Tag Archives: 2025

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July 9 BOCC: Seal Chipper Needed, Useful Public Service Contract

BOCC: Seal Chipper Needed,
Useful Public Service Contract,
Road Maintenance Request

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
The July 9, 2025/  Custer County Board of County Commissioners regular weekly meeting was held at the All Aboard Westcliffe meeting room and started at 9 a.m. All three County Commissioners were present: Chair Bill Canda and members Lucas Epp and Paul Vogelsong.
In Commissioner Items Epp had a finance briefing with the department heads. This meeting will be quarterly going forward. He also attended several agricultural meetings re the potential grant for a dedicated ag market. Epp stated that he had talked to our tourism people and lodging across the state is down. (Hence our Lodging Tax revenue is lower.) Canda opined about whether the County should raise its Lodging Tax.
First up in New Business was Wet Mountain Fire District’s request for a setback variance for a new fuel tank they want to put in. This went on for a bit on exactly how to do it procedurally. Eventually it was decided that they needed a survey done to confirm the property lines and they can go forward and ask for a variance via Planning & Zoning.
Next up was the Rotary Club with a request for an alcohol sales permit for their upcoming soiree Rocking the Ranch Weekend at the Beckwith Ranch, Saturday, August 2nd. This was ok’d.
Bob Smith, our Human Resources Director was the next supplicant concerning a potential “ Useful Public Services Contract”, the County’s program that monitors the public service sentences given by our courts. The current 11th Judicial District Clerk Justine Wilson currently handles that as a part time job being paid $9k a year by the County. She is retiring so the County needs a replacement. It turns out the County only receives around $2k from the people fulfilling these public service sentences. It was brought up that all the surrounding counties use a company called “Intervention” to do this on a per county contract basis. Bob has been in contact with these people and will be meeting them the next day to get pricing, etc.
Road & Bridge’s request concerning getting a used road chip sealer was next. They had sold their old one to a local contractor and now want to buy it back and get it refurbished by a company in Idaho. It will cost about $15k to buy it back and around $40k to $45k to have it rebuilt.
(A new machine costs over $1 million.) The Commissioners asked R&B to get firm numbers from the rebuild company.

Terry Skaggs, a resident of the Mountain Springs Country Estate subdivision off of Oak Creek Grade was next requesting the County assume maintenance of their two roads which total about 2.2 miles. Terry had the subdivision map which showed that the subdivision had deeded those roads to the County when it was originally set up. The County has never maintained the roads. After a big discussion, it was decided that Terry would review the road with Road & Bridge and then the County could make a decision.
In Additional Items, Epp said the County is maintaining roads it shouldn’t be and that has to be reviewed.
And that was that.

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Obituary: Jerry Marie Strebig

Jerry Marie Strebig, a beloved mother, grandmother, friend, and
faithful follower of Jesus Christ, passed away peacefully on June 15, 2025, at the age of 70 in Pueblo, Colorado. Her life was a radiant testament to compassion, strength, and grace—a rich legacy woven through the lives she touched and the love she gave freely.
Born on April 5, 1955, Jerry Marie was a proud Colorado native who lived a life rooted in faith, community, and quiet dedication. She graduated from Falcon High School on May 23, 1973, and later earned an Associate of Arts degree from Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado in 1975.
In 1999, Jerry Marie made her home in Westcliffe, Colorado, where she remained until her passing. There, she built her home with her own two hands and embraced a life of simplicity, independence, and creativity. It was a place filled with treasures—items she carefully kept with purpose and plans in mind. Her creativity flourished within those walls, expressed through mirror etching, photography, and the countless books she read that fueled both her imagination and her ever-growing wisdom. Her home and creations were a reflection of her spirit: resourceful, warm, and always ready for whatever might come next.
Jerry Marie’s greatest accomplishments were not measured in status or wealth, but in the people she loved. She spent much of her time driving others—especially the Amish community she cherished—building trust, friendship, and loyalty with every mile. Her work was more than transportation; it was ministry, service, and connection.
She enjoyed spending time at garage sales, collecting unique finds, and working with her hands. She loved utilizing old or discarded items, always seeing beauty and usefulness where others might not. These pastimes reflected her appreciation for history, purpose, and renewal.
Those who knew her described her as gracious, patient, loyal, and fiercely compassionate. She was generous, kind, thankful, and loving. She had a fighting spirit—stubborn, hardy, and deeply knowledgeable—with a twinkle in her eye and a heart full of care. She was a firecracker in all the best ways, and her warmth was matched only by her strength. She often said she was “blessed”—and she truly was, as were all of us who knew and loved her.
Above all, Jerry Marie loved God with every fiber of her being. Her favorite verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), wasn’t just scripture she knew—it was the foundation she lived upon. To her final breath, she praised His name. Her faith shaped every part of her life and now carries her into eternal peace.
Jerry Marie is survived by her loving daughters, Jocelyn Renee Kibler and Suzanne Marie Moreno ; her grandchildren, Jacob Lane Strebig, Shalisha Marie Moreno, Sasha Mae Moreno, Anjelina Marie Strebig , and Celina Abigail Moreno; her mother, Nancy Marie Manley (Scott); and her siblings, Sharon Mae Baxter and Jerry Lee Manley Jr. She is preceded in death by her father, Jerry Lee Manley.
She will be remembered for her strong will, her unwavering faith, her joyful creativity, her dedication to the people she cared for, and the simple joys she found in everyday life.
The family welcomes all who knew and loved her to come celebrate her life and the countless ways she touched the hearts of others. A memorial service will be held in her honor on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 3 p.m. Join us at the Roundwood Pavilion in Hermit Park in Westcliffe, Colorado.

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Obituary: Karen M Madden

 

Karen M Madden, age 81, passed into heaven on May 26, 2025. Karen was born in Indianapolis, IN, on May 8, 1944, to Frederick and Helen Krintz. Her brother Michael, sister Cindy, and parents have preceded her in death.
The remaining family members are her two sons, William Miller of Miami, FL, and Christopher Miller of Columbus, OH. Karen’s husband, Guy Madden, resides in Westcliffe, CO, where their dream of living in the mountains became a reality. There love for each other continued to flourish.
Karen graduated from Ohio State College High School in 1962. She was very active in music and theatre and attained a dance scholarship to Monticello College in Godfrey, IL. She graduated with a certificate in Arts in 1964. She then married William Miller and gave birth to William Jr. and Christopher. They moved to New York City where Karen became a model for a clothing company while her husband studied finance. The couple later divorced, and Karen moved to Colorado where she obtained her LPN license followed by her RN in 1981.
Karen loved to travel. She visited many countries in Europe, traveled to Egypt and on to Africa. She and several nurses represented the United States while visiting different countries, learning about nursing techniques and local customs concerning patient care. She viewed her nursing career as her vocation because she loved to take care of those who were hurting.
Karen and Guy met at a Christmas Party in 1997. They married on September 15 in Denver, just four days after the 9/11/2001 attack on the Twin Towers in NYC. The couple moved to Westcliffe in 2003.
Karen retired from nursing in 2008. Guy retired in January of 2024 after seventeen years of service as a school bus driver
for Custer County School District.
Karen’s smile would light up a room. Her laughter was contagious. She was warm-hearted and full of joy. She loved a good joke. She embraced life through ups and downs with an attitude of gratitude. Her favorite joy was being baptized into the Christian faith. Those of us who remain here miss her dearly.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

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High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival, July 10-13

High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival, July 10-13, 2025, Is Here!

Press Release
The High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival: Great Music, Great Place, Great Cause! Music will ring out across the Wet Mountain Valley at the 22nd annual High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival in July in the heart of the Rockies. Come enjoy stunning views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the youth music program, the camaraderie of on-site camping and pickin’ in addition to a full roster of exciting bluegrass performers. Festival dates are Thursday through Sunday, July 10 – 13, 2025, at The Bluff Park in Westcliffe, Colorado.
The 2025 line-up features our festival host, the always entertaining Dry Branch Fire Squad led by the valley’s own Ron Thomason. We are pleased to have Rhonda Vincent and the Rage as our featured act this year! Other acts scheduled to appear are Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, Missy Raines and Allegheny, Becky Buller Band, Mike Compton and Joe Newberry, Ismay, Fog Holler, The Baker Family, My Brother’s Keeper, Dayton, Heidi Clare and Ron Thomason and the High Mountain Hayseeds. Many of these performers will also conduct workshops throughout the weekend which will afford festival-goers the opportunity to experience the performers in a more intimate setting. Dancers are welcome Friday and Saturday nights at the Sibbald-Brown stage, formerly the workshop stage, for a dance hosted by the Eagle Peaks Dance Band with square dance caller Hal Barnes on Saturday night. And don’t forget the always popular High Mountain Hay Seeds children’s program – bring the kids and their instruments!
High Mountain Hay Fever is also the best deal in bluegrass. Four-Day Passes are $130 at the gate. Single day ticket prices are $25 for Thursday evening, $60 for Friday, $60 for Saturday, and $40 for Sunday. Students 13-18 with ID are $10 and children 12 and under are free. Tickets are on sale on our website: www.highmountainhayfever.org and at the gate during the festival. On Thursday of the festival, tickets will be available at the gate at 1:00 with gates opening at 3:30 and music beginning at 5:00.
Dry camping and RV parking are available adjacent to the performance grounds and are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. A reminder to local folks that South Adams Blvd will be closed between Main St and Rosita Ave. during the festival.
The festival is a 501(c)3 nonprofit formed to enhance the Wet Mountain Valley as a quality event destination that benefits the entire community. The festival has raised over $900,000 for Wet Mountain Valley charitable organizations over the years of its existence, with a strong focus on children’s health. The High Mountain Hay Fever Festival Association is run by a great group of volunteers who work year-round to make the event happen. We were honored that the festival was nominated in 2024 for “Event of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association. The festival remains an intimate event, avoiding the sprawl and congestion of large festivals while offering nationally recognized bluegrass talent, remaining true to its motto: “Small Scale, Big Time”.
For more information contact us at www.highmountainhayfever.org.

2025, Uncategorized

BOCC Doubleheader! June 11 and 19

BOCC Doubleheader!  New Courthouse
Project Starts Again, Local No Kings March Organizer Unveiled, Employee Terminated

BOCC: Lodging Tax Increase? Employee Terminated

by George Gramlich, News and Commentary

The June 11, 2025 Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regular meeting was held at the All Aboard Westcliffe meeting room and started at 9 a.m. All three Commissioners were present: Chair Bill Canda and members Lucas Epp and Paul Vogelsong.

In Commissioner Items, Epp said two IT vendors made a site visit to our IT Department concerning providing contract IT services to us (especially in the cyber security arena). Epp said a couple of more vendors were interested. He was hoping they could get one signed by August 1st.

Canda said he visited a Colorado State Agency when he was up north at a big meeting and asked them to delete us (somehow) from the infamous Fed Sanctuary List.

In New Business, Accounts Payable was up first. Epp read off the items over $5k (which is very helpful). The total two-week amount was $210. It passed.

The Commissioners then approved a contract with an insurance broker, Acrisure, for them to find us some insurance companies to replace our current vendor, CTSI.

Custer County Clerk Kelley Camper then asked the Commissioners to approve the payment to a firm she hired to do the election ballot printing, mailing, etc. This was ok’d.

The Office of Emergency Management’s Director, Robyn Knappe, was next with a proposal to spend around $3,500 total to purchase an 8×10 wooden shed so she could store some of OEM’s stuff. (This was a lot better than her prior proposal a year or so ago where she wanted to build a whole building for her office and staff and to house her OEM stuff.) This caused a discussion about location, timing, was a concrete pad needed. Near the end of the talk fest, a citizen emailed in and said for the same amount of money you can get a big, metal Conex box that is secure and lockable. This amazed the Commissioners (none of them thought about that) and they finally voted to have Knappe explore this more logical solution.

Next was a request from Custer County’s Workforce Housing Committee for a Letter of Support regarding pursuing a path to build affordable housing on the 12 lots in Silver Cliff that the BOCC donated a while back. It seems nobody or no local organization actually wants to “own” the lots, build on them and run the operation. Apparently, there is a new non-profit, the Custer County Community Development Corporation that might be able to do it. However, it is new, has no people and needs to get going. Somehow this requires $100k to do and the Committee wants permission to ask for that moolah from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). The DOLA grants requires a 20% match ($20k) from us. It looked like Westcliffe and Silver Cliff will both chip in $5k each so the County would need to cough up $10k. The Commissioners ok’d it.

Next was a discussion item about raising the County’s Lodging Tax. (It is currently at 2% but Colorado has just given local governments the okay to rape and pillage tourists throughout the state by allowing the local government entities to up it to a max of 6%.) To do this however, the County’s citizens must ok it in a ballot initiative. (We are currently getting about $90k from our 2% tax.)

Canda opens the discussion with the mandatory question, “Will this hurt our tourism?”. This of course caused the pro tax folks in the audience to bombard the Commissioners with how high other towns, cities and counties’ Lodging Tax rates are, trying to convince our supposedly small government, low tax, conservative Republican Commissioners that raising the price of staying in Happy Valley will have no effect on people coming here. (Only one person actually said it may affect it some, or a lot of tourists come here because it is cheaper than other places. Also, the comments noted that the various jurisdictions use other fees, etc. to raise the effective Lodging Tax rate with some as high as 16%.)

The person who raised the affordability issue was none other than our Director of Tourism, Deb Adams. She said if we raise it too much it will hurt us. Adams said our Lodging Tax receipts for last year were down $10k from the year before. She stated that “doubling it” to 4% “might not hurt us too much”. (Hey Republican Commissioners, if you do this you are raising taxes. NO real need for more money was made during the discussion. Going forward, we need SMALLER government not bigger. You are setting us up for a catastrophe when the well goes dry. We need Custer County to be a place where regular people can visit.)
No decisions were made.

(All taxes should be a ballot item.)

Next was a Personnel Matter concerning our Planning & Zoning Director Dorothy Carsten. (You recall that just a week or two ago Vogelsong made a motion to fire Carsten because he alleged she violated the County’s firearm carry rule where she supposedly open carried a pistol at a septic installation. After a huge discussion at the meeting, Vogelsong voted against his own proposal and with Epp’s also “Nay” Carsten didn’t get fired. Now, we are up for round two.)

Canda opened the discussion with blah, blah, blah about how the BOCC manages the County workforce. County Attorney Slater then said that Carsten chose to have the discussion in public rather than in Executive Session, and since she did that, she is waving a lot of confidentiality.

Vogelsong then said, “that after receiving additional information on concealed carry”, “ I carefully reviewed everything” and that “on county property, on duty or off duty” weapons must be concealed.  He then made the motion to fire Carsten.

Carsten, who was in the audience then made a statement, “I don’t feel comfortable. I fear for my life and the safety of my family. That is all I have to say.” Audience member, local democrat bigwig, and a motor mouth commentator at virtually every BOCC meeting, James (Dr. Doom) Gilbert then couldn’t resist taking a swipe at Vogelsong. Gilbert told Vogelsong that a local newspaper (of course it was the Sentinel and we are SOOOOO joyed that Gilbert enjoys our coverage) said that Vogelsong “caved” (regarding his prior vote on not firing Carsten) and this current action, “sounds like a political hatchet job” (which is a precious comment coming from a democrat). Vogelsong, to his credit, came back strong saying that the paper said he “folded”. (Actually we made a little funny out of Vogelsong’s name by referring to him as “Vogelfold” after his no vote.) Vogelsong rebutted Gilbert saying, “At that time I did not have enough information. I was informed” that Carsten was open carrying at the County’s impound compound, “plus other times”. He again mentioned that the County Handbook says, on or off duty”.

The three Commissioners then all voted
to terminate Carsten.

In Public Comment, Gilbert, now unchained, went on a dribbling harangue about Custer County helping the feds arrest illegal aliens. (The usual lib stuff. I think our local libs are scared of losing cheap, slave labor.)

In perhaps the most enlightening exchange of the day, the County Clerk then asked the Commissioners, “Any employees that open carries can be fired” implying that a County employee, off duty, going about their business around town, can
be fired for open carrying? (Remember our Colorado Constitution explicitly allows open carry, the 2nd Amendment might have something to say about that, plus the Commissioners have declared that Custer County is a 2nd Amendment county.)

Vogelsong replies, “Yes”.

Kelley responded, “So you might as well fire half the staff”. (Go Kelley!!!).

No response from our 2nd Amendment Commissioners. (Maybe they should take a serious look at what the Employee Handbook says and FIX IT.)

(Kelley is the Sentinel’s Happy Valley Elected Official of the Week. Congrats Kelley.)

(NOTE: We got the actual Employee Handbook wording for the firearms policy. It applies only to County property. So if you are off duty AND not on county property, you can open carry.)

And that be it. Wait ‘til next week, folks.

BOCC: New Courtroom Project Starting Again, Local No Kings March Organizer Unveiled

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary

The June 19,2025 Custer County Board of County Commissioners regular meeting started at 9 a.m. and was held at the All Aboard Westcliffe meeting room. All three Commissioners were present: Chair Bill Canda and members Lucas Epp and Paul Vogelsong.

In Commissioner Items, Vogelsong said that all three Commissioners had attended the most recent Liberty Rocks get together at Tony’s Pizza where they discussed Custer County and the flap about CC being a sanctuary county for illegal aliens or not. Vogelsong noted that CC is NOT a sanctuary county.

Canda stated that the new Courtroom project committee will start work next month. (Colorado is trying to force CC and various other small counties to build new courthouses because the current ones are in violation of the state’s crazy requirements. Folks, we are talking a cost exceeding 15 MILLION DOLLARS to build their Taj Mahal. (And since we are going to have  to borrow a ton of money to do it, a TRUE payback cost of maybe $30 MILLION. For one courthouse. Liberal insanity.)

Elected Officials Reports were first.

First up was Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith. Sheriff Smith noted that the new avjet fuel tank at the airport was being used by multiple rescue helicopters which helped them avoid a long trip back to their bases to refuel. He said he had met with Family Crisis Services on finding a “safe place” locally for domestic violence victims to stay rather than going all the way down the hill to Cañon City.

Sheriff Smith then talked about last Saturday when there were two “First Amendment Events”. (One being a U.S. Flag Day Celebration in front of the Sentinel where local patriots waved American Flags for two hours to celebrate Flag Day. The other being the lib, nationwide protest rallies against President Trump. These were labeled “No Kings” day. One was held in Westcliffe at the west end of Main Street (at the ‘Bluffs) at 10 a.m. That group then marched east of Main Street on the sidewalks to school and then marched back. You can read about that in last week’s Sentinel 06/20/2025.)

Sheriff Smith stated that before the No Kings rally started, he went down to the ‘Bluffs to meet with the “march organizer”, one “Dr. James Gilbert” to discuss security and walking protocols.

[Interesting. So, James (Dr.Doom) Gilbert, a local democrat big wig was the local “march organizer”. So Gilbert (and maybe other local libs) are responsible (or at least partly responsible) for bringing in all those out of towners who jammed the sidewalks up and down Main Street screaming crazy chants and displaying 4th grade cardboard signs with crayon sayings scribbled on them. All to protest a duly elected U.S. President. (You didn’t see conservatives do that after Biden sort of got elected.) So, let’s look at what happened during their Main Street “march”. Main Street Westcliffe is the tourist center of the county. The street is lined with all kinds of shops, restaurants, bars, art galleries, etc. They depend on street traffic for sales. Saturday is the biggest revenue day of the week for them. It is June. A big tourist month. The weather was perfect that day. Tons of tourists coming to town including many Colorado day trippers. They come driving onto Main Street to park, walk and shop and what do they see? A long column of angry, freaky looking people, yelling and chanting, with crazy signs, jamming the sidewalk. What does a tourist do? Get out of there as fast as humanly possible. Never to come back. Our merchants take a BEATING. Westcliffe’s reputation as a nice, quiet spot to spend a day is shattered. The delusional local and out of town demonstrators think they are making a difference, and they are. Every time they do this, more people come to oppose them and their efforts as they disrupt our economic lifeline: tourism. Their myopic, self-absorbed view of themselves as being at the front of the lib effort to get rid of Trump (and democracy) means that they have NO concerns about how their behavior affects others. Especially economically. You want a rally. Fine. Have it at the ‘Bluffs but don’t march up and down Main Street, jamming the sidewalk, scaring off our merchants’ clientele and hurting our community. A lot of these merchants are barely hanging on and the loss of big Saturday revenue intake is devastating. But libs don’t care about others. It is all about themselves. Hey Gilbert! Grow up. This ain’t the sixties again. Have a little consideration for our community and our merchants. It is beyond a waste of time for left wing freaks to shuffle up and down Main Street in Happy Valley. The locals dislike it and every time you do it — you LOSE support.]

Sheriff Smith then (adroitly) mentioned the local lefty who “pulled a gun on several people” at the Sentinel’s Flag Day celebration. Smith said they “caught him out of town” and it was up to the District Attorney now. (Read about that horror show in last week’s Sentinel.)

Custer County Treasurer, Virginia Trujillo, was next. No surprises. The County’s ending bank balance in April was $11,250,000.

Brad Baltzly, our County Coroner, was the next speaker. Brad said they had only one death lately but since it was a younger person he is having an autopsy done.

County Clerk Kelley Camper, then gave her report. Kelley said the Clerk’s Office collected about $248k in fees in May. The County gets to keep about half of that.

The Veterans Service Office Report was next. Director Dominic Edginton delivers it. He said he expected another million dollars in compensation by the end of May from the VA for our veterans via the VA claims he has made. Dominic noted that 228 vets have received new compensation since he came on board. There are 581 veterans “on paper” in Custer County. He is also helping a lot of vets from Fremont County as their VSO Office there is way below par and the vets aren’t getting the help they need.

Bob Smith, our Director of Human Resources, gave his department report. Bob said they had completed the County insurance policy review. Also, our Worker’s Compensation broker was selected and he is getting quotes.

Vernon Roth, Finance Director, was next up. Vernon said he has four proposals from IT companies for contract services for his department (a lot of that is cyber security). Vernon said he is looking hard at the county’s Century Link landlines as it is costing us around $7k a month for them and a bunch of lines are not even being used.

The Information Technology report was given by its Director, John Mapes. He has been super busy with the landline audit, VOIP research, the SO’s IT issues and various internet outages.

No surprises in the Human Services report. EBT outlay for May was $128k. Total Child Support case load is 72.

Road & Bridge reported that their diesel tank dispenser is leaking and four test holes for contamination must be drilled which will cost up to $10k. The cost to fix the new fuel system could be around $20k.

Epp gave the Recycling Report. YTD, 120 bales of various materials have been produced.

Robyn Knappe gave the OEM report. She said the wildfire mitigation program is doing good with 13 neighborhood ambassadors. They have had three chipping “events”.

Our County Kids Council had good news. They are working with Family Crisis Services to find a local place for domestic violence victims. Last week’s Family Day had close to 400 attendees. It was noted that all of Kids Council budget comes from the state and things are looking a little shaky down the road with funding. Interestingly, it was stated that there are 900 kids under the age of 19 in the county and that Custer County had the second highest child growth in the state between 2019 and 2023.

The Public Health report stated that the most recent case of measles in Colorado was in Boulder County and that if you want to get vaccinated against the measles go see them. There are concerns about future revenue stream income as the fed flow is drying up. Their staff has been reduced by 40%.

And that was that.

 

 

2025, Uncategorized

Celebration of Life Planned for Susan “Sue” Ruth Menz

Obituary
Susan “Sue” Ruth Menz

Susan “Sue” Ruth Menz, age 76, passed away on December 27, 2024, after a brief battle with cancer, which she faced with her typical good nature. She was a resident of Westcliffe, Colorado, for 12 years and was formerly a resident of Omaha, Nebraska. She spent most of her career as a computer programmer, starting out with punch cards and mainframe computers.
Sue (also known as “Grammy Sue” or “the Cookie Lady”) was born on February 25, 1948, to Bernhard Schmieder and Ruth (Wellner) in Ute, Iowa. Sue attended high school in Charter Oak, Iowa. On September 1, 1968, she married Brian Menz in Ute, Iowa, after meeting in college at the University of Northern Iowa.
Sue graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Mathematics, while raising her two children,
Jeff and Kristi.
Sue’s love of the mountains began on a honeymoon trip to Rocky Mountain State Park and many subsequent summer camping trips. It eventually brought her to Westcliffe in her retirement, where she enjoyed daily hikes near her home. She also passed time by sewing quilts to donate to Fremont Victory Quilters in Florence, amongst other veteran’s organizations and homeless shelters, and
baking delicious desserts and breads for local fundraisers. She had a strong Christian faith, finding God everywhere in nature.
She is survived by her children: Jeff Menz of West Des Moines, Iowa, his wife, Jessica, and their children, Kaitlyn, Braden, and Isaac; Kristi Detweiler of Concord, Massachusetts, her husband, Sean, and their children, Carson and Alexa; her siblings: Bruce Schmieder and Connie Doudy: and her ex-husband, Brian Menz. Her family finds comfort in her excitement to meet God in heaven, and to be reunited with those who preceded her in death, including her parents; and her brother, Anthony Schmieder and sister, Joyce Lohoff.

A Celebration of Life will be held at “Willie’s” – Silver Cliff Mountain Inn & Restaurant, 700 Ohio St., Silver Cliff, CO, on Thursday, July 10th, 2025. Please feel free to join us from 3 -5 p.m. to meet her family, grab a snack and share your favorite Sue memories.
Sue’s kindness and generosity will be missed by all who knew her. Those wishing to pay it forward, as she so often did, can donate in her name to one of her favorite charities:
Mission Wolf, PO Box 1211, Westcliffe, CO 81252 (https://missionwolf.org), or
to Patriotic Productions, 16213 Lamp Street, Omaha, NE 68118 (https://www.patrioticproductions.org).

2025

Westcliffe Town Meetings Grants, Lawsuits, Workforce Housing, Dark Skies/SJO

Westcliffe Town Meetings: Hedberg Lawsuits  Settlement, Grant Funded Water/Sewer to Move Forward on Town Lots for Workforce Housing, Dark Skies/ SJO Requests Improvements, Board of Trustees Searching for a new Attorney
by Laura Vass
During the Westcliffe Board of Trustees April 15 meeting, the trustees went into executive session to discuss settling the two lawsuits by Jordan Hedberg concerning open meeting violations and executive sessions which he wanted the records/recordings to. The trustees settled the two lawsuits by releasing the recordings requested and paying $6,000 for Hedberg’s lawyer fees.
The town attorney, Clay Buchner, remarked that “there will always be the Hedbergs of the world that file lawsuits for gain.”
During the April meeting the Board voted to allow the Farmer’s market to use Jesse Park this year but it looks like, from press releases from the Market, that the location will remain north of Jesse Park. We shall see.
The Board also voted on the Contract for the town lawyer. However, the town put out an RFP after a special meeting on the 30th of May, in search of municipal attorney. Clay, who accepted a position with the 11th District Attorney’s Office months ago, and represents other municipalities as well,  will stay on in his capacity as the town does its search.
With County Commissioner Canda point-ing out that the county had dropped $40K into the pockets of Round Mountain to help with the sludge removal project, Westcliffe’s board agreed to put in $10K.
In  the May 20 regular meeting, a few agenda items were tabled: The IT Report and Consideration to rezone a lot in Shadow Ridge subdivision from commercial to single-family residential, the latter of which must be open for discussion for one month. His request for rezoning started late March, so this was a surprise.  Both will be on the agenda for June.
The Board discussed and voted on candidates for the Planning Commission opening, deciding on Brian Clince (Antler Liquor and Motel) for the position and the other two applicants, Leslie Parkes and Nadine Petersen, would be alternates.
Next was an update on the workforce housing. The Board did get the grant for infrastructure (water tap and sewer) to the property the town owns and has purposed for workforce housing. They’ll need to take bids on that soon. The grant for obtaining an economic assessment was also awarded to the towns and county and Community Attributes, Inc. has been commissioned to do the  assessment. They were scheduled to come on the big snow day in May and will be up to meeting business folks and join in some focus groups June 2 -3.
An update from Barry Keene, who is part of the county’s Workforce Housing Committee, was next.  He said that Charles Bogle had gifted them the non-profits, Custer County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) and a sister non-profit, which gives them a non-profit with longstanding to set up a Housing Authority which in turn can be a  clearing house for grants, loans and managing housing projects later. (Neither the county nor the towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff want to be in the business of managing rental units etc.) The CCEDC would need a Board, an office, personnel and other set up. No plans or deadlines were given for this, but Keene said he’d have something together by week’s end. He also wanted the towns and the county to put up some money to go with an 80/20 grant he’s looking at to set up that Housing Authority.  Mayor Wenke suggested a workshop (scheduled for May 30) to get more information on this.
Erick Messick, local Vice President of Dark Skies, was there to approach the board about improvements.  Apparently, the Smokey Jack Observatory (SJO) at The Bluff is on property that the town owns and the town is responsible for some improvements.  They would like to put some more seating in which would require some dirt moving. They also are concerned about  visitors using the drainage area (which is full of rock) as a pathway—which might be a good way to get injured, especially at night. Methods were discussed  for  blocking it off in a way that Dark Skies can still use the drainage area to drive a truck in and out when they have activities to set up.
This lead to a few questions. Mayor Wenke wanted to know who would be paying for improvements/changes. A discussion ensued about the property transfer agreement from the Land Conservancy several years back and who is responsible for improvements and if there was any money left from that transfer agreement. At one point Mayor Wenke suggested Dark Skies charge for their activities, which have always been free. The Board agreed that they need to research the documents on the transfer by the next meeting to determine responsibility for costs, etc.
This went from  discussion of safety to the issue of the area not being very ADA compliant and the question of whether, as part of the city’s Bluff Park, it has to be ADA. The town lawyer was asked about it and he said ADA compliance  is very complicated, and he didn’t want to speak to the issue without looking at the area and investigating it further.
In Public Comments, someone complained about the Saddle Club having their ‘non-compliant with Dark Skies ordinance’ lights on.  Board member Mr. Jagow, who is president of Dark Skies, did say that it’s a problem and wondered if the town could lose its Dark Skies Designation.
Mayor Wenke said it was his understanding that they can have the lights on in the Arena/parking lot  for 11 days a year which is enough to cover the Rodeo/4-H week and the gymkhana events. They are supposed to get a special use permit each time, however.  This discussion, not on the agenda, could not go anywhere for
this meeting.
The Board set up a special meeting for the morning of May 30, to consider putting out an RFP for a town attorney. They did agree and issued the RFP announcement to be published. There was mention but not actions on Mr. Wenke and Mr Fulton meeting with Round Mountain and DOLA to figure out the Engineering needs for the infrastructure grant before creating an RFP for that. Mr. Wenke said he would like to get the sewer/water put in before a fall freeze.

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Beckwith Ranch Spring Roundup Saturday, June 7th

Beckwith Ranch Spring Roundup
Saturday, June 7th

Press Release
The Friends of Beckwith Ranch, Inc. announces the 4th Annual Beckwith Ranch Spring Roundup at the historic Beckwith Ranch near Westcliffe, Colorado Saturday, June 7th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In honor of this most significant event in the ranching life, Beckwith Ranch is having an extravaganza designed to entertain the entire family.
Meet members of the Beckwith Family portrayed by the Beckwith Docents hosting activities all around the old Beckwith headquarters. The mansion will be open for tours and presentations. And a Silent Auction featuring very nice items will be offered in the Ballroom of the Mansion.

Nearby, local bands and musicians will be playing great songs appropriate for a Ranching Roundup celebration. Shelby and Daniel Brown will be providing wagon rides from the ranch to the old Beckwith Whistle Stop and back. Bill Morgan is bringing his beautiful American Miniature horse and may provide lucky kids a ride on his miniature sulky. Enjoy Blacksmith demos by Ken Butler in our newly restored blacksmith shop.

Hungry for great cowboy cuisine? For lunch, experience an authentic Chuck Wagon meal with Rocky Mountain Soda, soft drinks and beer.

Visit Velma’s Playhouse, our Family Fun Center, where families can help their little cowboy or cowgirl build a custom stick horse to race in the Beckwith Derby. And they can learn calf roping and play games from the 1890s. Or get removable tattoos. Authentic American Stories will be presented by Joyce Gregor and the kids (and adults) can participate in Terra Raye’s Native American song and drum activity.

In honor of Smokey Jack, former owner of Beckwith Ranch, the Dark Skies Organization she founded will have telescopes set up to safely view the sun and feature the Planet Quest kid’s exhibit to learn about the Solar System.

Local antique car enthusiasts will be showing off their incredible collections. Local vendors will have booths set up to offer unique handmade products. And Lisa Gurian will be there to present Equine Assisted Learning demos.

And the event marks the opening of the Beckwith Gift Shop featuring great gifts and souvenirs, many made locally by
our talented and artistic artisans, artists and authors.
Don’t miss this exciting and fun event and help Friends of Beckwith Ranch raise money to preserve The Historic Beckwith Ranch.

The Historic Beckwith Ranch is located 6 miles north of Westcliffe on Highway 69 N. Admission is only $10/adults, $2/kids under 12
Visit our website for more information: www.BeckwithRanch.com

 

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BOCC: Dramatic P&Z Showdown: Vogelsong Folds, Carsten Skates

BOCC: Dramatic P&Z Showdown:
Vogelsong Folds, Carsten Skates

by George Gramlich, News and Commentary
The May 28, 2025 regular meeting of the Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) started at 9 a.m. at the All Aboard Westcliffe Meeting Room in downtown Westcliffe. All three Commissioners were present: Chair Bill Canda and members Lucas Epp and Paul Vogelsong.
In Commissioner Items, of note was Canda talking about donations to several county offices/departments the highlight being five used police car donated to the Sheriff’s Office. Canda, again, asked the audience to refrain from asking questions during Public Comments and to only make comments. (The constant questions from the audience, the vast majority of which are totally a waste of time and only come from one or two people, were slowing down the meetings a lot and getting the Agenda Items off of the subject. Even with that admonition, the main person who constantly asked questions kept doing it during the meeting and Canda let him do it. Please make it stop….)
In New Business, the first Item was Accounts Payable. The two-week total was $191k and it was ok’d.
Next was a request for applying for a “Rebate Grant” from the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) by the Recycling crew. It was ok’d.
The proposed Weed Management Plan and Implementation Plan was presented for approval by Vogelsong. Apparently, the money to fund this statutory required effort is drying up as Epp said we had better plan for funding in 2026. The plan passed.
Bob Smith from Human Resources then gave an update on the quest to replace CTSI as the County’s insurer. Smith said there were two insurance areas: medical (including eye and dental) and Worker’s Compensation. (Also, liability which CTSI has and the Commissioners have not been too happy about how CTSI has been handling some claims). Smith interviewed several insurance brokers to search for the insurance and recommended two:
Acrisure for medical and Network Insurance Services for Workman’s Comp (WC). The Commissioners agreed with his selection.
Next up was a Personnel Matter concerning Planning & Zoning’s Director, Dorothy Carsten. (Last week, at the BOCC meeting, the Commissioners went into Executive Session (ES) and after that passed a motion putting Carsten on paid administrative until this meeting. Carsten had a choice on how to run this issue at this meeting: she could ask for it to be handled in private in an ES or have it discussed openly in the BOCC meeting. She chose the latter.) County Attorney Dan Slater reviewed the issue and warned Carsten she was waiving her right to confidentiality regarding her personal information. Carsten agreed to that.
Human Resources Director Bob Smith was up first to state the allegations of misconduct. Smith said there were two (although he alluded to other “performance issues” about Carsten): The first issue was that Carsten violated the County Employee Handbook rule about being absent from work for three days or more without notifying her supervisor (who is Vogelsong). The second is that Carsten was open carrying a handgun at two instances when she was doing inspections in the field. The Handbook says employees can carry a handgun but it must be concealed at all times. Smith said it was also an assumption that an employee who conceals carry has a valid concealed carry permit…..

See the 06/06/2025 issue