BOCC: Bogle Boogies, Shots Fired,
Criminal Reports Up

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
The March 8, 2023 Custer County Board of County Commissioners meeting started at 9 am and lasted ONLY four hours. All three mighty musketeers were present: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Tom Flower.
During Commissioner Items, it was announced that two members resigned from the Attainable Housing Board: Charles “Grant King” Bogle and Tracy Ballard. (We believe Grant King was the board’s Chair. One source reported that a fellow board member stated in a meeting that the board needed new leadership, and voila, Bogle resigned. This is going to be interesting as Bogle was the main leader on this socialist housing effort.) The board is currently looking for new members.
A Silver Cliff resident, Wes Taylor, spoke about allegedly unsafe shooting and hunting near his property. Taylor said people are hunting dangerously. He said some of them were Amish. Taylor said these rifle bullets go far and it
is scary.
Staff Reports were next. Sheriff Rich Smith was up first. Smith said that the Sheriff’s Office (SO) was a tiny bit over budget. Smith reported that one car needed a transmission but the good news on vehicles was that he found two slightly used vehicles in Texas at a big savings.
Smith noted that more people have to sign on the Everbridge reverse 911 phone system. He is starting a mail campaign to motivate people to sign up. The Tip-A-Cop on Willie’s Diner raised $3,300. Smith is working with Sol Vista health for people with mental health issues. He said Sol Vista is opening a 24/7 mental health center in Salida and will also have a mobile team that will come to Happy Valley. Sol Vista will also have a detox center opening in Salida this summer. (The county is going to need a big bus to get our nutcases/drunks and druggies up there for treatment.)
The Sheriff noted that transports to and from the Fremont County jail are a lot less than expected. He said they predicted around 10 a month but last month they only did three. (Reinforcing the correct decision to close our jail.) Smith said the number of criminal reports was up 16% YTD and arrests were up 50% (due mostly to more DUI busts.) The Sheriff said all the deputies and posse members are now trained in how to use the fentanyl antidote Narcan and all SO vehicles have the substance.
Canda asked Smith if Happy Valley has a fentanyl problem and Smith responded no but they had an unattended death last week and that case might be one.
Reggie Foster of the Extension Office reported that they had around 30 families enrolled in the shooting sports program.
Dorothy Carsten of Planning & Zoning said total zoning permits were up one from last year and the Use Tax has brought in $17,941. Carsten said based on some company’s review of Short Term Rentals in the county that there are twice as many STR’s operating than are permitted and this is bad.
IT guru Vernon Roth reported that he is swamped with cyber security stuff, new computers for the Sheriff’s Office, and implementing the new Fremont County dispatch software.
The county’s new Office of Emergency Management, Robyn Knappe said a bunch of grants are “in jeopardy” as FEMA rejected the county’s HMPG plan and the plan has to be fixed real quick and sent back the zombies at FEMA. She also said the Emergency Operations Plan needs to be soon, or else.
And that’s that in Happy Valley.