October 27th Commissioners Meeting

Citizens, county officials, and county employees got their first glimpse of what 2010 holds for Fremont County as the Board of Commissioners presented the draft of the county's 2010 budget at Tuesday's regular board meeting. County Manager George Sugars said the budget document follows several weeks of budget reviews by the Board after other elected officials and department heads submitted their budget requests. Sugars said the county is presenting a balanced budget for next year calling it a very conservative budget while trying to minimize the impact to county employees.

Sugars said the Commissioners are still looking at some options in 2010 to other budget cutting measures including possible savings in the number of paid holidays for employees and by looking at the rate of employee retirement contributions by the county.

District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha announced that because of the sacrifice county employees have already made towards budget cuts this year, the Commissioners have decided to rescind a planned furlough day on December 10th. Lasha said "It's not a lot but as we approach the holidays, it's a move in the right direction that allows employees to do some planning".

Commission Chairman Mike Stiehl said the 2010 budget again reflects a commitment the Commissioners made when voters approved the Tabor timeout two years ago. Stiehl said that once again the 2010 Road and Bridge budget shows $250,000 from the Tabor timeout property tax proceeds to be earmarked for road improvement projects next year.

District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden said given the economic climate in the current recession it is particularly difficult to estimate sales tax and highway user tax revenues for next year. Norden also said that after meeting with Sheriff Jim Beicker last week the Commissioners tried to put together a budget that does not cut too deeply. He said the board tried to restore some funding on line items in the Sheriff's budget to address the common sense issues of public safety. He said it gets to the point where you can't do away with too many things before you jeopardize the safety of staff and citizens.

The Commissioners have scheduled two public hearings on the 2010 budget at the November 10th and 24th board meetings.

The Commissioners Tuesday also voted to approve a third one-year extension for the submission of a final plat for the Mesas on the Ridge subdivision northeast of Dozier and Van Loo Road in north Canon. Developer Allan Miller said given the economy right now it doesn't make sense trying to start a new subdivision. The Commissioners asked for updates on the traffic, drainage, and sewer plans from Miller.

In staff reports to the Commissioners, Veterans Service Officer Betty Hanawalt said the mobile Vets Service Van will be in Canon City every other Thursday from 9 until 3 starting November 5th across the street from the Fremont County Sheriff's Department.

Weed Department Director J.R. Phillips reported his department's budget will close out 2009 in good shape. He said his office developed weed control plans for 47 private properties, has worked with C-DOT to control weeds in highway rights of way, and also assisted with weed control efforts in Chaffee and Pueblo Counties. Phillips also said his assistant, Jana Gregg, would be leaving her post this week and plans to return next April for the 2010 noxious weed season.

In other business the Commissioners:

• Approved amendments to the Fremont County Flood Damage Prevention Regulations;
• Received a report from County Treasurer Pat McFarland that her office processed 96 property foreclosures in the third quarter;
• Heard from County Clerk Norma Hatfield that her office's motor vehicle department will now accept credit cards for payment of motor vehicle registration fees.

October 13th Board of Commissioners Meeting

Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker detailed his department's most recent efforts to deal with 2009 budget shortfalls at the Board of County Commissioners regular meeting on October 13th. Beicker spoke about his cost cutting efforts after the Commissioners requested that the Sheriff make a presentation at the public meeting as part of the 2010 budget reviews.

Beicker said as part of the cost cutting measures his deputies would no longer be offering patrol services for funeral escorts or civil standbys. Beicker said the problem with eliminating civil standbys is that they are typically considered a prevention measure against domestic violence. Beicker said deputies also will not be responding to take reports on 'cold' misdemeanor crimes. Beicker says cold case reports such as vandalism or thefts will have to be made by citizens over the counter at the Sheriff's office. Beicker said, "We hope to see some savings there, but at what cost to our citizens?"

District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden added that the Sheriff's budget is one of the biggest and most onerous budgets for 2010. He said oftentimes the board reviews the budgets in such detail the message of what is happening because of the economic downturn goes unnoticed by the general public. Norden said "We anguish over these discussions".

District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha said public safety is at the heart of the issue. Lasha said when thing get out of control people call those in uniform. Lasha said, "Doing more with less becomes a real problem on the safety side".

To address a lingering problem with a 2008 shortfall in the Sheriff's fund, the commissioners voted to transfer $281,000 from a self-insurance cash reserve fund to cover the revenue shortfall from a year ago. That way, any numbers discussed from now on in attempts to balance revenues and expenses will deal only with 2009 figures.

The commissioners approved a bid award of $492,540 to purchase four snow-plow trucks from MHC Kenworth and Layton Truck and Equipment. $200,000 of the purchase price came from an energy impact grant the county's Road and Bridge Department secured this past summer. By spending some additional dollars from Road and Bridge reserves the county was able to secure four trucks instead of three thus utilizing all of the available grant dollars as well. The Road and Bridge maintenance department said getting the fourth new truck will also reduce costs of trying to maintain old equipment.

District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha used the occasion of the regular meeting to announce to the public that his current term in office would be his last. Lasha said he will miss the commissioners work a lot after 2010 but that because of personal and family issues he and his wife decided it was the best decision for his not to seek a third term.

In other business last week the Board of Commissioners:

• Approved a proposal for audit services from Johnson, Holscher and Company for $61,500 over three years. The proposal came in $43,000 lower than the only other proposal from Bondi & Company;
• Approved an addendum to the office lease for Fremont County GIS Authority adding a $500 monthly charge to the GIS lease in exchange for county's I-T services.

Ground Broken for North Canon Sewer Project

Officials from the Fremont Sanitation District, Fremont County, the Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments, and High Country Pipeline broke ground October 9th for the long awaited North Canon Sanitary Sewer project. The project finally came to fruition when the Fremont Sanitation District issued a notice to proceed on September 28th to the successful bidder on the project, High Country Pipeline. The area targeted for sanitary sewer service is generally north of High Street between York and Lawrence Streets and several residences south of High Street between York and Pennsylvania.

(Daily Record Photo by Carie Canterbury)

High Country won the contract with a bid of $1,819,354. With other engineering and administrative costs it's expected the final project cost will be close to $2.2 million. That's significantly lower than the $3.3 million engineer's construction estimate. It's believed that lower construction prices associated with the current recession helped in securing a favorable bid.

Thanks to federal stimulus dollars under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, residents of North Canon will avoid having to pay a $45 monthly debt service fee over twenty years. A $1.3 million Community Development Block Grant through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs is also part of the funding package. The only cost to residents will be an estimated $600 cost to abandon their old septic tanks and a standard monthly sewer charge of $18.26 once the sewer lines are in place. Residents who choose to remove their own septic tanks will be able to avoid the septic tank charge.

The project consists of 17,100 feet of sanitary sewer main, 45 concrete manholes, and approximately 15,000 feet of service lines. When completed, the project will service 178 existing homes as well as numerous vacant lots within the project area. Fremont County and Fremont Sanitation District cooperated on securing funding for the project

The Fremont County Commissioners in November of 2008 voted unanimously to create an improvement district for the North Canon area sewer line extension. Many residents have dealt with septic problems for years caused by high water tables and poor soil conditions.

Sanitation District Manager Jeff Blue estimated a final completion date for the entire project by December, 2010. Once the project is done Blue said residents will then have to vote to formally join the Sanitation District or be forced to pay outside user fees.

Tourism Council Grant Applications for Community Promotions

The Fremont County Tourism Council is accepting applications from community organizations for 2010 tourism funding allocations. Community organizations and non-profit groups that conduct special events which attract tourists and visitors to the area are invited to submit applications for funding assistance. The Tourism Council by-laws require that at least five percent of Fremont County lodging tax revenues each year be distributed to community groups to support their special events. The total amount of money to be distributed will be determined by the Tourism Council as part of their 2010 budget adoption in December.

Application forms are available at the Fremont County Commissioners Office at 615 Macon Ave., Room 105, in Canon City, or go on-line to the county's web site at www.fremontco.com. Click on the funding application link found on the main page. The application deadline for the 2010 tourism funding allocations is 4:30 p.m. Monday, November 16th at the County Commissioners Office. The Tourism Council will hear oral presentations from the applicants at their December 1st regular meeting.

Planning Commission and Zoning Board Seats to be Filled

The Fremont County Board of Commissioners is accepting letters of interest from persons interested in appointments to the Fremont County Planning Commission and the Fremont County Board of Zoning Adjustment.

There are two seats set to expire at the end of this year on the Planning Commission. One position is a seat filled by a designee of the Canon City Council and Mayor. That seat is currently held by former Mayor Bill Jackson. The commissioners are accepting letters of interest for the other position which is a seat that has typically represented the Penrose area. It is currently held by Tom Doxey whose term expires in late November. Doxey is eligible for reappointment. The Planning Commission meets monthly at 7:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month.

The commissioners are also accepting letters of interest from persons interested in appointment to the county's Board of Zoning Adjustment. The board meets in the late afternoon on the third Tuesday of each month as necessary when there are appeals to be heard. The board hears requests for variances of the county's zoning regulations. Two three-year terms come up for appointment in November. The terms of Jim Javernick and Mike Welch expire. Both are eligible for reappointment.

Anyone interested in the Planning Commission appointment or the Board of Zoning Adjustment appointments should submit a letter of interest to the County Commissioners Office, Room 105, at 615 Macon Avenue in Canon City, no later than 4:30 p.m., Thursday, October 29th.

Busy Agenda for October 6th Fremont County Planning Commission

A public hearing on an amendment to the Fremont County Master Plan highlights a busy agenda for the October 6th monthly meeting of the Fremont County Planning Commission. The 4th Amendment to the Master Plan is intended to clarify the process, deadlines, and proposed fees for future citizen initiated amendments to the Master Plan. The change would also allow the Planning Commission to first determine if the amendment application is appropriate and meets the requirements before the Planning Department begins its' review.

The Planning Commission will also hear an application for a site development plan at Echo Canyon Rafting on the top of Eight Mile Hill west of Canon City. Andy Neinas is proposing the addition of a new 2,265 square foot building for a restaurant and lounge, plus additional locker rooms for staff and customers, several open porches, and a pavilion. Three existing buildings on the seven acre site would be removed.

Verizon Wireless will ask the Planning Commission for a special review use permit. Verizon wants to modify the types of communication antennas on an existing 300 foot radio tower along Temple Canyon Road south of Canon City without any modifications to the tower itself.

The Planning Commission will hear a request from Lonny Thompson for a zone change from industrial zoning to business zone district for 2 1/2 acres on the northeast corner of Highway 50 and 'K' Street in Penrose. Thompson wants to use the site for a retail store.

The Planning Commission also resumes discussion on an item tabled from the September 1st meeting. That involves a proposed amendment to Fremont County's subdivision regulations exempting multi-business or industrial uses on a single property housed within a single structure if they are to be rented or leased as individual units.

The Planning Commission meets at 7 o'clock Tuesday evening (October 6th) in the Commissioners Board Room on the lower level of the Fremont County Administration Building.