Commissioners Forum set for Florence

The Fremont County Commissioners will discuss a variety of issues with residents this Wednesday evening at another Citizens’ Forum. This is the first time the Commissioners have scheduled a forum in Florence as they commit to a pledge to host forums at communities throughout the county this year.

Wednesday’s forum begins at 6 p.m. in the city council chambers of the new Florence Municipal Building in the former Centura building. District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha says he wants the citizens to set the agenda for the meeting. Lasha says whatever topics they want to discuss and address questions to will guide the agenda for the evening.

District 60 State Representative Tom Massey is expected to attend for a brief period at the start of the meeting as the Commissioners will give citizens an opportunity to raise questions on state issues with Massey. Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker, County Treasurer Virginia Woltemath, and perhaps other county officials are also expected to attend.

District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden has also announced that the third Commissioners’ Forum for 2006 has been scheduled for Wednesday evening, March 8th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Howard Fire Hall. The series of town meetings began in Howard nearly a year ago.

February 14th Commissioners’ Meeting

The Fremont County Commissioners approved a zone change in Penrose and a fuel supply contract for the Fremont County Airport at the board’s regular meeting.

The Commissioners gave their OK to a zone change from Agricultural Rural to Business Zone District for 5.56 acres owned by Robert Hamilton on the northwest corner of ‘C’ Street, 10th Street, and Colorado 115. Hamilton wants to operate a landscape supply store. Amy Finger, who represented the application, said the store will serve more as a display area for examples of landscaping. She said the quantities of landscape stone and sod will not be stored at another site. Finger assured the Commissioners there would be no heavy equipment loading or unloading of materials for customers at the store. The Commissioners approved the zone change saying it is in line with the county’s master plan for the Penrose area which calls for business development along the Highway 115 corridor.

The Commissioners approved two contracts with CityService Valcon dealing with fuel supplies at the Fremont County Airport. Valcon will be the exclusive ‘branded’ dealer to supply jet and aviation fuel to the airport. That means Valcon’s fuel brand will become visible on signs and equipment at the airport. The other contract with Valcon is for the lease-purchase of a fuel truck already in use at the airport. Seven cents of every gallon of fuel sold will apply to the fuel truck purchase. The county will own the truck when the payoff is completed in about 18 months.

In other business before the board on February 14th the Commissioners:

1. Approved a proclamation declaring February 15th as Developmental Disability Day noting the community work by Starpoint.
2. Approved a list of combined polling places proposed by County Clerk Norma Hatfield as the preferred plan for complying with the Help America Vote Act (see news article elsewhere on the News Now webpage).
3. Approved four petitions for abatement from the County Assessor’s Office including the new VFW Hall at 217 North Cottonwood in Cañon City, Goodwill Industries store at 9th and Main, and Grace Bible Fellowship at 215 North Pikes Peak in Florence.
4. Approved the appointments of Tami Mundy to fill a vacancy on the Penrose Library Board of Trustees and of Joseph Scranton of Cañon City to become an associate member to the Fremont County Board of Zoning Adjustment.
5. Revoked a Special Review Use permit for the Pedretti Kennel in Penrose which effectively had expired.
6. Approved a 60 day extension for B & B Septage’ Conditional Use Permit northeast of the airport to allow extra time to erect signs and a mailbox.
7. Approved a Special Events Liquor permit to allow serving of beer at the Royal Gorge Rodeo May 5th and 6th.
8. Set dates for six public hearings including four hearings at 10 a.m. March 14th for:

• a. A zone change request from Ag Living to Ag Suburban for the Jewett’s property northeast of MacKenzie and Adams Avenue
• b. A Special Review Use Permit for a Cingular Wireless tower northeast of Highway 50 and ‘R’ street in Penrose
• c. A Special Review Use permit for operation of a transfer station by Howard Disposal northwest of Oak Creek Grade Road and McDaniel Boulevard
• d. A zone change from Ag Farming to Travel Trailer Park & Campground for Doug Brill along County Road 45 in the Howard area.

Two public hearings set for March 28th at 10 a.m. will deal with the 2nd Amendment to Fremont County’s subdivision regulations and the 23rd Amendment to Fremont County’s zoning resolution.

Radon Health Risk Workshop

The Fremont County Environmental Health Department and Fremont County C.S.U. Cooperative Extension sponsor a two hour program entitled “Radon, The Health Risks and Solutions”. The workshop will be presented from 1:30 until 3:30 Wednesday afternoon, February 8th, at the Fremont County Administration Building, at 615 Macon Avenue, in Cañon City.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and is the second leading cause of lung cancer, causing as many as 1,400 lung cancer deaths in Colorado each year. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Program topics to be covered in the workshop include the source of radon, how it enters your home, health risks, and radon mitigation.

A fee of $10 will be charged to each workshop participant which covers the cost of materials and a radon test kit so you can conduct a radon test in your own home. You are asked to pre-register for the workshop by calling the county extension office at 276-7390 no later than Monday, February 6th.