July 15th BOCC: Possible New Positions – CARES Act Coordinator,and HR/Finance Asst. Director
Commissioners Postpone Justice Center Funding Survey
Custer County Board of Commissioners (BOCC)
—July 15, 2020 by Laura Vass
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held their mid-month meeting via Conferencecall.com. All three commissioners and the county lawyer were present in the board room. There were no minutes to approve and no amendments to the agenda. Continue reading July 15th BOCC→
The Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met on June 29, 2020, where they tackled a rather lengthy agenda. Interested persons were also on the teleconference. The commissioners met in person. There were no Amendments to the Agenda. Commissioner Reports:
Jay Printz: Reported he had attended the following: Two Board of Health meetings, Pre-Waterline meeting, CES, Economic Recovery, Upper Ark (UACOG, Attainable Housing. Printz also stated that he had been contacted by Board of Education board member, Newell Woodbury regarding the school grant. Continue reading June 29th BOCC: Botvin Grant, EMP Grant, SB20-217→
Editor;
Due to the trying times facing our community over the last several months, the Custer County Chamber of Commerce has decided to dissolve the organization. In anticipation memberships would not be renewed due to financial issues, the Chamber would not be able to survive.
This decision was not arrived at lightly and much consideration was given to our current offerings, especially the Visitor’s Center. That being said, the Custer County Tourism Board has graciously agreed to help finance the Visitors Center, as we all feel that a Visitor’s Center is vital to our community.
In addition, the Custer County Tourism Board encourages local services and Chamber members to add their business information to the Business Directory, for free, on VisitCusterCounty.com. You can upload up to eight images and select up to five categories to showcase your business services. It is the responsibility of each business to add their listing and not the responsibility of the Chamber of Commerce or Custer County Tourism. It’s easy to do, [Directions ommitted] We hope you will take advantage of this free listing on the VisitCusterCounty.com website.
If you have a video that was created by Chamber, we will upload it to the Custer County YouTube Channel.
The transition will take place over the next several months, and we will keep you informed every step of the way!
We appreciate your support of the Chamber over the years, and wish for better days ahead for all of us!
Chamber of Commerce
Rene Smith – Administrator
Candace McDaniel, President
Braden Wilson, Vice President
Ron Beckner, Treasurer
Tracy Ballard, Member at Large
Elizabeth Maestas McCabe, Member at Large
Freedom and Liberty Rally/March/Celebration Rocks Main Street In Silver Cliff and Westcliffe
By George Gramlich,
Commentary
When the two ladies trying to do the Independence Day Parade for our county were stymied and road blocked over the last six weeks by the two mask-worshipping County Commissioners and the Board of Health, they finally announced that they were withdrawing their application.
During that process at a Board of Health meeting one applicant mentioned that perhaps there might be a protest march instead which caused an uproar amongst the local, control freak, bureaucrats. Oh my, civil disobedience amongst the Custer County sheep herd! Baa, baa, baaaaaah. Little did they know.
Well, word started to spread via email, social platforms and word of mouth. It got so big the Sentinel put an announcement in the paper about it for several weeks: there WILL be an Independence Day protest march on July 4th and if you want to make a statement on freedom and liberty versus tyranny and oppression, be there.
And there it was!
photo by Jordan Benson
Around 9:15 a.m., July 4th, 2020, the patriots started rolling in. On and on and on. Since there was virtually no organizational control, the participants self-organized into lines of people, cars, trucks, motorcycles, huge semi-trucks, horses and ATVs all along Hermit Lane and every available space within hundreds of yards. The Hermit Lane line went all the way to Highway 69. Every inch of ground was covered with parked vehicles and trailers.
The participants gathered at the north end of Hermit Lane and connected with old friends and met new ones. Tons of veterans
networked with each other.
Pastor Zeller speaks to those gathered to march on Independence day and prays with them. Photo by Ashley Franklin
People came from all over Colorado with plenty of out-of-state plates observed (OMG! Out-of-state agitators!). And to our old redneck eyes, the sight of hundreds of AR15’s and similar man toys brought many tears of joy. The amount of hardware there was unbelievable. For 2nd Amendment fans, it was heaven.
About 9:50 a.m., local army veteran, Pastor Andrew Zeller, mounted the back of a Custer County Sheriff’s Office pickup truck that was there covering the event and delivered a stirring speech and a patriot-driven prayer that was extremely well received by the attendees.
A few minutes after that, Pastor Zeller led the parade down Main Street with a lovely young local lady, Madeline Ballard, next to him expertly handling a snare drum. Directly behind them was another local Pastor, Adrian Washington and his wife, Linda. A citizens’ color guard if you will. Then, off they went, by themselves, leading the joyous celebration of our nation’s independence. Ra ta ta, ra ta tat leading the march, the patriots proudly displaying our American flag. Beautiful.
photo by Jordan Benson
Behind them, waiting on Main Street were four beautiful semi-trucks who followed them, about 50 yards behind. Right after that, a whole army of patriots started the mile-long walk down Main Street.
Photo by Jordan Benson
Following the initial section, came a variety of participants with all kinds of vehicles plus a bunch of horse riders. It just didn’t stop. We estimate the parade was around two miles long with approximately 800 to 1,000 marchers. It took almost an hour to finish.
Lisa Caldwell and others on two, three and four wheels- Celebrating our Independence. Photo courtesy of Jordan Benson
Photo by Jordan BensonPhoto by Jordan BensonBill and Joanne Canda Photo by Jordan Benson
A special thanks to Commissioner Bill Canda who was the ONLY one of the three Commissioners who had the courage and patriotism to honor Independence Day in this march. He and his wife, Joanne, rode their beautiful white horses with Bill displaying a glorious American flag and Joanne passing out a special prayer for our country.
Commissioner candidate Kevin Day also participated as well as HD 60 candidate Ron Hanks. Kudos to all.
A special shout out to our Custer County Sheriff’s Office whose deputies and posse members provided a professional level of protection for the march. Also, kudos to our local Colorado State Police who showed up to help. Well done,
officers. We love you folks.
Many spectators said it was easily the biggest marching event to ever happen on Main Street. Local businesses did well before, during and afterward. They needed the boost after months of unneeded lock down. A big win for all.
Various national patriot news sites/blogs ran stories on the big pro-liberty protest march in little Westcliffe/Silver Cliff in the days afterward. It is the little county that still loves our country.
As expected, Colorado MSM ignored the biggest July 4th event in southern Colorado. They rather cover the left-wing freaks making a scene at one of our local historical statues. The only mention was a brief piece by KOAA news the a week before the event which local Peggi Collins deftly handled in an interview.
It was an astounding, inspirational event that lifted the veil of gloom, doom and out-of-control local and state government. There was hope and real smiles again. It was simply the most amazing day.
God Bless America and God Bless the patriots who made this event happen.
Freedom and Liberty first.
Editor and Citizens of Custer County;
While looking through the June 11th, 2020 edition of the [WM] Tribune, I happened to notice in the BOCC meeting notes from June 4th, a couple of points I believe are important to clarify regarding my comments on Senate Bill 20-217. Ms. Jackson made some assertions that were inaccurate at the time of this meeting when I was bringing attention to this pending legislation. Continue reading Sheriff Sets the Record Straight on SB 20-217 Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity→
by Tracy Ballard, The Valley Beat
The Custer County Board of Health (BOH) convened via teleconference, last Thursday, June 4th, where they discussed the Custer County Fair, Westcliffe Stampede Rodeo, and the Independence Day parade.
Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Jay Printz made a motion that the minutes from the May 20, 2020, meeting be approved and was seconded by Commissioner Bill Canda (Chairman of BOH). A Motion was approved unanimously. Continue reading BoH June 5 -Hot Topic is Variances for Events→
by Tracy Ballard
The Custer County Board of Health (BOH) held a meeting on Thursday, June 17th, to consider whether to approve documents with specific guidelines relating to Houses of Worship, Life Rights, Businesses, Camps, and Gyms and Pools.
All three commissioners were in attendance as well as Public Health Nurse, Elisa Livengood, Office of Emergency Management Director, Meredith Nichols, and dozens of concerned citizens.
Commissioner Printz made a motion to accept the June 12 minutes as written, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Flower.
Motion passed unanimously.
Livengood spoke on the waivers that event organizers would need to sign in order to have their events. As reported last week, the waivers would release the County and Custer County Public Health from any liability should someone fall ill, etc. if the event takes place. Commissioner Printz gave kudos to Livengood for working on getting the variance request for the rodeo to take place, in such a timely fashion.
Last week, Livengood tendered her resignation as Public Health Director, effective following the hiring and orientation of a replacement, the BOH discussed the timing of an announcement needed to find the successor. All agreed that it needed to be placed immediately. Printz made the motion to authorize Human Resources to place an ad utilizing all normal channels to fill the Public Health vacancy. Flower seconded the motion which passed unanimously. Discussion also ensued as to the hiring of a temporary Secretary to the BOH. This individual would stay in the position until a new Public Health Director is hired as the position would permanently be filled by that individual. Chairman Canda stated that a citizen, John Adams, had volunteered his time to fill the position on a temporary basis. Printz made a motion to accept Adams as the Secretary to the BOH on a temporary basis until the position was filled permanently by a new director. Flower seconded the motion which passed
The commissioners read the documents of specific guidelines from the state with regards to Houses of Worship, Life Rights, Businesses, Camps, and Gyms and Pools. Each motion was called for individually and all passed unanimously. The guidelines have been placed on the Custer County Public Health website so that citizens can read and become familiar with them.
A few in the public expressed concern as to how these guidelines would be “enforced.” Printz stated that it would be on an ‘honor system.” No one would be going around writing tickets or arresting anyone. Flower asked a question of Livengood, “If the governor comes out with less-restrictive guidelines, do we need to re-write them?” Livengood replied that they will just need to play it by ear. If there is a huge uptick in cases locally, such as 10 new cases within a seven-day period, they would need to make changes.
Silver Cliff Mayor H.A. “Buck” Wenzel was on the call and commented that he was concerned for the 29 businesses in his town that should have the opportunity to open as they see fit and it shouldn’t be a one size fits all approach. A local citizen, Gary Dent, gave accolades to Mayor Wenzel for all the steps he has taken for the residents of the town. Mayor Wenzel also commented that he didn’t agree with the way the commissioners were holding the $300,000 that the county could potentially lose if they defy the orders put down by the state.
Motion was made to adjourn the meeting by Printz and seconded by Flower. There was not an announced date for the next BOH meeting.
Another Saturday in Happy Valley
Leftist Protest March,
Pro USA/LEO Rally Both on Main Street,
At the Same Time
Westcliffe Colo.
June 12, 2020
by George Gramlich,
Report/Lurid Commentary
You can’t make this stuff up.
A person, apparently not a Custer County resident, posted on Facebook a few weeks ago, that he wanted to have a “Custer County March for Justice” on Saturday, June 6th down Main Street in Westcliffe. Everybody would meet at the west end of Main Street, at the “Bluffs”, a small park. At 11 a.m. they would perform the usual pre-event progressive rituals and start marching down Main Street, on the sidewalks, to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. Then walk back. The purpose of the march was a call “for action to end racism and violence against people of color, especially Black individuals, in this country.” Uh, oh. Are we talking Antifa bad boys showing up in Happy Valley?
BOCC: Public Health Wants to Punish Bad Thinkers
Two Businessmen To Be Booted From
Economic Recovery Committee for DISOBEYING?
by Tracy Ballard
May 20, 2020
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held their mid-month meeting promptly at 9 a.m. via Conferencecall.com, on Wednesday, May 20th. All three
commissioners were present on the call. Various community members including Meredith Nichols from
Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Elisa Livengood
Custer County Public Health (CCPH).
BOCC: Exasperating Pontification
Flower, Printz Throw Two Businessmen Off
Recovery Team for Expletives and “Defiance”
Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—May 29, 2020
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
by Laura Vass
This meeting was conducted by teleconference some participants and all public. Counted as present at the meeting were Chairman Flower, Commissioner Printz, Commissioner Canda, Attorney Smith and Clerk Camper.
Minutes from April 7, 15 and 21, 2020 were approved.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Canda reported that the Board of Health (BoH) and the Economic Recovery Board met. The next BoH is scheduled for June 4th at 1 p.m. He attended The Airport Board meeting. The Airport is short $50K on the AWAH program because the project cost has increased over time. They have been working with CDOT (Division of Aeronautics) and are also working to get the power trenched. It is a 3,400 ft. trench and the project may cost 10K. Efforts are being made to get a match of 5K in funding. The Airport Board has also asked Sangre Electric how much it would cost to have them do it. Canda reported the commissioners continue working on the Fiber project and are working hard on getting the two spots for the towers nailed down and working with landowners directly. The work with Carmel group has been slow due to the virus. All three commissioners attended the Broadband executive session on May 4th. Canda said he sent the PDOT agreement to the two towns and the commissioners so that everyone is on the same page and can proceed on the intergovernmental agreement. An Internet Speed survey is now on the county website and he sent it to the newspapers. He is hoping to get feedback from the community. The new water truck is arriving today or tomorrow. He deferred to Mr. Flower on a new piece of road equipment that the county is using. Chairmen Flower said Mr. Hyde has a road groomer on a demo project. (The county is looking to budget an additional piece of equipment in the future.) Continue reading BOCC: May 29 Exasperating Pontification→
