Town of Westcliffe Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting

March 21, 2023

Town Hall Conference Room, Westcliffe, 5:30 PM

New Trustee Lori Lund Sworn In, Town to Proceed With Grant Awarded to Install EV Charging Stations, Compliance With Town Ordinances to be Scrutinized

By Becky Olson

The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees for the Town of Westcliffe was held on March 21^st, 2023 and convened as scheduled at 5:30 PM in the town hall conference room. All Trustees were present and proceedings commenced after recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and unanimous adoption of the consent agenda after minor edits to February’s Trustee meeting minutes for clarification.

The first item of old business was the swearing in of new Board of Trustees member, Lori Lund. Ms. Lund fills the role vacated by former Trustee, Bess Cole, who resigned in January. Congratulations, Lori! The other item of old business was a discussion around whether to proceed with a grant which was awarded to the town last August by the Colorado Energy Office to offset 80% of the cost to install EV (electric vehicle) charging stations on town property. A representative from the Colorado Energy Office was present via teleconference to answer some clarifying questions from the Trustees regarding liability, costs, warranty, maintenance, and so on related to the charging stations. A motion to proceed with the project and utilize the grant ultimately passed, with Mayor Wenke and Trustee Art Nordyke dissenting and voting nay due to concerns about the town taking on responsibility for this type of infrastructure. Continue reading March Westcliffe Meeting: New Trustee, Compliance With Town Ordinances to be Scrutinized →

Board of Education Regular Meeting
School Library
—March 14, 2023
by Becky Olson
The regular Board of Education meeting kicked off on March 14, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. in the school library. All members were present and proceedings commenced after the call to order and Pledge of Allegiance. After changes to the agenda were unanimously approved and the introduction of guests in the gallery, the members heard from the anti-bullying committee about their recent campaign to develop a list of desired traits for students and ways they are recognizing those who display the characteristics of being kind, responsible, respectful, and caring with public praise.
The one person signed up for public comment requested their time allotment at the end of the meeting, so the board moved on to unanimously approve the minutes for the Special Meeting that took place on March 2nd. In teacher reports the board members received an update from committee members on the programs being implemented under the Colorado Multi-Tiered System of Support (COMTSS) grant to provide additional assistance to qualified students. This is a multi-year grant worth a total of $90,000 for the period of January 2021 through August 2026.
In board committee reports, member Tracy Broll gave a brief update with regard to ongoing efforts to renegotiate and amend the operating agreement with the South Central Board of Cooperative Education Services (SCBOCES). There are still details forthcoming from SCBOCES which are germane to these discussions, so this item was tabled to next month’s meeting and no decisions were made or votes taken at this time. The Kids Council next provided some brief updates and reported that grant funding is being pursued for the new pre-school / daycare class and the new infant room is expected to open in the near future as construction on that building is completed.
After some brief athletics programs updates were read by member Jordan Benson in Director Trinity Huffman’s absence, Principal Sydney Benesch gave her report: Spring testing preparation is underway, the new Snowcats club is going strong, the Scholastic book fund raiser and Family Literacy Night were successes, and 486 responses were received to the recent community survey on what skills and qualities stakeholders wish to see in the school’s graduates. In Superintendent Jackie Crabtree’s report, she highlighted the ongoing maintenance and repair efforts for aging aspects of the school building and infrastructure, many interviews for open positions have recently been held, the old playground equipment is being replaced, the Bobcat Quad teacher housing unit is getting new appliances, health insurance premiums will increase due to new laws and expanded uses for certain prescription drugs, the Stress Busters program is helping middle school students learn coping strategies, and the renewal of the grant for the School Resource Officer is still being pursued with the help of the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.
In standing action items, members unanimously approved accepting the district financial report before moving on to unanimously approve all of the recent resignations and new hires. The updated Memorandum of Understanding with the Riggs Ranch prepared by member Peggi Collins received unanimous approval, as did the 2023-2024 school calendar. As a result of last month’s meeting where a conflict of interest with Mr. Benson’s recent acceptance of the position as Chairman of the local GOP political chapter was discussed, board members made a decision to pursue modification of their bylaws to remove this conflict. Ms. Collins will present proposed updates at next month’s meeting.
Members next voted unanimously to re-apply for a grant to offset the cost of replacing certain equipment for the school building as well as voting to use money leftover from another grant to help with the cost of replacing the playground slide. Next members voted unanimously to investigate how to pay for required changes to various school policies that were flagged in a recent audit as not being up to date with all current state law. (Editor’s note: Some of these were discussed in the 2:30 meeting.) The last item before moving to public comment was a unanimous vote to bring in a company over spring break to do a deep cleaning and sanitization of the school at a cost not to exceed $10,000. (Due to the prevalence of illnesses thus far this school year.)
Ann Barthrop was up next in public comments to ask the board if they had been able to obtain answers to some questions that arose in last month’s meeting with regard to Mr. Benson’s conflict of interest. Ms. Barthrop specifically asked what the attorney’s feedback was with regard to this conflict, and member Jake Shy again curtly stated, “no conflict”. Ms. Barthrop went on to reiterate and remind the board of the necessity of this entity remaining nonpartisan, and highlighted an excerpt out of the state board of education’s ethics code speaking to this circumstance. Member Peggi Collins asked Ms. Barthrop if she could send that language to her for incorporation in the updated bylaws Ms. Collins will be presenting at next month’s meeting.
In further public comment, a resident and mother expressed her frustration with the lack of resources for students who qualify as gifted and talented. She highlighted state laws which mandate assessments for qualified students and the allocation of necessary resources within a 60 day time period that is not being adhered to (her child has been a student here for two years now), and also that a state requirement for a certified gifted and talented teacher is also not being met. She further lamented that the school doesn’t have an honor society or AP (Advanced Placement) classes, and she has had to pursue options outside of the school to meet her child’s needs. The board assured her there was now a dedicated resource pursuing these things and they would “soon” be in place. (Editor’s note: Monies paid into SCBOCES from funds collected in property taxes in Custer County and grant disbursements collected by SCBOCES are for the purpose of funding special needs and gifted and talented programs.)
With no further public comment and after a few minor discussion items, the meeting was adjourned.

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. Continue reading BOCC: Bogle Boogies, Shots Fired, Criminal Reports Up →

Stop Vaccines Already Be Informed Before Taking

by Fred Hernandez
Opinion
A lmost on a daily basis hundreds of doctors, scientists, pharmacists, scholars, intellectuals and learned individuals from academia bring forth new information about the uncertainties of the vaccines.
These are well educated, highly trained, respected worldwide and capable individuals who speak the truth and they speak it loud and clear. Before the advent of the virus these people were respected and sought after by world leaders, media and corporate giants. They are spreading the news to you. But we will not hear the truth on mainstream media which is at best compromised and in some cases down right corrupt. It has been three years since the “pandemic” first materialized almost out of nowhere creating havoc on people’s lives not only in this country but throughout the world. Today we should have learned the lessons about the real reason for this global event. If nothing else we should now know that the vaccine being pushed by the government is not a surefire deterrent against the virus.
There have been hundreds if not thousands of adverse effects officially recorded and documented. In fact there are volumes of good, solid information that show most of those contracting the virus these days are vaccinated. Anyone who has any interest in finding out the hard facts can easily go online and readily find this information. Yet in some states the administrators continue to promote taking the jab. What is even worse is that there are those who obediently follow these directives. Before you take another shot, do yourself and/or your loved ones a favor: know the facts and understand that you have rights. You have every right to accept medical treatment if that is what you really need. You also have every right to refuse medical treatment if you do not want it. These rights are contained in FEDERAL as well as COLORADO STATE Law. Both of these laws state unequivocally that adults who are able to make a decision and express those decisions have an intrinsic right to the following:
• First of all, they have
a right to be given infor-mation regarding their condition (if they have one) and its treatment and that information has to be given in a way that they can fully comprehend all details including risks, benefits, alternatives and the possible result of the treatment.
• They have a right to give their consent to the,medical treatment, as explained, should they agree with it.
• They also have the right to reject the treatment proposed at any time and for any reason even if by their refusal of the treatment the result might be negative (including possibility of death).
• They have a right to make their wishes known before they need the treatment.
• They have a right to assign another person to make medical decisions for them in the event they are unable to do so.

YOUR RIGHT TO INFORMED CONSENT
Except in an emergency you have the right to give your consent to receive treatment and you must be told beforehand what the treatment is, for what reason, why it will be helpful and what the risks and side effects might be. You have a right to a second opinion and you have a right to discuss it with your family or friends before making your final decision.
YOUR RIGHT TO ACCEPT TREATMENT
Once you have been fully informed you may accept by saying “OK” and sometimes a verbal acceptance is enough. Or, you may be asked to sign something at which time you have the right to have it explained to your satisfaction before you sign anything.
YOUR RIGHT TO REFUSE
Once you have been fully informed to your satisfaction you have the right to refuse any and all medical treatment even if it will cause an adverse effect on your condition and that includes the possibility of one’s death.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE YOUR DECISIONS KNOWN
Should you have a preference as to the type of medical treatment you believe you should have you can make it known. You also have a right to appoint someone else of your choice to make decisions for you.
It is of paramount impor-tance for you to get all the information about your rights with regard to your care. It is contained in the law of the land and you have a duty to yourself to know these rights for your own protection and well being. Do not agree with everything you are told just because they are employed by a government agency. You have an obligation to yourself and your loved ones. visiting Colorado AdvancedDirectives.com.
You can also contact your local physician, your local hospital or even your senior group. These organizations below will also give you the information you need.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Colorado Department of Social Services.
Colorado Hospital Association
Colorado Medical Society
Colorado Advance Directives Consortium
Finally, there is a booklet from the Colorado Hospital Association entitled Your Right to Make Healthcare Decisions which can be gotten free of charge by simply calling 1-720-489-1630. There is no reason for anyone to be lured into any kind of treatment. Get fully informed and take care of yourself. It is your right. It is your obligation to yourself and your loved ones.

Rest in Peace
Mary E Seifert

We are saddened to announce the passing of Mary E. Seifert on February 12, 2023. Mary was born April 19, 1952, in Las Animas, CO, to Herb and Margaret (MacKenzie) Stuart. Mary grew up in Westcliffe, CO, and graduated high school in Wiley, CO in 1970. In 1988, she married Jerry Seifert, and together they built Seifert Trucking for 30 plus years.  Mary was a pillar of her community, she contributed her time and knowledge freely.

Mary is survived by her husband, Jerry, her brother, Mike Stuart, her children, Kent (Kim) Beach, Rebekah (Clint) Reisch, Clint Seifert, her grandchildren, Jennifer (James) Martinez, Justine Beach and Beau Banning, Jaime Beach, Jordan Beach, Austen McGlamery, Aly McGlamery, Haylee Hutterer, and her pride and joy, her great grandchildren, Addie, Zayden, Blakely, Laramee and Quynly. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Herb and Margaret Stuart, and her brothers, Herb and Don Stuart. Service information will be announced at a later date.

Update: A Memorial Service will be held Saturday April 22, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Custer County School located at 709 Main Street in Westcliffe, Colorado.
Services for Mary’s  brother-in-law, Wayne Seifert will be held at the same time and location.

by Fred Hernandez
O n Thursday evening, February 9th, at the Rancher’s Roost in Westcliffe, the Custer County Republican Central Committee (CCRCC) had its organizational meeting to elect a new leadership for the party. To some it might have been a surprise; to others no surprise at all. After the dust settled, the new team emerged: Jordan Benson – Chairman; Chuck Steigerwalt – Vice Chairman; Sandra Attebery – Secretary and Dorothy Carsten – Treasurer.

The Sentinel had an opportunity to meet with the newly minted Chairman Benson the very next day for a free-wheeling chat at which time he disclosed some of his thoughts and plans regarding the future of the Republican Party in Happy Valley.
The new Chairman firmly believes that Custer County “is the last bastion of freedom in Colorado. We are blessed to have the majority of elected officials as members of the Republican Party”. His main objective during his term will be twofold: unite and grow the party.
Using his high tech device to make his point, Jordan, as his friends call him, drew on the tablet the platforms of both parties; the Democrats and the Republicans: Under the section marked “D” he drew a list of “values”; the things they stand for as a party. On this list he had them favoring Big Government, universal healthcare, open borders, climate change, anti-religion, pro-abortion, anti Second Amendment, socialism, soft on crime and more. Under the letter “R”; a shorter list: pro Constitution, individual rights, pro Second Amendment, Free Markets, pro-life, pro-business, strong military and strong borders.
Jordan says “we have a rare opportunity at this time. People are leaving both parties and moving towards becoming independent”. He believes that those who are leaving the Democrat Party might agree with some of the things on their platform but surely there may be those who do not believe all. Therefore, the Republican Party should have a platform that will attract those Democrats who are leaving theirparty. Some of our strongest Re-publicans were once Democrats. To the Republicans he will say, “If you do not entirely believe in the platform of the Republican Party then you are not a Republican.” We have to show people why we fight hard. We are the party that believes in individual rights and freedoms. We are the party that wants every American to have the opportunity to be successful, not just special interest groups as our counterparts do. We believe that those individual rights and freedoms should not be trampled upon just because someone doesn’t like something. It is not acceptable for one to pretend that they are Republicans but deep down they espouse the platform of the other parties. What’s more is we cannot allow anyone, especially the compromised media, to divide Republicans. He wants to remind everyone, Democrats and Republicans alike, that the Republican Party is the party of Freedom and Liberty and that includes small government and adhering to the Constitution. He (Jordan) would further want to remind the party that it has to put all competition on the defensive and it starts by not bickering with each other within the party.
Chairman Benson invites everyone, members of any party, affiliates of any organization; everyone is welcome to join in all future meetings to learn why the Republican Party is the right party for America. At every meeting there will be time allotted to allow all attendees to voice their thoughts, their opinions and their concerns during an open forum public comment section. They can address themselves to officials who may be in attendance and get straight answers. As far as he is concerned the truth is all important for the overall performance of the party. That is why he refuses to allow the party to be a victim of the media. He stands for the truth, nothing else. Congratulations to Chairman Jordan Benson and his new team at the helm of the Custer County Republican Central Committee.

For the CCRC’s January Meeting minutes, see here. (Leaving page)

Note:  3/2/2023    The next CCRC meeting has been scheduled for Wedn. March 8, 5:30 p.m. in the Courthouse basement.