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Citizens Invited to Radon-Indoor Air Quality Program
Pueblo Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE), the Fremont County Board of Commissioners, and Fremont County Environmental Health are hosting an informational presentation about indoor air quality on Thursday, December 10th, at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Garden Park High School located at 201 N. 6th Street in Canon City.
The evening session will focus primarily on radon, but information will be available on mold, lead, and household hazardous chemicals, as well. The topics to be covered in the session include:
RADON: Why radon is dangerous How to perform a radon test in your home How to interpret radon results What to do if you have high levels of radon
MOLD LEAD HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS Everyone attending the meeting will receive a FREE radon testing kit. For more information about radon and radon testing call the Radon Hotline at 252-6258 in Pueblo. Seating for the presentation will be limited to 75. If you have questions about the program, call Sid Darden at 276-7460.
Planning Commission to Outline Master Plan Review
The Fremont County Planning Commission will spend time at its' December monthly meeting on Tuesday evening to focus on Master Plan issues. Without any applications to review the Planning Commission's only agenda item is to discuss the establishment of an outline and schedule for rewriting the Fremont County Master Plan.
Because of the need for Planning Commission members to discuss the Master Plan in some detail, the Commission has announced that no verbal comment will be received from the public although citizens are certainly welcome to attend the meeting to listen to the discussion. Citizens wanting to offer input on the Master Plan issues can submit their comments in writing to the Planning and Zoning Department at least ten days prior to the January 5, 2010, Planning Commission meeting.
The Commission meets at 7 o'clock Tuesday evening, December 1st, in the lower level board room of the Fremont County Administration Building at 6th and Macon in Canon City.
Commissioners Review 2010 Budget at November 10th Meeting
Fremont County's 2010 budget blueprint for declining revenues and further budget cuts was detailed at the Board of County Commissioners' November 10th regular meeting in the first of two public hearings on the proposed budget.
In the budget plan laid out by Finance Director Dana Angel, Fremont County would cut spending by another one-half of one percent in 2010. Angel said a portion of the 2010 spending includes a reduction in the reserves in the general fund. The Commissioners have been working to rebuild general fund reserves to a level closer to $1 million for the past three years since those reserves dipped to about $260,000 in 2006. But declining sales tax revenues the past two years have hindered the county's ability to accomplish that.
Fremont County's assessed property valuation increased by 4.7 percent or $20.5 million for 2010 meaning the county can collect $252,000 more in property taxes next year. But that gain is offset by another one percent estimated decline in sales tax collections for 2010 which would amount to another $50,000 decline. Angel notes that sales tax collections were down by 6.7 percent in 2008 and dropped another 9.7 percent below projections for 2009. Angel now projects the total reduction in sales tax revenues from 2008 through October, 2010, will amount to more than $775,000.
The Commissioners earlier announced steps to reduce 2010 spending by suspending the county's four percent match for employees' retirement savings and eliminating three holidays from the county's 2010 holiday schedule. Those steps are estimated to save close to $300,000.
The second and final public hearing on the proposed 2010 county budget will be conducted by the Commissioners at 10 a.m. at their November 24th regular meeting. The public can review a copy of the 2010 proposed budget on the internet at www.fremontco.com and linking to the Finance Department.
The Commissioners on November 10th also conducted four other public hearings including one on a request for a Special Review Use Permit for an expansion and remodeling of Echo Canyon River Expeditions on eight-mile hill west of Canon City. Owner Andy Neinas is proposing to add a new 2,265 square foot building to house a pavilion, restaurant, lounge, restrooms, and locker rooms. Three existing buildings on site would be removed. Neighbor Richard Israel of Fort Royal Stables expressed concern about the impact on other property owners from two lounges and bars as Echo Canyon is expanding next door to the Whitewater Bar and Grill. The Commissioners approved the permit and the site development plan for the project.
During the meeting the Commissioners also: Approved a Special Review Use Permit for Verizon Wireless to modify the antennas on an existing 300-foot wireless communications tower at the intersection of County Road #3 and Mariposa Road in the Temple Canyon area; Approved a zone change request from Industrial to Business Zone for 2.5 acres of property on the northeast corner of Highway 50 and 'K' Street in Penrose to allow a retail store; Approved the 3rd amendment to Fremont County's subdivision regulations incorporating minor language changes; Voted to declare a vacancy on the Fremont County Tourism Council for the seat that had been held by Amy Colvin. The Commissioners had been notified by Mark Greksa of the Royal Gorge Route Railroad that Colvin is no longer employed with the firm and is no longer qualified to serve. The Commissioners will now have four Tourism Council appointments to make by January 1st.
Volunteers Erect Pathfinder Arena Bleachers
 Volunteers gathered at Fremont County's Pathfinder Arena on Saturday, October 31st, for a work day to erect new bleachers. Volunteers from the Pathfinder Park Steering Committee and 4-H families worked for six hours to erect the framework of the new bleachers which will seat close to 700 people.
Excavation work and the concrete foundation were completed earlier this summer. In addition to the volunteer hours erecting the bleacher framework, other families sent food and drink to the park for the work crew. New bleachers, restrooms, and arena lighting are being funded through a $200,000 Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant along with matching funds from Fremont County Conservation Trust Funds (Colorado Lottery proceeds).
Another work day is planned in the near future to complete work on the bleachers. Lee Daffron has been a key contributor to the project as he traveled to Texas to truck the bleacher framework back to Fremont County.
A Wet October for Canon City
For the fifth straight month Canon City saw above normal precipitation during October with total moisture so far in 2009 more than three inches above normal. Fremont County Commissioner Ed Norden, Canon City's Cooperative Weather Observer for the National Weather Service, said the October precipitation total of 1.88 inches was 1.11 inches above normal. The 8.6 inches of October snowfall in Canon City was 6.2 inches above normal. After experiencing below normal precipitation from February through May, Canon City has seen precipitation total significantly above average since June. 14.75 inches of moisture has fallen so far this year compared to Canon City's average annual moisture of 12.56 inches. The wet and snowy weather also brought significantly cooler temperatures last month. The average temperature last month was 45.3 degrees which was 10.5 degrees cooler than normal.
Phantom Canyon Audio Tour
 The production of an audio guided driving tour of the Phantom Canyon Scenic Byway across Fremont and Teller Counties has been completed and is available for purchase locally. The Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway Committee arranged for the production of the audio CD. It was funded by a Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Enhancement grant along with some grant dollars from the Fremont County Tourism Council. (photo courtesy BLM)
The CD audio tour traces the path of the historic Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad. The audio tour was originally produced years ago on cassette tape by the Fremont-Custer Historical Society. The production of a new CD version based on the original narration began nearly three years ago.
CD copies of the Phantom Canyon Driving Tour cost $5.00 each and are available on line at GBTourByway@hughes.net or download on line. Also available locally at:
Bureau of Land Management, 3028 East Main, Canon City Dinosaur Depot, 4th & Royal Gorge Boulevard, Canon City Royal Gorge Regional Museum, 6th & Royal Gorge Boulevard, Canon City Pizza Madness, 509 Main Street, Canon City The Mezzanine, Fox Den, and other Main Street Merchants in Florence
Letters Sought for Tourism Council Appointments
The Fremont County Board of Commissioners is soliciting letters of interest from Fremont County residents for the annual appointment to fill three positions on the Fremont County Tourism Council (FCTC). The Tourism Council develops and administers a Tourism Marketing Plan for Fremont County utilizing the proceeds from the Fremont County Lodging Tax.
Each position is for a three year term beginning January 1, 2010. The three positions are currently held by Andy Neinas of Echo Canyon Rafting, Beth Katchmar of Pizza Madness in Canon City, and Rudl Mergelman of the Sage Brush Gallery in Florence. All three are eligible for reappointment.
Employment or ownership in a tourism related business will be a determining factor in the appointment by the Commissioners.
FCTC members are required to attend monthly meetings as well as any special meetings as voted upon by the council. Periodic attendance at other community meetings pertaining to tourism issues may also be necessary. These positions involve voluntary service with no compensation.
Letters of interest should be addressed to the Fremont County Board of Commissioners, Room 105, Fremont County Administration Building, 615 Macon Avenue, Canon City, CO 81212. The deadline for letters is 4 p.m., Wednesday, November 25th.
Wednesday Agenda set for County Planning Commission
The Fremont County Planning Commission will review proposals for a wireless communications tower in the Penrose area and for new geology camp facilities south of Canon City at their November meeting Wednesday evening. The meeting was moved from the regular first Tuesday of the month because of election day.
The Planning Commission will hear a request for a special review use permit from AT & T Mobility which wants to erect a 100 foot monopole wireless communications tower on the northwest corner of Highway 50 and 'N' Street at Penrose. The tower would house six antennas plus an equipment shed at the base. The property currently is home to Innovative Structures and Classic Garage Doors.
A request for another special review use permit to be reviewed by the Planning Commission comes from the University of Oklahoma School of Geology and Geophysics. The university wants to build a geology camp with facilities on an 86-acre parcel of land along Oak Creek Grade Road, 2 3/4 miles south of Elm Avenue. Plans for the geology camp call for construction of a dining hall, kitchen, student cabins, bath houses, a garage, a pavilion, and offices.
After completing the formal agenda of business the Planning Commission will adjourn into a workshop session to discuss the proposed second amendment to the Fremont County Master Plan.
The Planning Commission meets at 7 o'clock Wednesday evening in the Commissioners Board Room on the lower level of the Fremont County Administration Building.
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