BOCC: Wetmore EMS Progress,
Airport Fire Truck/HOA Issue,
HOA Road Snow Plowing

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—December 31, 2019
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
by Jackie (Muddy) Bubis
The meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Introductions of the public followed.
The minutes of December 18th were approved.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Canda reported that Mr. Kunkleman from CenturyLink continues to pursue grant money for laying more fiber along Highway 96.
Commissioner Printz reported an upcoming meeting with the ambulance staff and clinic leadership to put together a workshop in Wetmore to help solve the ongoing ambulance service issues.

As an aside, he mentioned that Lisa Drew is leaving her position with the clinic in March and moving to Maine. There was disagreement with the other commissioners on whether this is a Wetmore problem or a county problem and exactly who should be running such a workshop in Wetmore. During the discussion, Mr. Printz mentioned his distaste at an article in the Tribune and was quite upset about it, calling it “terrible journalism,” and “false information.” The editor of the Tribune, Jordan Hedberg, was in the audience and tried to interrupt, whereupon Mr. Printz hushed him and told him to wait to be recognized.
Mr. Hedburg was recognized by the Chairman and stated that his article was accurate and taken directly from meeting recordings. Mr. Printz conceded the fight.
Attorney Smith informed the commissioners that such a meeting needed to be a commissioner workshop and again stated that EMS is a contractual agreement with the county.
Note: You may recall that a few weeks ago clinic administrator Lisa Drew told Mr. Printz that she had paperwork that was directly related to that contract of 1989. When asked, the commissioners stated that they have seen no such paperwork.
Mr. Printz finished by reporting information from the Upper Arkansas Council of Governments that there was $2,500 available to counties for help with the upcoming 2020 census.
Chairman Flower reported several holiday staff parties that he had attended as well as sitting in on interviews for the Extension Office secretary. An offer has been made for that position but had not, at the time of this meeting, been accepted.
Attorney Items
Mr. Smith prepared Resolution 19-19 to be addressed later in the meeting.
Public Comment
Rob Klein from Centennial Ranch asked if the commissioners have ever received paperwork regarding the REACH service for the county – the answer was no. He went on to discuss the fire truck situation with Cuerno Verde and the three other HOAs. (Mr. Klein is the owner of that fire truck.) He stated that he believed the county should not pay any part of the truck and that he has emails that proved that, back in 2017, the boards of those four HOAs knew that they would be asked to pay for that truck – contrary to recent reports that it was just recently sprung on them. He
stated that, if there is no agreement at the upcoming Fire Board meeting, he may pull that truck.
He also reiterated that the people out in Centennial Ranch – because there is no snow plowing back there – are in danger. They have no UPS or Fed Ex delivery in the winter and “something has to be done.” Chairman Flower reminded him that the HOAs are
responsible for plowing and maintaining roads that are not county maintained. Mr. Klein agreed but was looking for some help prodding the HOA to do what it is required to do.
New Business
The Board reviewed vouchers and signed checks totaling $433,080.27.
The Board reviewed and approved Human Services annual contracts for legal services, reappointed Dave Heppe, Nicole Parsons, and Rene Tobin to the Library Board, and made two transfers of funds: PILT funds of $25K to County General and AT&T revenue of $9,600 to the Justice Center fund.
The Board met with OEM Meredith Nichols and approved the Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant from FEMA to update the Hazard Mitigation Plan. Work will be done on that plan in 2020 and it will be finalized in 2021.
Rusty Christensen turned in his retirement paperwork and will be leaving his landfill position the end of March.

The commissioners discussed the hiring process with him and will soon be advertising that position. The real question, which comes up frequently, was whether the commissioners should give preference to locals on hiring for these positions. Mr. Printz suggested that, “assuming everything is equal, then lean to the local people.” There was no official consensus and the topic will, no doubt, arise again.
Attorney Smith opened the bids for the official publications for 2020. The Sentinel bid $0.13 per line for statutory and $0.30 per line for non-statutory. The Tribune offered $0.09 per line for statutory and $0.25 per line for non-statutory. The vote on the official publication will take place on January 8th.
Vince Dougan, president of the Cuerno Verde Homeowners Association was present for the discussion of the 18.91 miles of roads within that subdivision that are currently maintained by the county. Mr. Smith will put together a resolution accepting those roads officially since that was never done. That resolution will be presented at the mid-month BOCC meeting.
Ron Beckner, president of the Saddle Club, was back again requesting sponsorship for the rodeo from the commissioners. He presented other counties who are participating with their local rodeos. He was requesting $5,000. Mr. Printz stated that he was not initially in favor of this and wondered at the appropriateness of taxpayer dollars going to a private event. He has since changed his mind and believes that the rodeo will promote and benefit the county. An audience member stated that this was not the proper role of government and that, in fact, the benefit will go to the businesses in the two towns, not the county. Mr. Printz made the motion to approve the $5K from the commissioners outreach fund. Mr. Flower abstained from the discussion and the vote. Mr. Printz voted “yes” and Mr. Canda voted “no” so the motion died.
Mr. Beckner remained for discussion of the water work that will need to be done as soon as possible. This project will involve work from Main Street, to the Fire Department and County Shop, and extending to the Saddle Club. Mr. Beckner suggested that their contract with the county did not extend to this sort of expense and he doesn’t feel the Saddle Club should have to pay for that. This discussion has come up the last few meetings and nothing has officially been done to move the project forward.
Resolution 19-19 establishing a sick leave bank police was approved with a few minor word changes.
The Board set the first meeting of 2020 for January 8th at which time they will set the calendar for the year.
During public comment, Mr. Beckner, speaking for the Chamber of Commerce invited the county to join the chamber and pointed out their new website which has video commercials for each of their members. Membership is up 40% for the Chamber.