Category Archives: BOCC

BOCC: More Shenanigans

BOCC: More Shenanigans
as We Descend Deeper
into Clown World:
“We don’t know how much money we have.”

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
The Custer County Board of County Commissioners’ (BOCC) February 7, 2024 meeting started at 9 a.m. at the Commissioners’ royal chambers across from the courthouse with all three Commissioners present: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp. Continue reading BOCC: More Shenanigans

BOCC: Audit Issues, HR Candidates to be Interviewed

BOCC: Audit Issues,
Finance Director Selection Confusion, HR Candidates to Be Interviewed

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary

The January 24, 2024 Custer County Board of County Commissioners meeting started at 9 a.m. All three Commissioners were present: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp.
In Unfinished Business, Epp said he is looking at three candidates to assist with fixing the audit issues that have plagued the county for years.
In Old Business, the Finance Director selection process was the topic du jour for the Commissioners. The Commissioners had previously agreed to set up a “Selection Committee” to review the applicants and then recommend a certain number for the Commissioners to interview. Each Commissioner can appoint two people to the Committee. Epp said they had five applicants so far.
The Commissioners and the County Attorney then took around an HOUR to figure out exactly how the Selection Committee was to work. On and on and on…. Finally it was decided that the Committee would select all that were qualified and send those to the Commissioners.
The Human Resources Director search was the next gab fest. The Commissioners will be interviewing the candidates and hopefully will make an offer to one. The candidate must then pass a background check. They are hoping to announce a director selection on February 7th. The name, however, won’t be announced until after the background check process.

BOCC Dec 12: Epp Folds then Finance Director Quits

BOCC Finance Director Clown Show:
Epp Folds and Then Bivins Goes Bye Bye!
Can We Finally Now Get a Qualified Director?

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
What goes around, comes around, I guess. The Finance Director/Failed Audit saga was the subject of the December 12, 2023 Custer County Board of County Commissioners’ meeting and it did not disappoint. But, unknowing to our beloved Commissioners, an earthquake was going to happen the next day that upset the plans of two of the all knowing Commissioners.
All three Commissioners were at the meeting: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp. The meeting eventually covered the posting of the job of Finance Director (which Canda and Epp had already voted to do a few weeks ago but it never happened). Also, much time was spent on the 2022 audit failings, the actual job description/duties of the Finance Director, and the functions of the Finance Department itself.
[The two main issues were the job qualifications for the Finance Director and the failed audit. The Finance Director oversees a county budget of around $9 million a year and a whole bunch of departments. The prior director, Braden Wilson, had virtually no accounting experience and did not have an accounting degree. The current Finance Director, Lisa Bivins, has some basic
bookkeeping experience (based on comments made in BOCC meetings) but no accounting degree. Canda, and to a certain extent Epp, have been pushing to hire a new Finance Director with at least an accounting degree with some serious experience. They would move Bivins back to Assistant Finance Director. Apparently, the new assistant Bivins recently hired also does not have any serious
accounting background. So, the county has gone years without any experienced accountant running the ship. Why we keep
hiring people with no or little real accounting knowledge is a question that nobody is asking.]
Canda opened the meeting stating that he had re-searched four counties, some larger than us and one smaller, about the job qualifications for their Finance Directors. He said every one has a real accountant at the helm and they all require an accounting degree.
Canda then got into the 2022 audit mess problems and the upcoming deadline dates that the county has to meet re fixing the issues. Canda said he spoke with our auditor, Sam DiNardo, about the big three issues, missing leases, adjustment journal entries, and G/L reconciliation.
Canda stated our annual audit usually costs around $45k. He also said that DiNardo could help us fix the issues but that might compromise the auditor’s independence. Putting that aside, Canda said DiNardo was willing to come in and help us fix the problems for a paltry $72k (which is supposedly a discounted price).
Finishing, Canda moved to hire a new Finance Director using the new job description. He proposed a salary range of $80k to $90k. Epp then talked a bit and after that Canda handed out the Finance Department Director job descriptions of the four counties he had researched. (Each one required an accounting degree.) He suggested the county brings in a CPA level consultant to help fix the problems as it might take a long time to find a qualified candidate.
Epp then added that there is an accounting firm that specializes in the government finance issues and we might be able to use them. He then segued to the possibility of getting a new accounting system as the current one, CIC, has been a problem.
Day then spoke saying he wanted somebody to come in and “look us over” and see “where we are”.
Epp then got into the time it will take to get a new Finance Director and that could be a problem. Epp said the salary range he was looking at for the job was $60k to $75k. He then talked about posting the Finance Director’s now and keeping it posted to the end of February.
Canda then again stated that the “bottom line is the county needs an accountant/CPA. We know we need a new Finance Director”.
Even with the failed audit, the poorly performing accounting system, and the failure of the last two non-accountant Finance Directors to make any progress on these major issues, Day said he needed more data before making that call. He said, “ I disagree with the fact that we decided to get a new Finance Director. We need somebody to come here and help us make this decision. Until I have that, I won’t support going out getting a certified accountant to run this department. So we have an independent look at our processes and how we can change that.  In the interim, we can get somebody in here to fix these short term issues.”
Epp then noted that the “Finance Department is doing the best they can”.
Canda then made another pitch for getting a new Finance Director with an accounting degree and real experience, saying, “We’re gonna fail the next audit if we don’t hire somebody.”
(What is happening at the meeting now is that Day doesn’t want to make a move on hiring a new Finance Director until an outside consultant tells him it is needed. Canda is saying we need to do two things now, find and hire a new Finance Director because it is obvious we need one and also hire a consultant to come in now to help fix the problems.) Canda said, “The dual path is warranted. I wish we had a CPA now. We passed that about a month ago.”
Day then said, “I want somebody to come in and tell us what to do, black and white. I believe the motion on the floor now is a knee jerk reaction. We need somebody in here. I support getting somebody in now to help us and if this includes bringing in a (new) Finance Director, I won’t support it.”
Public Comment was then opened up. It was quite interesting as several retired successful business people commented. The consensus was to hire a consultant now to help fix the audit issues and then look at the Finance Director issue.
After Public Comment, the vote to post and hire a new Finance Director was made. Day voted no. Canda voted yes. And, contrary to his vote a few weeks ago to hire a new Finance Director, and his statement at the beginning of the meeting about wanting to hire a new Finance Director, Epp voted no. So, the county will not be looking for a new Finance Director for a while.
Or maybe not. What goes around comes around.
There was a regular BOCC meeting the next day. Usual stuff. But, right after the meeting ended, according to a very reliable source, and confirmed later, Lisa Bivins, our current Finance Director, handed in her resignation letter to the three commissioners! The terms are not known but this could be a HUGE problem as the only other person in the department is a recent hire with no accounting experience. So, WHO is going to get things done” Payroll, accounts payable, etc. Could be a BIG mess. Looks like Day and Epp made a boo-boo in not posting for a new Finance Director. However, now we WILL get a qualified, experienced accountant in here. Hopefully, in the end, with a qualified Finance Director on board, the ship will be righted and it will be smooth sailing in Happy Valley again.

Dec 5 & 6 BOCC: High Crime-Nobody Goes to Jail

BOCC: Sheriff: Why Do We
Have So Much Crime?
Nobody Goes to Jail

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
We are so blessed to have two, yes two, Custer County Board of County Commissioners meetings this week. And surprise! NO temper tantrums this week!
December 5, 2023 BOCC:
All three County Commissioners were present: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp.
In Commissioner Items, Canda said the mil levy reduction topic will be on the BOCC’s December 13 meeting. He then wants a “town hall” mil levy meeting with all the taxing districts after that.
In Unfinished Business, Epp gave the Finance report. He said they have gathered up “the majority” of the leases that the county has, except for the airport leases. They will then be given to our auditors for review. (Why the auditor has to review these, and not our Finance Department was not said.) Finance is still working on entering the adjusting journal entries. After that, they need to finally reconcile cash to the general ledger. This has not been done IN YEARS.
In New Business, re the county lots for sale in Silver Cliff, there was only one bid. It was for $7,001. There was some silly discussion from the peasants about how this was done and was the bid good enough. The commissioners voted to accept the bid.
Resolution 23-11, vacating a portion of CR 155 (Cortez Road), eventually passed after a too long of a discussion.
The 2024 BOCC meeting schedule was the next topic. Epp made a sensible suggestion to have the meetings every Wednesday at the same time. He said he doesn’t like the back to back meetings (like these two) because you don’t have any time to get things done after the meeting as you have another meeting the next day. This, of course, triggered a long discussion including having some department heads submit a written report instead of showing up. (The Sentinel has been suggesting this for years.) A wise peasant commented that at the last meeting
the mighty commissioners spent a great deal of time talking about a fuel filter during one department head’s report. The citizen said the commissioners shouldn’t be wasting their time, and the public, on such trivial stuff. The schedule discussion went on and on. Day wanted to know of any holiday conflicts, so the final decision will be made in the next meeting.
Canda brought up the strategic development, management and leadership skills workshop he had been working on. He wants a “closed business meeting” with the department heads and others with local management experts (like Michael Foster) giving the presentation.
Canda noted that moving forward with hiring a new Finance Director is on the December 13 agenda.
December 6, 2023 BOCC
In Staff Reports, Sheriff Rich Smith laid out the somber truth on crime in Colorado and here in Happy Valley. He started out saying that murder has gone down overall in the Untied States but has gone up in Colorado.He said Colorado is Number One in violent crime among the top 22 most populace states. And, bringing it home, Smith said, “In my 16 months here in Custer County, I am not aware of a SINGLE CRIMINAL THAT HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO PRISON.” (The judges, in the 11th District (with one county judge exception) are a disgrace. See next paragraph.)
Smith said he was just in court with one of Custer County’s “most dangerous criminals” (Aaron Jones) and “he will be walking out in a minute.” (Meaning he was just in court on another criminal charge and the judge let him walk again.) Smith commented that the judges are not taking threats seriously. Smith said Aaron Jones fired three shots at Custer County Deputy Jason Sabalto last year, and the Pueblo SWAT Team had to be called to help eventually arrest this guy. (This dirt bag tried to KILL our deputy.) So what did the judge give him” Smith said 30 days in a (worthless) rehab center and a three year suspended sentence. Smith lamented that Jones had violated his probation THREE TIMES and the judge basically did nothing. So this guy is now out and is a threat to the community.
Smith then segued to the recent triple homicide off Oak Creek Grade a few weeks ago. He said it was a property dispute and the county has a whole bunch of these going on all the time with most of them being over subdivision lines. He said, “these civil situations are not improving.”
Sheriff Smith then reviewed the basic facts of the triple homicide focusing on what happened when law enforcement first arrived on the scene. (We covered this last week.) He especially thanked the County Coroner Brad Baltzly, and a Deputy Coroner, Nikita Phillips, for their bravery in helping to rescue the sole survivor of the incident.
Smith then noted that he has been in discussions with the Planning & Zoning Director, Dorothy Carsten, over having a deputy work with P&Z on Compliance issues and visits. This would be a half-time position. (The other half would be normal Sheriff’s Office work.)
Smith finished noting that the county’s 911 call center bill will be around $200k next year.
Dorothy Carsten gave the Planning & Zoning report. She said new permits are way down from last year (about half). The big news was that a Canon City company, Colorado Quarries, is going to be applying for a permit for a mining operation on CR 328, just past the landfill going east. They have a 640 acre lot there. This whole process, including the state review, will take a while. Carsten then talked about her safety when doing compliance visits and was very receptive about having a deputy help out.
Landfill reported that the state has still not responded re ok’ing using the new trench for garbage. (This has been going on for LONG TIME. The person responsible for this at the state simply does not respond to inquires. We are about out of space and this is critical.)
In New Business, the major item was Coroner Brad Baltzly’s request to make the Coroner’s portion full time. (It is presently half time.) Brad reviewed his recent incredible workload (including a huge amount of time spent in Fremont County on the 190 bodies left at the funeral home in Penrose). There was then a whole bunch of people speaking supporting the move to full time. At the end, the commissioners voted to approve the full time move. (The pay is $75k per year.)
Canda then brought up the bid to replace the TV translators/transmitters. Canda has been working with the two stations on this. The company making the bid, Thin Air Communications, is the top company in the state on this type of remote TV transmission. The job will be in two phases, the first being installing new translators and antennas in the existing structure on the hill. The second phase would be to move the new equipment from the old structure to a dedicated and specially built “cabinet” in the spring. (The new cabinet has a built-in air conditioner which is needed for summer operation.) The cabinet can’t be built now in the winter as it will require some excavation and a concrete pad to be poured in the spring. There were a couple of things missing from the bid so Canda is going to get a correction letter from the bidder and the commissioners will consider this again at the next meeting. The whole deal, including new equipment and installation will cost around $54k.
And that was that. Another day in Happy Valley.

BOCC: Finance Director Battle Continues, Public Comment Severely Restricted

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
The November 15, 2023 Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting started at 9 a.m. in their gilded throne room across from the courthouse. All three commissioners were present: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp. There was a pretty good crowd of peasants in attendance.
In Commissioner Comments, Canda said Road & Bridge is meeting with the TV station engineers today on the hill where the transmitter is. (This is big progress.)

He also said the Upper Ark Water Conservancy District folks are going to go ahead with raising the level of Lake DeWeese by four feet. They need a bunch of money to do this, but they are comfortable that they can get the moolah.
Epp gave the Finance report. He said the adjusting entires needed to fix the problems that the audit revealed should be done by the end of the week. Finance is still gathering lease information (the lack of which caused the county to fail the audit). Epp reported that the auditor is having a class with finance on tangible and intangible leases.
In New Business, the Public Comment Guidelines agenda item, placed there by Epp ruffled some of the peasant’s feathers. Epp started with, “we have to be open, to be free here” then started listing a whole slew of restrictions of what the peasants can say, do, and the length of time they have to say it. Epp’s proposed guidelines started with the statement that, “these meetings are business meetings”, (whatever that means) and thus the following rules and restrictions apply: You must speak by your seat, you only get five minutes per person for each comment time, the comments must be directed to the commissioners, no questions or comments to other people, you have to avoid “grandstanding” (which should also apply to the commissioners), and on Agenda Items, the board may suspend comments. To finish his First Amendment kill shot, Epp told the peasants there (who took the time to come and participate) that “public comments are a privilege and not a right.”
Day, loving this clamp down on citizen comment (something he has been doing for a long time), said the meetings were out of control. Canda then said, “I agree we need it” but if a commissioner wanted to hear more after the five minutes he can ask for it. (This was absent from Epp’s proposal.) Epp then agreed with Canda on this item. Custer County’s Biggest Free Speech/First Amendment Warriors (REPUBLICAN!) then voted to accept the new rules with the caveat that they can change them later.

In Public Comment, the peasants were not happy campers. Len Arrigo said, “Public Comment is not a privilege, it is a right. We come here on our own time. It is our county. We pay your salaries.” Bill Parker said show me a statute that says we can’t speak. This triggered the county attorney, Dan Slater (a high ranking Colorado democrat operative), “the only people who have an absolute right to speak are the three commissioners…Public Comment is perfectly acceptable but this is a business meeting of the BOCC….There is not a right by law for the public to speak here.”
Three local libs then, of course, fully endorsed Epp’s motion to silence the people. A couple of citizens then knocked the proposal with one lady noting that with the total lack of leadership from the BOCC, citizen input is crucial.
Next up was the issue of the county selling a couple of lots in Silver Cliff to a local couple. This has been going on for a while. Canda is trying to get this done. He goes on a long rant about how long he has known this couple, on and on. Apparently, the couple put a bid in while the county has not requested bids on the properties. After an insane amount of time, it was decided that the county would request bids and the couple can bid on them.

Finally, the hot ticket Agenda Item came up: the Finance Director’s Job Description. (This is high drama, folks. The current Finance Director, Lisa Bivins, was hired as an assistant by the ex-Director, Braden Wilson, about two years ago. Apparently she had no accounting experience and did not have an accounting degree. Nor did Wilson when Day, Flower and Canda hired him. Before Wilson made his suicide mission move to County Manager, he “promoted” Bivins to be the County’s Finance Director. So now we have had two Finance Directors who did not have an accounting degree or real accounting experience. Then the 2022 County Audit came out in August, and for the first time the county had a “qualified item”, which is real bad and causes the state to get involved. The audit also listed a whole bunch of bad things that haven’t been fixed for years. This caused a citizens group to be formed, led by a CPA, who jumped all over this pointing out that having two Finance Directors in a row with no accounting degree and no real accounting experience was a disaster, and this had to be fixed. They came up with a proposed Finance Director Job Description/Requirements proposal that was given to the commissioners. This includes having at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and preferably a masters. They had a whole bunch of common-sense requirement also. This caused a huge issue at the BOCC meetings recently as, if this is adopted, the current Director, Bivins, who is clearly not qualified, would have to vacate the position when a new Finance Director is hired. This resulted in a bunch of people coming to the BOCC meetings recently saying she is qualified and should not be taken out. However, the understanding is, and this has not been spoken to enough, is that Bivins would be retained and simply go back to her previous position in Finance, as the assistant.)
Canda lead the charge of proposing the new job description. He went on and on how we need a qualified accountant to lead the department. On and on. He talked about how the mighty commissioners finally will separate Human Resources (HR) from the Finance Department as soon as they hire a HR head. Canda then knocked the county’s new accounting system (CIC) that our all knowing ex Finance Director bought which is super expensive, unresponsive, unreliable, and a total lemon. Finally, he moved to accept the job description.
Epp was next. He noted a whole bunch of bad things about the CIC system, saying, “We are at risk” with this system. Because we are probably going to get a new system, Epp concluded, “This is driving us towards needing this person (ie, a new, qualified Finance Director).”
Day, again, like the County Manager debacle, was on the wrong side of the issue. He knocked the process that took place to get the job description, as the county hasn’t posted for the position yet. (Day: you need a job description first, sir.) He asked, “If we approve this document, what does it do to any existing employees?” Epp replied, “Things just keep going on.” (Day knows exactly what is happening but is trying to do his martyr thing. Bivins is going back to the assistant job. Nobody is getting fired and we are finally getting a qualified Finance Director.)
Canda then said he had talked to her (Bivins) and “she is looking forward to working with somebody like this.” This caused Day to get a bit huffy as he said he had talked to Bivins and “she loves her job and wants to keep that job.” Day then said, falsely falling on his sword, that, “If we approve this document, I want to make sure we aren’t doing away with any existing employees. If it is, I will not support it.” (Total cow poopy. Day knows nobody is gonna get fired. This was flat out grandstanding. Bottom line: Day actually wants to keep Bivins in the job. As you will see, he later votes to NOT accept the job description!)
Public Comment on this Item was next. Len Arrigo, a CPA with extensive experience in private and public accounting (and architect of the Finance Director Job Description), said that the proposed job description requires the person to be a CPA and that is wrong and will narrow the potential candidate field dramatically.
He said there really is no difference in private and public accounting. Thus, the job description’s requirement that the candidate have public accounting experience should go. After some discussion, Epp and Canda agreed.
Citizen Carol Vayhinger then made her case to keep Bivins in the job, saying, “She needs the opportunity to compete. You can’t treat your employees like that.” Jimmy “The Plumber” McMahon retorted that the commissioners are “going down the right path” and “The position needs a very talented individual.”
Another citizen spoke up and said, “I think we need to go ahead with this, and it will take some time to get the right person. So we don’t wind up getting sued. I thank you for what you are doing.”
Day again tries to kill the whole process by saying “Are we putting the cart before the horse” implying by not yet voting to actually hire a new Finance Director, this process of developing a job description is wrong. (Again, Day wants to kill this whole thing and keep Bivins in there.)
This goes on for a bit. Finally they vote. Canda and Epp vote to accept the job description and Day voted no.
Canda then brought up the “Employee Counsel investigation” ordered by the ex-Finance Director, Braden Wilson, into a “personnel issue” in the Sheriff’s Office. Wilson did this on his own and only told Day about it. Canda says the investigators aren’t done and they are asking for more money, like $2k more. He said we already spent, “$4k or something.” When asked what the investigation is about, Canda said he didn’t know but it wasn’t an investigation of the Sheriff’s Office, it was a personnel issue. Canda said, “Somebody spent money and the commissioners didn’t know about it.” He said he is going find out what this is all about.
Later on, Canda brought up the proposed county mil levy reduction. He said he is going to meet with Bivins and our Assessor to get the ball rolling. He is looking for a only a 5% overall increase in the tax burden.

In the final Public Comment, former OEM Director, Cindy Howard Zoomed in saying she greatly appreciated the work of the concerned citizens, the “public group”, did here with regards to getting a new Finance Director. She said if it wasn’t for this group “we wouldn’t be looking at some of these things.” She noted that, “There is a persistent and complacent culture in this county that has to change.” (Kevin Day please note. Cindy has been inside the beast and knows the deal.)
The final Public Comment was by citizen Bill Parker, knocking Day for trying to kill the hiring of a new Finance Director. Parker can’t understand “why Day is reluctant to get this done.” (Parker knows, but he was just being polite.)
And that was that. Another episode of The Happy Valley Drama in the can. Stay tuned.
(Editor/GG: Small cor-rection on last week’s BOCC article: We said citizens Joy Anderson was an “architect.” She used to be but retired and handed in her license. We should have said, “retired architect.” )

BOCC: Concerned Citizens Group Reveal Their Findings on CM and Audit

BOCC: Concerned Citizens Group
Reveal Their Findings  On County Manager Debacle and the Audit

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary

The October 18, 2023 Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting took place at the Wetmore Com-munity Center and started at 9:02 a.m. All three commissioners were in attendance: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp.

In Commissioner Items, Canda has been working with TV station KRDO about our two broken translators. Canda said KRDO engineers are working on a plan. The translators will cost the county $13k each.

Day’s three-minute comment limitation rule then came up. Canda brought it up saying that the speakers were often cut off before they fully delivered their points. He said, “I want to understand the comments fully.” Day said he unilaterally established the rule as “meetings were getting out of hand” and “If you can’t speak your piece in three minutes you should trim it down.” Day then said, “ I won’t support that.” (i.e., getting rid of the three-minute limitation.) Continue reading BOCC: Concerned Citizens Group Reveal Their Findings on CM and Audit

IT’S BACK! BOCC: Local Dem Proposes ‘Preservation of the Right to Vote’ Resolution

BOCC: Local Dem Proposes
‘Preservation of the Right to Vote’ Resolution
What’s Up With That?

 

by George Gramlich,
News and Notations

NOTE: The deceptive resolution “Preservation of the Right to Vote” is back on the table for the June 30th Meeting. Tabled again for a July meeting.
Pretty tame stuff at this Custer County Board of County Commissioners June 1, 2021 meeting until the local Democrat Party Chair, James Gilbert, turn came up with a proposal
that had more meaning than what it said. We’ll see the strange brew in a minute.
All three musketeers showed up: Chair Bill Canda and members Tom Flower and Kevin Day.
The landfill report was that everything is going good. The compactor broke again but what else is new.
The new Veterans Service Office head showed up for the first time. Jared McClain is learning the ropes and doing good. Office hours look like Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. He would like veterans to make appointments for claims, if possible, so he can set aside sufficient time to do a thorough job.
Next up was Dr. James Gilbert, the Chair of the Custer County Democratic Party. He is proposing that the musketeers sign off on a resolution titled, “Preservation of the Right to Vote”.
Flower asked Gilbert early on in the discussion if he was representing the Democrat Party and he said no, he was there as an individual citizen. Fair enough but still shaky.
Gilbert launched into a long-written speech containing many inaccuracies. He said there was a record turnout in the last election because there was more access provided due to the Chicom virus lock downs. He said there were dozens of election lawsuits filed by Republicans alleging voter fraud and not one was accepted. (Note: Probably true, but look at it this way: In reality, not one was allowed to go to trial. The judges, killed requests to find the truth. Why? Lib judges plus no judge wants to be on the bench in a
civil trial that might lead to overturning the presidential election.)
He then went on to make the preposterous statement that there was “no fraud at all”, anywhere, in the election! (Really. He must be a contributor to CNN. Look at Philadelphia, PA, Good grief. Look at Los Angeles County. Plus remember the article we ran last week on Windham, New Hampshire? The heavy republican county did an audit as the numbers didn’t make sense and it found that the dem candidates, up and down the line, were given a substantial number of fraudulent votes by the voting machines. No, no fraud at all. Sir, at least try to appear honest. It really undermines your presentation.)
Gilbert, droning on in the classic lib complaining whine, says that even though there was no fraud, many states have passed and are passing draconian voter anti-fraud laws and that is bad. These laws are restrictive and of course, they will suppress voters of “color” and there is no basis for these. It is time for the musketeers to stand up for the right to vote. Blah, blah, blah.
Finally, Gilbert slows down a bit and the jousting begins. Canda asks has Colorado passed any restrictions? Gilbert says no. (So, what exactly is the problem or issue here, sir?) Flower says do you feel we have any issues here? Gilbert says no and that he is an election judge and all is good here.
Day jumps in and correctly says we need voter ID, etc., so we need to know who is voting (like illegals) and this sets Gilbert off on a tangent about how voter ID and other common-sense measures to reduce fraud are wrong because we don’t have any fraud.
Canda smells a rat and jumps in with Day with questions about why should we do this and basically it is unnecessary. Gilbert says your arguments are phony.
(Folks, what all this is: Gilbert’s resolution on preserving the right to vote is a smoke screen for eliminating laws, or preventing anti-fraud laws from being passed. If this proposal passes, he and the rest of the libs, will use it against any new law or rule concerning voter fraud saying it restricts the right to vote and the BOCC is on record saying they want the right to vote preserved thus we should not have any of these anti-fraud laws at all. He is trying to hamstring the musketeers re any new voter laws. Clever little buggers, the libs are.)
County Clerk Kelly chimes in and says Colorado is very secure and is one of the top three states in the country for honest elections. (Again, so why do we need this resolution???) She says the feds are trying to pass this enormous election law debacle that would eliminate all the protections we have here in Colorado. Gilbert is pretty quiet during this.
They danced some more. Finally the musketeers told Gilbert to get rid of some the crazy stuff in his resolution and bring it back for another go.

April 6th BOCC: Planning & Zoning Report, STR’s, Zoom Stays

by George Gramlich
Pretty mundane stuff at this one. The Custer County Board of County Commissioners’ April 6, 2021 meeting started at 9 a.m. with Chair Bill Canda and member Tom Flower present in the throne room and member Kevin Day participating via Zoom (as he is finishing up his isolation after testing positive for the red bug.) County Attorney Clint Smith and County Clerk Kelley Camper were also present. Continue reading April 6th BOCC: Planning & Zoning Report, STR’s, Zoom Stays

February 3 BOCC: Grants, Bonds – Manna From Heaven

Feb. 3rd BOCC: Grants, Grants, Grants, Grants
and Then Bonds – Manna From Heaven

by George Gramlich,
News and Ribaldness
The February 3, 2021 Custer County Board of County Commissioners meeting commenced at 9 a.m. All three commissioners were present: Chair Bill Canda and Board members Tom Flower and Kevin Day. County Attorney Clint Smith was in the peanut gallery.
Silver West Airport: Airport Manager Bryan Anderson representing the Airport Board talked about the new fuel tank installation and that the Air Fest will be held some time in August. Continue reading February 3 BOCC: Grants, Bonds – Manna From Heaven

BOCC Lowers Fine on Westcliffe Meats

BOCC: Finally Some Common Sense
Lowers Westcliffe Meats Fine from
$81k to $10k
Printz Not a Happy Camper

by George Gramlich
More drama on the Westcliffe Meats illegal dumping saga was the highlight of this November 30, 2020 Custer County Board of County Commissioners meeting. Attendees: Commissioners Flowers, Printz and Canda; County Attorney Clint Smith and back from quarantine, County Clerk Kelly Camper. The stage is set.
Commissioner Items:
Not much happening but Canda was working on the Public Information Officer job description.
Attorney Items:
Mr. Smith stated that the light on the communications tower next to the Sheriff’s Office will be deactivated shortly. However, in order to do this, they will also have to turn off the IFR beacon (that is used by helicopters to land and also to avoid hitting the tower). Smith said they are working on a way to keep the IFR beacon on. Smith also reported that he had done extensive legal research on a mysterious topic and had delivered that to the commissioners. Continue reading BOCC Lowers Fine on Westcliffe Meats