BOCC: Special District Tax Levies Approved,
IT Meets with “the Feds”, BOCC Meetings at All Aboard Westcliffe in 2025
by George Gramlich, News and Commentary
The Custer County Board of County Commissioners’ (BOCC) December 19, 2024 regular meeting was held at their regal throne room (the “Annex”) across from the court house. The meeting started at around 9 a.m. All three Commissioners were present: Bill Canda, Lucas Epp and Kevin Day.
No real important Commissioner Items. Continue reading BOCC Dec. 19 Mtg: Special Dist. Tax Levies Approved, IT meeting with Feds→
Lanny David (LD) Walker died peacefully in the hospital in Colorado Springs, CO, on December 13, 2024. He was
a long-time resident of Westcliffe, CO.
LD was born in Houston, TX, to Lanham and Lorretta (Valentine) Walker on November 15, 1939. He was the second of three children and the only boy. He loved playing by the bayou as a boy and had wonderful stories about living there.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 54 years, Anne Walker and is survived by his children, Elizabeth (Robert) Scully
of Salida, CO, Charles Greenhow of Azle, Texas, and Wayne (Jacque) Walker of Austin, TX; his sister, Jane (Jim) Kincaid; and his cousin, Georgia. He leaves behind several grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom he loved with all his heart and was very
proud of.
Besides his family, he loved motorcycles and flying airplanes. He was a Veteran, having served in the Army. He worked for the railroad all his life. He was a volunteer firefighter for over 12 years. He also served as a Deputy Sheriff for Parker County in Texas for 20 years. He was a man of many talents.
The place he loved the best was Colorado. He loved looking at the mountains, especially when there was snow on them. Sunsets were his favorite time. He always shared pictures of them with his family.
BOCC: Good News of 2025 County Budget, New SO
Vehicles, More OEM/Mitigation Drama
by George Gramlich, News and Commentary
The December 12, 2024 Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regular meeting started at around 9 a.m. at their regally appointed throne room (the “Annex”) across from the courthouse. All three mighty commissioners were present: Bill Canda, Lucas Epp and Kevin Day.
In Commissioner Items, Epp noted at the CCI conference he attended last week, our lib Governor, Polis, focused his speech on the Denver to Fort Collins wasteland and ignored the rest of the state. Canda said that the county airport MIGHT be able to get a decommissioned Apache helicopter and also a Blackhawk for display purposes only. Continue reading BOCC Dec 12: Good news on Budget→
NEW BUSINESS TO SERVE Custer County
Greenstreet Plumbing Services
by Fred Hernandez
Plumbing is simply the transportation of water, liquids from one place to another. Truly, necessity is the mother of invention. Thousands of years ago man created the beginnings of plumbing as we know it today. We can trace its history back to the ancient civilizations of the Greeks, the Romans, Egyptians, Persians and Chinese to name a few. Egyptians for example were among the first to utilize irrigation in farming. They also began drainage systems and even invented the water wheel.
The Minoan Palace in Crete which dates back to 4,000 BCE is the oldest known structure which used conical-shaped terracotta pipes to distribute water. The Greeks were arguably the first to devise the system for hot and cold running water for the benefit of their athletes. Romans built aqueducts to transport water from the mountains to the cities to provide potable water and for their public baths. Mesopotamians used clay pipes four thousand years ago. The root word from which plumbing is derived is plumbum the Latin word for lead from which much of the ancient pipes were made. Plumbing is one of the oldest professions of man. A most important cornerstone of any civilized society. Here in our county we have the benefit of having one of the most experienced professionals in the industry, Chris Greenstreet, who comes from a long, long line of professional plumbers. While his company was officially formalized not too long ago, Chris, as the owner/ operator, has a lifetime of extensive training and experience. Born in Salida in 1981 he was the oldest of three children to a coal miner who worked the mines in Leadville. After his time at the mines his father worked for a big plumbing company based in Denver. Later he started his own successful company and the family moved to Cañon. Chris attended the high school in Westcliffe and graduated from Custer County High School.
After that his training and work experience can only be described as boundless. Starting with his apprenticeship application with U.S. Engineering at which his test scores ranked him number two but unfortunately 9/11 happened at the time and he was unable to pursue that opportunity. One who is not easily deterred he applied in several other big companies but was only able to snag a job as a tinner which is one who fabricates sheet metal. This talent served him well later in his career. He was the fastest worker in the company and outdistanced everyone on any job needed. Over the years he went on to work for big companies including R.K Mechanical and Cobb Mechanical which had contracts with the State building large prisons. In fact it was in one of those huge projects that he got his AHA! moment. It was in 2009, and the project was a prison in Cañon City. He was with the foreman, and they were waiting for the superintendent to go over the blueprints. Chris read the prints and did all the measurements on a four thousand square foot project before the supervisor came in and at that moment, he realized he was way ahead of the game and all his training had paid off. Some of the other big jobs included Fort Carson and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo where he worked on the elephant and lion exhibits. After a time working with the big companies his father needed some help so he went to work for his Dad. After his father passed away Chris went on his own. Today with a Masters License, Bonded and fully insured Chris is in business to serve his community. He is a patient man who listens carefully to his clients. In fact he treats clients like old friends. A critical thinker, he takes the time to explain in detail so the client is fully informed of the work at hand. This is my community Chris says, and I am not motivated solely by money but by the good service I can provide to ensure the full satisfaction of my clients. His intention is to create long-term relationships. A professional like Chris is most welcome in any community.
Chris can be reached at (719) 783- 2800 or email him at Greenstreetplumbing@gmail.com
What a grand exit he made leaving no doubt as to where he was going… straight into the arms of Jesus!
2 Timothy 4:6-8: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Jerald Marvin Estis was born in Jane, Missouri, on October 18, 1934, to Erma Aline Reed Estis and Cleo Warner Estis. He was their firstborn son.
In the spring of 1936, Jerry and his parents moved from Joplin, Missouri, to the Estis Ranch on Waugh Mountain, which is 16 miles north of Cotopaxi. He lived on the ranch with his parents and brother Tom until 1949 when the family moved to Cotopaxi, into the home they had built close to town so he and his brother could attend Cotopaxi School. He attended Cotopaxi School from first through12th grade and as a sophomore in high school he became a board member for the Cotopaxi Church where he served as a deacon from 1950 to 2010. In 1952, he began work for Fremont County Road and Bridge crew for three years, until he was called to the Army in 1955 by Uncle Sam in the draft.
While in the Army, Jerry served two years, mostly stationed in Germany, where he was part of the American Rifle Team. Jerry was an excellent marksman and in the world competition, he and his team won the World Championship against all NATO countries
– Go USA!
After his discharge from the Army, Jerry returned to Cotopaxi where he resumed his service on the Cotopaxi Church board and his job with the Fremont Road and Bridge, which was held for him, during his service away. In 1960, he married the love of his life, Sharon Church, with whom he had three daughters, Twila (Darell Geroux), Toloa (Jerry Pearl), and Treva (Willie Dominguez), which led to nine beautiful smart grandkids and 20 great grandkids.
In 1963, he began work with the Colorado state highway system, maintaining West Highway 50 for 25 years until his medical retirement due to wounds received in a motorcycle accident. On August 1, 1985, at the age of 50, his life took a sudden turn when he and Sharon, were struck by an oncoming vehicle while returning from vacation on their motorcycle. Due to the wounds he sustained in the accident, he was forced into medical retirement. His remaining years, from age 50 – 90, were spent living with and overcoming the injuries that occurred during that accident.
In addition to his primary employment, he was an expert carpenter, crafting custom homes, custom furniture, and personalized cabinetry after hours and on weekends. He enjoyed crafting unique items for his grandchildren such as wooden knives, slingshots, ping pong ball guns and the like. He enjoyed reloading ammo, driving fast cars, hunting, attending auctions, and he was a connoisseur of good food, particularly favoring sirloin steak. In addition to the church board, his service to the community included two terms on the Cotopaxi School board and 10 times on the election board for the Sangre de Cristo Electric Coop. He remained a member of Cotopaxi Church until he passed on December 14, 2024.
Jerry made many important decisions, but the most significant decision of his life was welcoming Jesus into his heart at an early age thus setting the stage for lifelong service to Jesus Christ. His second most important decision was his marriage to Sharon, the love of his life, and service to his family. His family was his treasure; he often declared himself the richest man on earth, “richer than Elon Musk” he would say, valuing his wife, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Above all, he prayed fervently for the salvation of each family member, focusing on eternal life with Jesus as the ultimate goal. Jerry was the epitome of kindness, strength, and moral character and integrity, always leading by example rather than words.
Jerry quoted this scripture often: Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
The 40 years following his motorcycle accident were physically and mentally trying, to say the least. He lived in constant pain and struggle and without his faith in God and the constant service and excellent care of his wife Sharon, the difficulties would have been impossible and would have taken a lesser man out many times. Although his physical life in his later years was defined by the physical difficulties he endured, his spiritual and emotional life was enriched daily by his family and friends. He loved the visits from friends, who stopped in daily for long conversations and to assist with simple tasks around his home. He loved telling stories of life on his ranch and life with his wife, kids and grandkids, often bragging, like a grandpa can, on the exploits and shenanigans of his grandkids.
A poem by Robert W. Service, that his mama taught him as a young boy, and that he quoted as a young man became the defining character in his life, even to the day of his death. The poem is as follows:….
The Quitter When you’re lost in the wild and you’re scared as a child, And Death looks you bang in the eye, And you’re sore as a boil, it’s according to Hoyle To cock your revolver and die. But the code of a man says: “fight all you can,” And self-dissolution is barred. In hunger and woe, oh, it’s easy to blow, It’s the Hell-served-for-breakfast that’s hard. “You’re sick of the game ! ” Well, now, that’s a shame, You’re young and you’re brave and you’re bright. “You’ve had a raw deal!” I know – But don’t squeal, Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight! It’s the plugging away that will win you the day, So don’t be a piker, Old Pard! Just draw on your grit, it’s so easy to quit, It’s the keeping your chin up that’s hard! It’s easy to cry that you’re beaten and die, It’s easy to crayfish and crawl, But to fight and to fight when hope’s out of sight — Why that’s the best game of them all. And though you came out of each grueling bout, All broken and beaten and scarred, Just have one more try – it’s dead easy to die, It’s the keeping on living that’s hard.
— Robert W. Service
Jerry’s life was a testament to perseverance, faith and love, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and deep familial bonds.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, December 20th at 11 a.m. at the Cotopaxi Church. Post-service there will be a Graveside Service with Military Honor Guard Salute, followed by lunch served back at the Cotopaxi Church.
BOCC: Ex District Attorney to Be Sued,
OEM Empire Building Expense Shot Down, New Human Services Director Hired
by George Gramlich, News and Commentary
The November 11, 2024 regular meeting of the Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) started at 9 a.m. in their regally appointed den in the Annex across from the courthouse. All three County Commissioners were present: Bill Canda, Lucas Epp and Kevin Day.
In Commissioner Items, Epp said he is working on the budget, “whittling it down as much as possible”. (See below for comments regarding the huge deficit and optional county spending.) He said the budget must be approved at the December 11 BOCC meeting.
Canda then dropped a bombshell saying that Fremont County and Chaffee County are suing the fired and disbarred ex 11th Judicial District Attorney, Linda Stanley, to attempt to recoup money she used from her DA budget to defend herself in the complaint that eventually caused her demise. (He elaborated on this later in the meeting, but the following is the sum of both comments.) The two counties contend that Stanley, using some of the 11th Judicial District DA budget money to defend herself personally in the legal matter, was wrong. Canda said he was asked to see if Custer County would join the lawsuit. (It has not been filed yet.) The Fremont County Attorney is doing the lawsuit and absorbing all the costs. If they succeed in getting some compensation from Stanley, the money would first go to cover the Fremont Attorney’s costs and if there is any left over, it would go to the counties participating in the lawsuit. The Commissioners agreed to join the lawsuit. (The Sentinel will keep you posted on this.)
In New Business, the Commissioners approved the Accounts Payable disbursement of $92, 075. They left out an invoice from the Sheriff’s Office for $3,075 that they said needed additional documentation.
The next Agenda Item was a request by our Office of Emergency Management Director, Robyn Knappe, to buy a “dump trailer” so some citizens who are mitigating their private property can move logs from the mitigation to the proposed
Veterans Firewood Bank. This trailer would cost $14, 085. Also, it could be used by these private citizens to move slash to the landfill. This is part of Ms. Knappe’s county mitigation effort. She has previously requested that the county spend $100k ($50k in county tax money and $50k in “grants”) to buy a humongous woodchipper that PRIVATE landowners could use to chip their slash when they are mitigating. This would take work away from our local companies that do mitigation. (This would also involve a county employee in driving the chipper to their properties and running it. All told, Knappe is proposing to spend over $120k in taxpayers’ money to help a few landowners mitigate their PRIVATE property. Plus there will be increased insurance and maintenance costs. Warning, the Following Is a Taxpayer’s Rant: This is a conservative, Republican county. With a ton of retirees on fixed incomes. We want SMALL, EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT. We do NOT WANT BIGGER GOVERNMENT, MORE SPENDING AND THUS MORE TAXES. We do NOT WANT TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY COST MONEY. OUR MONEY. Inflation is killing us. Tax and fee increases are killing us. This mitigation expense, for landowners that in all reality are probably fairly well-to-do, will do NOTHING to help the county considering the immense size of the county and the massive wooded areas we have. NOTHING. It is less than a drop in the bucket. It is a typical big government feel-good, waste of our tax money make work project.
Now let’s take a quick look at our county budget for this year. First, our budget is around $9 million with around half or so coming in grants. So, about $4.5 million of that comes from our property taxes and miscellaneous county income (like P&Z building/septic fees, which are DOWN dramatically from last year). Knappe’s mitigation proposal of over $120k is a sizable hunk of our local taxes. For just a few citizens. Doesn’t seem like a wise use of our money. Plus here is where we stand for our 2025 County budget: Epp said it looks like the Commissioners will have to CUT ROAD & BRIDGE’S BUDGET BY AROUND $300K AND POSSIBLY THE SHERIFF’S BUDGET BY $200K! Plus other cuts. Folks, the two most important budget items in the county are R&B and the Sheriff’s Office. We could be cutting about a half a MILLION dollars from the two most important departments. Our PRIORITY SHOULD BE R&B AND THE SO. Period. Not pet projects to benefit a few while our roads need help and the SO needs money to protect us. Ms. Knappe is a nice lady, but she is not working for the state in Denver where there is no real oversight of how one spends tax money. This is Custer County and EVERY TAX DOLLAR IS IMPORTANT. The Commissioners are pinching pennies as our expenses next year are way over our anticipated income. Proposing a $100k chipper and a $14k dump trailer for a few people to cut down trees on their private property is way out of line for this county and totally WRONG considering the massive cuts we are making to essential services. It is FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE. There is only so much money here in Happy Valley, and that must go to what is important and benefits every taxpayer, not just a few. We can’t afford an OEM empire here in Custer County, folks. The Commissioners need to kill these two requests and ask Ms. Knappe to understand that there is a very limited amount of money here to spend in Custer County and that must go to essential services NOT OEM feel-good items. This ain’t Denver. Small government is good government. End of rant.
To their credit, and led by Canda, the Commissioners in a very nice way told Ms. Knappe that we are broke and can’t afford this insanity. Canda made the best comment with, “The People can do it”. (Amen. It is the citizens’ property and not the county’s property.) Epp had a good one too with, “Just because there is money left doesn’t mean we have to spend it”. Epp added, “funds are not good”. (That is, there is NO MONEY!) Thankfully, the Commissioners let this dump trailer request die. (However, the Taj Mahal $100k chipper is still being considered. Commissioners, if you are making massive cuts to essential services like R&B and SO, spending $100k on this is WRONG. Kill it.)
Next was a big hubbub about spending “LATCF” and “ARPA” funds this year so we don’t have to give them back. (The ARPA money was the big grants the feds and state handed out to local governments while they were killing us with jabs and masks during the Covid panic.) It was a little confusing with all the acronyms they were using, but it looked like they had about $700k to allocate and with a series of resolutions they did that. Of note, the airport got $125k and “work force housing”, IT, and the county’s contingency fund all got pretty big bucks.
Epp then went over the BOCC’s 2025 schedule. The Commissioners are moving their meetings from the Annex to All Aboard Westcliffe as having them in the Annex disrupts Finance and Human Resources. This will cost a few thousand to rent the place. The BOCC meetings will be moved to Thursdays in 2025 as All Aboard is booked on Wednesdays.
And that was it for the BOCC meeting, but dear readers, we have a BONUS BOCC meeting to briefly report on: A special BOCC meeting to choose the next Human Services Department Director. This was at 3 p.m. on the same day as the above meeting. After the usual formalities, Epp said that the Commissioners had four applicants for the job, and he liked two of them but “it came down to one for me”. Canda then said the same thing and said, “We have one superstar”. Day agreed in his fashion. They moved to offer the superstar the job at a salary of $80k per year. Human Resources Director, Bob Smith, then called the lucky one and she accepted. Her name is VIcki White.
And that was another joyous day in Happy Valley.
In the spirit of gratitude, Lucy Gaide peacefully made her transition on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024, at Brookdale Monument Valley in Colorado Springs. Lucille (Copelin) Gaide was born in Pueblo, Colorado, on January 29, 1925, and enjoyed a full and productive life of nearly 100 years. Other than ten years spent in California as a child, she lived in Colorado. In 1941, Lucy married Art Gaide and went on to have two children. As a young, married mother she held several professional positions: telephone switchboard operator, beautician, and State Hospital attendant. She then earned her Practical Nursing degree and her Psychiatric Tech-nician certification. She pursued her passion working for years as Charge Nurse on the night shift at the Colorado State Mental Hospital in Pueblo. Later she kept books at the Standard Oil Bulk Plant that she and Art owned in Pueblo before retiring to Westcliffe.
Once in Westcliffe, she designed and had her dream home, a gingerbread house adorned with hearts, built on Granada Court. For a time, she lived with her husband and grandchildren, Mike and Shawn, and was an active participant in the community. She was called to the ministry and graduated from Unity School of Christianity in 1985. Her prayer ministry was part of her daily practice, and she provided guest sermons at multiple Sunday services and readings at weddings and funerals. She held a special place in her heart for all animals and provided loving care for many dogs and cats over the years. Lucy and Art divorced
after 42 years of marriage and she lived quietly in her home in Westcliffe, taking care of herself until she was 98.
Lucy is survived by her children: Michael (Midori) Morgan-Gaide
of Seattle, WA, and Dove Cogen of West Brookfield, VT; grand-children: Michelle (Claude) Kerno, Mike (Robin) Gaide, Shawn (Brenda) Gaide, ldania (Christian) Mathews, Mark (Samantha) Morgan, Kent (Sharon) Bulloch, Kristali (William) Cameron; daughter-in-law Sandi Gaide; her dear
niece Cheryl (Don) Breeding; 19 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; 10 nieces and nephews; and many loving friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Charles and Lucille Copelin, her brother, Charles Copelin, Jr., son-in-law David Cogen, grandchild Jef Cameron and former husband Art Gaide.
There will be an intimate graveside service Saturday, December 14th at noon at Ula Cemetery, Westcliffe, Colorado.
“In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society at https://www.hsppr.org/donate.”
Saturday, December 14th, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church will continue its traditional re-creation of the birth of Christ as a Living Nativity presentation.
Visiting the Living Nativity has become a tradition for many viewers, as well as the participants. New visitors are invited to join in the tradition at 801 N. Sheridan Avenue in Canon City to help celebrate the Christmas season. Visitors are invited to stop in the Church to warm up and enjoy soups, hot drinks and cookies.
The cast, consisting of members of Shepherd of the Hills and Christ Episcopal Churches and other volunteers from the community, includes the Holy Family, angels, shepherds and wise men, all outdoors. Many others are involved as support staff behind the scenes. The live animals are provided by the Juan and Marlissa Gonzalez family from Wetmore, who have been involved since 2018. Donations of nonperishable food and cash will be accepted and given to Loaves & Fishes Ministries of Canon City, which distributes food boxes to Fremont County families in addition to other services it provides.
Upon arriving at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 801 N. Sheridan, Canon City, visitors may either drive through and observe the Nativity from their vehicles, or they can park their vehicles and walk along the changing scenes as the story is told through Bible readings and music. Either way, visitors will be participants in the reason for the season, the story of the birth of Christ the Savior in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.
Lanny David (LD) Walker died peacefully in the hospital in Colorado Springs, CO, on December 13, 2024. He was
Here in our county we have the benefit of having one of the most experienced professionals in the industry, Chris Greenstreet, who comes from a long, long line of professional plumbers. While his company was officially formalized not too long ago, Chris, as the owner/ operator, has a lifetime of extensive training and experience. Born in Salida in 1981 he was the oldest of three children to a coal miner who worked the mines in Leadville. After his time at the mines his father worked for a big plumbing company based in Denver. Later he started his own successful company and the family moved to Cañon. Chris attended the high school in Westcliffe and graduated from Custer County High School.
Visiting the Living Nativity has become a tradition for many viewers, as well as the participants. New visitors are invited to join in the tradition at 801 N. Sheridan Avenue in Canon City to help celebrate the Christmas season. Visitors are invited to stop in the Church to warm up and enjoy soups, hot drinks and cookies.