Category Archives: 2017

2018, BOCC Meetings

BOCC February 6th Commissioner Kerfuffle over hearsay?

 

BOCC February 6th
Commissioner Kerfuffle over hearsay? Printz on Commissioner Protocol, Resident on CR 271 Discusses Ongoing Problem of Semi Truck Traffic

by Jackie Bubis
Reporters Note: Since I was headed in to this meeting and my car wouldn’t start, I took the opportunity to watch live streaming. It worked very well. During the staff reports, the person with his back to the camera was a little difficult to hear. I had my volume maxed out. It was also interesting to watch facial expressions and body language.

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—February 6, 2018
WESTCLIFFE, CO

The meeting started at 9:00 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call. Introductions of the public in attendance followed.
Minutes from January 31st were approved.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Canda reported working with Road & Bridge, particularly on the Hermit Bridge project.
Commissioner Printz reported attending a Regional Housing meeting, the Dennis Hunt meeting (CTSI), CART’s Person of the Year event (which he said was a great handshake opportunity).
Printz then engaged Mr. Canda, accusing him of “usurping your power as a commissioner” on two occasions. He went on to state that Canda had instructed the Planning and Zoning office to take out references to light pollution in the Zoning Resolution and had instructed Planning Commission Chairman Vic Barnes to make an announcement in their meeting that the commissioners were not going to speak. Printz stated that he’d heard about these things “second and third hand” and said, “I hope it doesn’t happen again.”
Mr. Canda responded that he had gotten the rough draft of the Zoning Resolution and was merely speaking for himself with input on the draft. He suggested that anything not enforceable should be taken out of the draft. Regarding the conversation, he believes that Barnes misunderstood him, and that if he attended, it would be only to listen. Continue reading BOCC February 6th Commissioner Kerfuffle over hearsay? →

2018, Archives, BOCC Meetings

BOCC: December 29, 2017

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)

—December 29, 2017

WESTCLIFFE, CO

by Jackie Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call. Commissioners Printz and Canda were present via phone. Introductions of the public in attendance followed.
Minutes for November 30th, December 5, 6, 7, and 14th were approved unanimously.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Canda had a great meeting with the Road & Bridge crew in Wetmore. He reported an enjoyable tour of the “world’s greatest grader.” He missed meeting with the folks from Wetmore at the Community Center but did get a tour. Regarding speeding issues on Kettle Lane, there will be one additional sign posted to let folks know that they’re approaching a speed limit change. He also attended the Airport Board meeting. Continue reading BOCC: December 29, 2017 →

2017, Letters

Dark Skies Brown-out

Dear Editor,
After attending a planning meeting on Dark Skies, on December 11 th, I have decided the whole issue is not about dark skies. The issue is about personal rights. Those who believe that they have unlimited rights to shine unlimited amounts of light in unlimited directions feel they are just exercising their property rights. This light may destroy the dark skies above or it may be directly sent in the way and direction of others. Those who believe in their unlimited rights do not recognize the rights of many others as being equal to theirs. They must believe that their rights somehow exceed those of many. They must believe that those who might exercise their property rights to enjoy the wonders of the sky above with their naked eyes or telescopes have rights that can be run over roughshod and disrespected. Continue reading Dark Skies Brown-out →

2017, Letters

William Brown’s Rights vs A Free Society’s Rights

Editor;
I t is always interesting to read the words of those who think that America is about absolute equality. Nothing on this earth is equal, not a plant, or a tree or an animal.
I wonder where Mr. Brown deduced the idea the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Rule of Law guarantee this “principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities?” (quote from Oxford Dictionary). The Constitution guarantees equal opportunity. It does not offer everyone the same social status, economic position or fairness. It offers justice which is not the same as total equality.
Egalitarian rights are impossible and he knows it. We live in a world filled with corruption, scandal, deceit, greed and avarice and that’s just in Washington, D.C. and Denver. There is no ability to achieve the equality Mr. Brown thinks is so possible. Continue reading William Brown’s Rights vs A Free Society’s Rights →

2017, BOCC Meetings

BOCC: Printz on 4H Devastation

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—December 14, 2017
WESTCLIFFE, CO
by Jackie Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call. Introductions of the public in attendance followed.
This was a short meeting – with only a few things on the agenda.
The Board amended a previous motion to change the Safety Awards for Road & Bridge from $50 to $100 each. There are two people who had safety incidents that will not receive this award. Continue reading BOCC: Printz on 4H Devastation →

2017, Archives, Custer County Kids

Bobcat Basketball Update

by CCSD Coaching Staff
The Custer County High School Boys Basketball Team played two games this past weekend. On Friday the Bobcats lost to ECA 58 to 43. Billy Berry led the Bobcats in scoring with 15 points and in rebounding with 9 rebounds. Kobe Lewsader added 12 points. Patrick Post had five assists and Chad Lewenkamp added four assists. On Saturday night, the Bobcats went to Mosco and lost to Sangre de Cristo 64-50. Patrick Post lead the team in scoring with 21 points, Kobe Lewsader added 18 points. Billy Berry lead team in rebounds with 18. Chad Lewenkamp lead the team in steals with three points and assists with four. David Kinsey added three assists.
The JV team went one and one over the weekend. The young Bobcats lost on Friday night to ECA 46 – 15. Wesley Curtis lead the team in scoring with 10 points. Eero Prusti lead the team rebounds with six and Logan Kinsey lead team in steals with two and had two blocked shots.
On Saturday, the JV Bobcats won a close game against Sangre de Cristo 15-14, with Wyatt Aldrich making a free throw in the last few seconds of the game. Matthew Kienbusch lead the team in scoring with six points. James Koester lead team in assists two and Logan Kinsey lead the team in rebounds with six.
The Custer County High School Boy’s JV Basketball team took on the Cotopaxi Pirates Monday night. The young Bobcats lost 41-27. Eero Prusti lead the team in scoring with 10 points, Wesley Curtis and Logan Kinsey each added six. Eero also lead the team in rebounding with seven, Matt Kienbusch added four. Wyatt Aldrich and Hunter Speer each had two assists to lead the team and Logan Kinsey had three steals.

2017, Archives, Custer County Kids

Custer County School Board Meeting

—December 12, 2017
by Larry Luikart, Reporter

President Davis called the meeting to order followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  All members of the Board were in attendance and the Agenda was approved with minor modifications.
The Owner’s Representative for NV5 (the agent for the Bond Issue construction) spoke regarding the team and overview of the planning, safety, and security of students and the various steps leading to the actual work on the project.
There were no Public Comments at either session during the meeting. Vice-President Lee presented Bobcat Pride Certificates to every individual involved in the fall Athletic Program. Continue reading Custer County School Board Meeting →

2017, Archives, BOCC Meetings

December 6th BOCC: Staff Reports

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—December 6, 2017
WESTCLIFFE, CO
by Jackie Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call. Introductions of the public in attendance followed.
Since yesterday’s meeting, there were no Commissioner, Attorney or Admin Assistant items.
Staff Reports
Dallas Anderson, from the Airport Advisory Board reported that the Capital Improvement Plan was finished and submitted to the Aeronautics Board. The Advisory Board will draft a letter to one of the hangar owners regarding the rules for parking. Anderson discussed the board appointments with the commissioners and how his board could stagger two-year positions on the executive board. He also asked about getting road base put on taxiway three as there are individuals that want to build hangars that will use that taxiway. The Board asked him to put together a plan and to get with Gary Hyde from Road & Bridge about getting that done. After discussion, the Board agreed to allow the Advisory Board to have the authority and flexibility to change fuel prices as they see fit (within certain parameters) to make sure the Silver West Airport is competitive. And finally, after receiving a letter from the company that put the fuel pump in – regarding the disputed billing – it was agreed that Attorney Smith will send a letter inviting them to meet with the Board to negotiate a settlement. Continue reading December 6th BOCC: Staff Reports →

2017, Archives, BOCC Meetings

BOCC Meeting: Dark Skies, Bad Roads, CCEDC

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—December 5, 2017
WESTCLIFFE, CO
by Jackie Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call. Introductions of the public in attendance followed.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Canda continues making his rounds and will meet with Road & Bridge this week if possible. He hopes to go to Wetmore to have coffee with the residents at the community center.
Commissioner Flower asked what the commissioner items section of the meetings was for. Commissioner Printz informed him it was a time for the commissioners to report on what they’d been doing and any items of interest to the rest of the Board.
Commissioner Printz reported that he’d met with Jackie Hobby in the Zoning Office. Also he’s working with Dawna Hobby regarding the December 7th interview for the IT position and advertising the custodian position. Continue reading BOCC Meeting: Dark Skies, Bad Roads, CCEDC →

2017, Archives, BOCC Meetings

Many Object to Proposed Dark Skies Zoning Resolution with Its Criminal Penalties

NASA image acquired April 18 – October 23, 2012
This image of the United States of America at night is a composite assembled from data acquired by the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012. The image was made possible by the new satellite’s “day-night band” of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), which detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe dim signals such as city lights, gas flares, auroras, wildfires, and reflected moonlight.
“Nighttime light is the most interesting data that I’ve had a chance to work with,” says Chris Elvidge, who leads the Earth Observation Group at NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center. “I’m always amazed at what city light images show us about human activity.” His research group has been approached by scientists seeking to model the distribution of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and to monitor the activity of commercial fishing fleets. Biologists have examined how urban growth has fragmented animal habitat. Elvidge even learned once of a study of dictatorships in various parts of the world and how nighttime lights had a tendency to expand in the dictator’s hometown or province.
Named for satellite meteorology pioneer Verner Suomi, NPP flies over any given point on Earth’s surface twice each day at roughly 1:30 a.m. and p.m. The polar-orbiting satellite flies 824 kilometers (512 miles) above the surface, sending its data once per orbit to a ground station in Svalbard, Norway, and continuously to local direct broadcast users distributed around the world. Suomi NPP is managed by NASA with operational support from NOAA and its Joint Polar Satellite System, which manages the satellite’s ground system.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data provided courtesy of Chris Elvidge (NOAA National Geophysical Data Center).

WESTCLIFFE, CO
—December 11, 2017
by Jackie Bubis
On Monday, the Custer County Planning Commission met to further explore two things: First, whether or not the County needs further regulation of “light pollution” and second, what sort of language would be appropriate.
The three County commissioners were in attendance but did not speak. About a dozen citizens showed up and Chairman Vic Barnes made sure everyone had a chance to speak their mind. Mr. Barnes began by reading three letters he’d received, from Sentinel editor George Gramlich, from Larry and Monica Luikart, and from Arthur von Boennighausen. All three stated sentiments in opposition to further regulation for Dark Skies. Continue reading Many Object to Proposed Dark Skies Zoning Resolution with Its Criminal Penalties →