends and drinking.

There are some people who are doing everything within their power to get out of living under bridges, and stop asking for handouts. You hear success stories of the ones who fought and clawed their way out of being destitute and begging from others. I listened to all his excuses, and then knew that I was talking to a dead man with no hope of turning his life around. He was content on asking for his way of living through others generosity.

As I said goodbye to this guy, he waved at me and said thanks the few bucks that I gave him. As, I walked back to my truck, I couldn’t but wonder, why the quitter attitude? Was it his parents? Was it Vietnam? Did his friends drag him down? Then it hit me – he didn’t have someone who would listen nor understand where he was at in life.

There is a time when we must take responsibility for our actions, right or wrong. Do you have plans for yourself or family if you lose your job? How will the house payment be made? How will the credit cards be paid? Who will pay the electric, and water? How will the food be provided? These are scary thoughts and taking action steps in protecting yourself and your family is key.

Do you allow your circumstances to control you? Meaning, do you have an issue with your boss, and you keep getting on his bad side by your actions? Do you have a hard time taming your tongue, and you don’t know when to shut up? Do you take your family savings and invest in worthless businesses or loan money to friends and family?

- Start a savings account, even if its $10 to 20 dollars a month.

- Make a plan to pay your monthly bills.

- Talk to a financial planner.

- Have budget meeting with your spouse/partner.

- downsize your living quarters.

- Figure out what will cut home expenses, turning off lights, taking shorter showers, etc.

- Cut back on cable services.

- Send in your rebates.

- Get your books and DVD’s from the library.

- Stop smoking and drinking.

- Start exercising, helps cut down on being sick.

- Cut back on eating out.

This is just a beginning on how to save on cutting costs. If you need help on cutting back expenses you can contact me to set up a meeting, on the phone or in person.

Finances can part husbands and wives, family members and causes deep wounds that can last a lifetime. If you need help in resolving family finances, you can contact me for assistance. Do you need help in regaining control of your finances, and don’t know how? Is there guilt over the way you have spent your money? Do you need help in putting a financial plan together? If you do you can contact mefor help!

How does Life Coaching work?
You’ll meet once a week, by phone, for a one-on-one conference, usually 45 minutes a session. In each phone conference you’ll plan and review, together, each of your “Focus Goals” and action areas. In each session, you’ll also receive support and guidance in creating the right attitudes and motivation in the area’s that you want to work on most. In addition to the weekly phone conferences, you’ll also communicate by e-mail, so you’ll have help and support throughout the week.

If you would like some help in dealing with personal issues in your life or the relationship that you’re in, you can contact me at 303-456-0555. If you need more information about the Professional Accountability Partner Program, call or go to the “Contact Mike” link to set up a free consultation appointment on my website at www.applicablecoaching.com. All calls are confidential and your privacy is protected. Check out my blog at http://applicablecoaching.com/blog.php when you get a chance. I always welcome your thoughts and comments on today’s coaching article, and am also available for speaking engagements.

PRESS RELEASE – Gilpin County Commissioner Jeanne Nicholson is announcing her Candidacy for the Colorado State Senate, District 16. State Senator Dan Gibbs has announced he will not be running for re-election.

Nicholson has lived in the Colorado mountains since 1965 and in the Senate District for the past 39 years, first in Grand County, and currently in Gilpin County.

Today, Senate President Brendan Shaffer endorsed Nicholson and said, “I’m very excited Jeanne has decided to run for the state Senate. Both as a nurse and a Gilpin County Commissioner she has seen first hand the difficulties working people in this state are going through. She’ll go to the statehouse to represent Colorado families, not special interests. I’m proud to support her candidacy.”

Betty Boyd, Colorado Senate President Pro-Tem said in her endorsement, “I have known Jeanne for many years having worked side-by-side in previous campaigns. She represents her constituents well and will be a wonderful addition to the Colorado Senate, particularly given her extensive experiences in health and human services.”

“The most important problem the State legislature should help solve is to turn around Colorado’s economy and get everyone back to work,” Nicholson said. “My background as a former business owner and my budgeting experience as a commissioner are great qualifications for the economic challenges we are facing. Gilpin County has no long-term debts and has the lowest property taxes in Colorado, yet the citizens enjoy a wide array of services.”

Candidate Nicholson went on to say “With the right leadership and political will we can create jobs in tourism, forest health, renewable energy, and other industries. We can keep jobs in public education and health care. All of these job opportunities will help the districts citizen thrive and continue to enjoy the highest quality of life in the country.”

Details about Nicholson’s kick-off events and listening tour around the district will be announced next week.

BIOGRAPHY

Nicholson serves on Colorado Counties, Inc (CCI) Board of Directors, and the Colorado Child Welfare Allocation Committee. She served as the Chair of the Health and Human Services Steering Committee for CCI and chaired the Colorado Commission on Family Medicine. She was named Colorado Commissioner of the year in 2005.

Among her accomplishments as a county commissioner, Nicholson provided the political leadership to build a “green” Road & Bridge building in Gilpin County that is heated with wood chips, saves money on utilities, reduces the county’s carbon footprint, and provides jobs for local loggers.

Nicholson, a former public heath nurse, also spearheaded efforts to provide a childcare center and after-school program. She supported an expanded recycling program, including recycling hazardous waste materials. She initiated a property tax work-off program for senior citizens and disabled citizens.

Nicholson received the Colorado Commissioner of the Year award in 2005; she was the Florence Nightingale finalist and received the Children’s Champion Award in 2009 for her work in promoting the importance of early childhood development. She is a life-long Democrat residing in Gilpin County. She and her husband Craig have two adult sons.

Black Hawk resident, Terrence Ballowe, has filed documents with the City of Black Hawk, Black Hawk Fire Department, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Gilpin County District Attorney, Central City Fire Department and the First Judicial District Attorney claiming that statements, testimony and interpretations related to his being charged with arson were incomplete, false and/or misleading and that some items were omitted or not provided. Ballowe’s Chase Street bed and breakfast was heavily damaged by fire in January, 2009. In August, Ballowe was charged with Third Degree Arson, a Class Four Felony that carries penalties of a $2,000-$500,000 fine and 2-6 years incarceration.

Ballowe claims that conclusions drawn from the investigation, which resulted in his being charged, constitute an ad-hominem argument. He maintains that omissions and false statements made in the complaint against him, issued by District Attorney Scott Storey, have caused irreversible damage to his credibility and unwarranted emotional stress to him and his family. He asserts investigators would not have found their “predetermined conclusion” to be incorrect, had they been more thorough in their investigation. Calling the investigators’ actions, “deceptive and disturbing,” Ballowe states “A proper investigation would have shown that the accusations of Agent Martinez, Agent Tolman, Detective Adams, and Agent Gigliardi should never have been made about Mr. Ballowe.” Ballowe adds that omission of selected recordings and documentation is unconstitutional.

During the investigation, agents reviewed Ballowe’s financial status. His claim states they looked at only one side of that status and used it to support their “preconceived determination.” Had all information been objectively considered, Ballowe states, it would have shown that what investigators concluded “was too far from the truth.”

Ballowe specifically names forty-six people in his claim against the different entities. They include seven CBI agents and one CBI technician; thirteen Black Hawk police officers and the Police Chief; five Black Hawk firefighters and the Fire Chief; seven Central City volunteer firefighters and the Fire Chief; six Black Hawk aldermen and the Mayor; an attorney and investigator of the District Attorney’s Office and the District Attorney; and “any other person that was involved.”

It’s likely there will be no counteraction taken by any of the entities until they see if this claim is addressed at Ballowe’s next court appearance. That is scheduled for March 5, 2010.

All members of Black Hawk City Council were present when Mayor David Spellman called to order the regular business meeting of February 10, 2010.

Moratorium on Development

No one came forward to speak either for or against Council Bill 7, an ordinance which imposes a six month moratorium on residential development in areas outside of Chase, Marchant, Horn, Dubois, Hillside, Church, Clear Creek and High Streets. City Attorney Corey Hoffmann explained the stoppage is needed to allow time to study what impact fees might be necessary to provide municipal services beyond Black Hawk’s core area. BBC Consulting will use the six months to analyze the impact of development in areas like Miners Mesa. They are then to provide recommendations regarding impact fees needed to cover such services as fire and police protection, emergency medical care, transportation needs, access, etc. Hoffman pointed out the City’s last study was done more than a decade ago. City Staff has been directed to refuse to process, review or approve any applications for residential development outside the City core for the duration of the moratorium.

Construction Appeal

Acting as the Board of Appeals, the Aldermen listened to testimony from Jesse Quintana, owner of the home at 241 High Street, followed by testimony from their contracted building inspector from Colorado Code Consulting (CCC). Last Fall, Quintana had constructed a mud room, approximately 9’ x 9’ over an existing rear deck, but had failed to obtain the necessary Building Permit for construction or the Certificate of Appropriateness for altering a historic building. CCC inspected the addition and said it did not comply with building, mechanical, electrical or energy codes. They offered the option of removing the addition or providing the construction plans for the Planning Department to review.

Quintana hired his own inspector, structural engineer William Simons, who inspected the property and provided a report but informed Quintana that the City-requested construction plans and structural calculations to support his report would cost an additional $500. Quintana chose not to submit those documents and appealed to the Council to reverse the City inspector’s decision. Quintana maintained the report from Simons, which bears his professional engineering stamp, is an adequate guarantee of the structural safety of his addition. CCC maintained that without seeing inside the walls and ceiling they can’t be sure the addition meets code. CCC also noted they are following the City’s own codes in their evaluation and that Quintana had by-passed the Historic Preservation Commission and the Building Department. (Quintana had since applied for the Certificate of Appropriateness.) This matter was put up for public hearing, however only the parties involved came forward to speak. The Aldermen, noting the addition was not visible from the street and accepting Simons’ stamped report as sufficient, voted unanimously to overturn the City’s Building Inspector’s decision.

Church Street Easement

The Black Hawk-Central City Sanitation District paid $10 and the Aldermen granted an encroachment easement, of indefinite term, within the Church Street right-of-way adjacent to the Sanitation District’s offices at 271 Gregory Street.

Funding Request

Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) submitted a funding request which the Council declined. Mayor Spellman noted the City supports education at a local level having donated more than $434,000 (January-November 2009) directly to Gilpin County Re-1 Schools and $227,000 in scholarships for Gilpin graduates to attend college, vocational training or other post-secondary educational programs. Colorado Community Colleges now benefit from a gaming tax revenue stream, much of which also originates in Black Hawk. Mayor Spellman said there will be future donation opportunities for organizations and individuals at a benefactors’ dinner which will be held later this year in celebration of RRCC’s 40^th Anniversary.

Public Comment

Don Doles requested and received an extension to February 26^th to have a large storage container removed from his property at 111 Marchant. Alderman Kathy Doles recused herself from this vote. The Doles’ home had recently been rehabilitated under the City’s grant program and the container was needed during construction.

Executive Session

Following the public meeting, Hoffmann and the Aldermen met in Executive Session to discuss sales tax issues and pending litigation. They took no further action after reconvening to public session, except to adjourn.

Head’s Up

The Aldermen scheduled a work session on February 17^th to discuss the bond schedule and a list of items that will need their attention this year or in long-term planning. Black Hawk City Council meets next for regular business on February 4, 2010.

“The only safe way to get from Idaho Springs to Central City is on your hands and knees—and that’s risky.” Walt Whitman said it, not me. In this very column last year I made some predictions about the proposed rail line from Golden to Eagle County with a stop near Black Hawk. I said there was a strong possibility that soon enough one could take a train from near Black Hawk to Idaho Springs and then on to the ski areas, possibly even to Eagle County. At least that’s the idea the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority has been putting forward. Some thought that at least the first leg could be in place and running in five years. Black Hawk and Central City could gain serious ridership with regular train service to connect with the Fast Tracks in Golden.

Why Are We Waiting At the Station?

It now appears that there will be more waiting at the station. The Federal Rail Authority (FRA) has yet to come down one way or the other. Our own Colo. Dept of Transportation seems to be taking a cautions approach. They’ve all strongly endorsed the idea of high speed rail along the Front Range, even reaching down to New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. No word yet on a line along I-70- though.

The I-70 rail concept itself is valid. Many studies show 10 to 15 million riders per year in a statewide rail plan employing I-25 and I-70 corridors with much of that ridership on an I-70 route. Unfortunately, the devil is in the details, especially the details of selling the plan. Obviously there are drawbacks with any rail line through the Rockies. There will have to be that long four mile, expensive, tunnel to get past Georgetown. That bottleneck is simply there. When old man Loveland built the rail from Golden to Black hawk, and on to Georgetown he finally gave up. Yes, the Georgetown loop was eventually completed. But it’s never been suitable for much speed or tonnage. A tunnel, Loveland thought, was the only way. But, even back in the 1870s the idea of rail tunnel that long was beyond anyone’s grasp. Possibly it is beyond the grasp of the FRA today. but could be overcome with enough money. The disputes over Vail Pass, or “not to pass”, have also kept us waiting at the station. Those will not go away either. But there’s good news since last year. Particularly the revenue possibilities are even better now than then. That should help sell the idea.

There’s Money In Rail

The rail authority has contracted out with some consultants to come up with dollar figures for the new rail route. They are assuming a $25 “all the way fare” employing fast tracks and heavier mountain rail from DIA to Minturn (with discounts for children and seniors). The fare from D.I. A. to Black Hawk would be $11.

Even an old fashioned (79 mph top speed) heavy rail track along I-70 would make some money, and make money winding along I-70 too. That would be better than sitting in the I-70 traffic jams.  Those are the kinds of trains AMTRAK runs now and the technology would look a lot like that. Those trains don’t tilt in curves which slows things down. They are also quite heavy which soaks up diesel fuel. There would be some very slow train stretches when riders could sit back and enjoy the mountain scenery creeping by.  Even So, 11.61 million bucks a year (starting in 2015) could be garnered. Skiers and tourists, even commuters to Gilpin County, would ride that train.  If we could increase speeds to 150 mph, and employ tilting technology, the estimates run as high as 330.07 mil yearly by 2015. That would mean $1.02 would be returned for every $1.00 spent on construction and operating costs.

These are not pie-in-the sky numbers. Also, these number would increase somewhat if freight service began to work at night on these rail segments. Passenger trains would run in daylight, so freight might well be implemented at night. Serious business consultants (from Quandel Consultants) have worked a couple of years to verify these findings. So why hasn’t the Federal Rail Authority jumped at the prospect of our mountain railroad?

The 4% Solution

The Federal Railroad Authority likes 4% grades. It’s very hard to interest them in anything steeper than that. With modern MagLev technology grades of up to 7% do work. Those MagLev trains have to be electric and they do pull more power at steeper grades. On the other hand many of these MagLev trains are operating in Europe now. They have the advantage of literally floating on a carpet of air, with wheeled guide ways, of course. If one were to build the Georgetown tunnel a 4% grade could be achieved even as far as Minturn. How?

Back To The Future

A 4% grade could happen just as General Palmer, founder of the Union Pacific and other railroads, envisioned it in the 1870’s. In fact, some of that grade was actually built. It really does work as an engineering plan. With a long upgrade on Loveland Pass and a short tunnel at the top, possibly a stop on the upgrade short of the Eisenhower tunnel, possibly at Argentine, and then on to Breckenridge it works. Grades are even less to Copper Mountain then on up to the cut off below what’s now the Climax molly mine. The cut-off takes you to Pando. From Pando (once the busiest rail station east of the Mississippi when Camp Hale was in business) down to Minturn is an easy go for tilting technology such as we have today. It’s all possible at 4% and thus salable to the FRA.

Oh My, Where’s Vail?

I was once at a Rocky Mtn. Rail Authority meeting where these routes were discussed. A woman from near Vail almost shouted out, “Oh my, where’s the stop in Vail?”  She likely had a point. The only way to Vail if one goes for a steady 4% grade is a shuttle bus from Minturn. Our book group just finished a book about Aspen (“Dizzying Heights”) which would back up her surprised outburst. The novel was all about the habits of the rich and famous. Those habits do not include taking shuttle buses anywhere.

Would 7% Work?

Vail could be included in the plan, of course, if anyone wanted to go to 7% grades. Those grades are hardly impossible to contemplate. The Germans, the Swiss and the French all have a lot of rail going up and over such grades. The Italians and Spanish do too. That rail is all electric, consistently reaches top speed on 150 m.p.h., and employs tilting technology.  It makes it up and down 7% grades and could go directly to Vail. Vail is, no doubt, a major profit center in Colorado. No doubt the 7% option will be included in studies. Whether it’s a likely alternative or not is anyone’s guess at this point.

How Long Do I Wait At The Station?

This spring the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority will issue a “final report”. Most of that report is being considered by Colorado Dept. of Transportation and FRA officials now.

It is to be hoped that these authorities will respond as favorably to the I-70 corridor as they have to the I-25 corridor. Large amounts of cash are flowing right now to the Front Range rail corridor. So was Walt Whitman right? Do we still have to travel on hands and knees? I guess we wait and see. It does look like we’ll be waiting at the Black Hawk station a little longer.