January 12th Commissioners Meeting

The Fremont County Commissioners' first meeting of 2010 was highlighted by annual reorganizational business and the awarding of a contract for engineering design services for a water line from Florence to Pathfinder Regional Park.

The reorganizational business saw the board electing District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden as the Chairman for 2010 with District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha filling the post of Chairman Pro-Tem. The Commissioners also voted to reappoint County Attorney Brenda Jackson for 2010 and to reappoint Veterans Service Officer Betty Hanawalt to serve in that position for another two years.

The Commissioners decided to keep their regular meeting dates for the board on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 9:30 a.m. Other routine annual business included designating posting places for meeting notices, official newspapers, and official bank depositories.

The Commissioners voted to approve a contract with The Engineering Company (TEC) of Fort Collins for engineering design of a water line from Florence to the county's property at Pathfinder Park west of Florence. The contract approval includes the negotiated contract price under three defined tasks of $25,195. Commission Chairman Ed Norden said the board was pleased with the contract price given the fact that the original estimate for the work was $43,000. Norden said that was the basis of a Colorado Energy Impact grant application in which the county was awarded $21,500 representing up to fifty percent of the cost. The lower contract price of $25,195 means the state grant will pay half and the county will pay the other half. The $12,598 county share will come from the Conservation Trust Fund (lottery dollars) which has a restricted use for such park projects.

Also at the January 12th meeting the Commissioners:

• Appointed Canon City Councilman Daryl Robinson to the Fremont County Planning Commission as the city's representative following his selection by new Canon City Mayor Tony Greer. Robinson replaces former Mayor Bill Jackson who served 13 years on the Planning Commission;
• Reappointed Peggy Sorenson and Sherry Johns to full three year terms on the Fremont County Heritage Commission;
• Approved the annual participation agreement in the Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments' Regional Recycling Program at a fee of $24,898. The money comes from the surcharges collected on waste dumped at the local transfer stations and the landfill;
• Approved a liquor license renewal for Shadow Hills Golf Club;
• Set public hearing dates on February 9th for a pair of AllTel wireless communication towers in the Deer Mountain and Texas Creek areas and for the proposed First Amendment to the Fremont County Zoning Resolution.

Tourism Council Awards 2010 Community Events Grants

The Fremont County Tourism Council has voted to award $9,000 in 2010 for use by eight organizations in promoting events in Fremont County that bring visitors to the area. Recipients of the grants and the amounts awarded include:

• Canon City Music and Blossom Festival - - $1,000;
• Florence Chamber of Commerce - - $1,000 (for tourism brochures, maps, marketing);
• Museum of Colorado Prisons - - $1,750 (for the Smithsonian "Between Fences" Exhibit);
• Florence Eureka Days BBQ Competition - - $1,000;
• Canon City Chamber Western Heritage Days - - $2,000;
• Colorado Country Music Association - - $750 (2-day statewide talent competition);
• Penrose Apple Day - - $750;
• Fremont Center for the Arts' Brew-Ha-Ha - - $750.

The Tourism Council received applications from ten organizations for funding assistance totaling $22,000. Tourism Council by-laws require that they distribute a minimum of five percent of the proceeds from Fremont County's two percent lodging tax to local organizations to help promote their events. The five percent minimum funding level would have been just over $7,000.

In awarding the grants the Tourism Council also stipulated that all of the groups receiving money must use the Council's new Royal Gorge Region theme logo in any promotional materials.

H1N1 Vaccinations Available at Fremont Public Health

Despite a significant decline in the incidence of H1N1 flu, the Fremont County Public Health Department continues to offer weekly H1N1 clinics for persons who still have not had the opportunity to get a vaccination.

Public Health Director Becki Vettese reported to the County Board of Health (Board of Commissioners) at last week's monthly meeting that her department has administered 4,247 H1N1 vaccinations. Vettese said the H1N1 flu vaccinations clinics will continue at her office at 172 Justice Center Road every Tuesday afternoon from 1:30 until 4:30, but persons wanting a vaccination must call ahead to make an appointment. The number to call for an appointment is 275-1626. The H1N1 vaccinations are free of charge.

Vettese said her office will continue to take appointments for the H1N1 vaccinations on Tuesdays as long as they continue to have the vaccine available. The Public Health Office has now received more than 8,000 doses of the vaccine. She says close to 4,000 of those doses have been distributed to local physicians and other vendors who administer the vaccine.

Vettese said nurses in her department have also administered over 1,100 doses of seasonal flu vaccine.

Heritage Commission Vacancy

The Fremont County Commissioners are seeking letters of interest to fill a vacancy on the Fremont County Heritage Commission. One of the charter members of the Heritage Commission, Flo Orona, resigned her seat last fall to devote her time to other interests. Orona was originally appointed to serve as the museums' representative on the commission. She was appointed to a three year term and the new appointee will serve the two years remaining of that term.

The Fremont Heritage Commission works to protect, preserve, and enhance the historic features of Fremont County, and to foster and promote understanding of the area's heritage.

Persons submitting letters of interest should have an affiliation with any of the museum organizations in Fremont County. Letters of interest should be mailed, e-mailed, or submitted in person to the Board of County Commissioners, Room 105, 615 Macon Avenue, in Canon City no later than 4 p.m. Thursday, January 21st.