PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

March 7, 2023

STATE OF COLORADO           )

) ss.

COUNTY OF MONTEZUMA   )

At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Montezuma County, Colorado, held on Tuesday March 7, 2023 at the Montezuma County Administration building in Cortez, Colorado, there were present:

Jim Candelaria, Chairman, Absent

Kent Lindsay, Vice Chairman

Gerald Koppenhafer, Commissioner of Deeds

Travis Anderson, County Administrator

Ian MacLaren, County Attorney

Kim Percell, County Clerk

VICE CHAIRMAN, LINDSAY opened the meeting of March 7, 2023 with the Pledge of Allegiance.

MINUTES: Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the minutes of the Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners Montezuma County, Colorado dated Tuesday, February 28, 2023 as presented.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.

PLANNING: Planning Director, Don Haley along with Assistant, S. Jane Duncan presented for signatures of a Mylar for a 2 Lot Moderate Subdivision and AR3-9 Rezoning Application, submitted by Carlene Porter, Kurtis Case, & Tonya Capps; agent: Danny Wilkin, on property located at 15965 Road 21, Cortez, CO, consisting of 5 acres, more or less, located south of Road S, west of Road 21, situated in Section 25, T.37N, R.17W, N.M.P.M..

PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comment was made by Farmers Telecommunications, General Manager, Bill Blackford.

ROAD & BRIDGE DEPARTMENT: Road Superintendent, Rob Englehart met with the Commissioners to give a monthly report.  Superintendent Englehart presented the road and bridge schedule for the month of March 2023, and gave an overview of the type of work scheduled.  Other topics discussed included; gravel crushing, the 2/28/2023 McElmo wells chart update and an overview of the equipment.  Superintendent Englehart presented the following for the record: the (CDOT) Colorado Department of Transportation’s driveway snow removal recommendations, the CDOT Depositing Snow on State or US Roadways Prohibited document, Montezuma County Resolution #1-2008, a list of Private Snow Removal companies and a County mailing for all property owners regarding snow removal deposits on a public roadway.  A discussion was held regarding a possible delineator issue on Road L.  (See attached)

NOXIOUS WEED DEPARTMENT: Weed Department Manager, Bonnie Loving met with the Commissioners to give a monthly report.  Manager Loving gave an overview of the attended Meeting of the Minds discussion.  Other topics discussed included; preparation for the 2023 weed season, the yearly gigantic weed contest, grants and funding, an update on current projects and participation in the annual Home & Garden Show.  (See attached)

FAIRGROUNDS: Fairgrounds Manager, Justin McGuire met with the Commissioner to give a monthly report.  Manager McGuire reported that the proposed, Cooper Fire Protection Services, Submittal No. 1A, Automatic Fire Sprinkler System was at the State for approval, for the Fairgrounds arena. The Fairground monthly report included, the year to date numbers of 2600 in attendance, revenues at $24,578.00 and expenditures at $35,596.32.  A discussion was held regarding past and future events, the Winter Practice schedule, painting projects, the outdoor restroom remodel project, removal of the indoor arena for scheduled events and proposed seasonal Flea Market events.  (See attached)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Economic Development Coordinator, Jessica Thurman met with the Commissioner to give a monthly report.  Topics discussed included; the Cortez Housing Steering Committee Assessment meeting, the weekly Region 9 meeting, participation in the Montezuma Cortez High School “Futures Fair”, an attended United Way Food Security Action Team meeting, the Colorado Opportunity Now Grant, the Economic Development Organization Action Grant application, funds from DOLA for the Road Maps project and presentations to the Town Councils for the implementation of the Montezuma Community Collective.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:  

DISCUSSION: Emergency Manager, Jim Spratlen presented for approval the Montezuma County, Debris Management Plan.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the master copy of the Montezuma County Debris Management Plan as presented. Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

DISCUSSION: Emergency Manager, Jim Spratlen presented for approval the Memorandum of Understanding between Fairgrounds and RE-1 School District.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the updated Memorandum of Understanding between Montezuma Cortez School District Re1 and Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners as presented.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

DISCUSSION: The Heritage Museum Lease discussion was postponed to a later date.

NEW BUSINESS:  

DISCUSSION: Administrator, Travis Anderson presented for approval, a letter of support addressed to Colorado Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, regarding the Town of Dolores Phase II Water System Improvements.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to sign the letter of support for the Town of Dolores, to apply for the Phase II water system improvements, to secure funding through the Senators discretionary funding.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried. (See attached)

NATURAL RESOURCES, PLANNING & PUBLIC LANDS: Resource Director, James Dietrich, met with the Commissioner to give a monthly report.  Topics discussed included the (DWARF) Dolores Watershed and Resilient Forrest Coordination Committee meeting, funding opportunities, the Community Wildfire Defense Grant, the (RCPP) Regional Conservation Partnership Program, the Forest Restoration Wildfire Risk Mitigation Grant, the AIM Grant through (COCO) Coalitions and Collaborative Inc., the (CWBC) Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Water Shed Restoration Grant, the (CFLRP) Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, the Big Game Corridors and Gunnison Sage Grouse comments,  the OREC Recreation Strategies, a proposed infrared camera system purchase, the IHOP Affordable Housing Strategy, an update on the Paths to Mesa Verde Project, the Mancos Source Water Protection Plan, the Wolf Reintroduction Comments and a letter received from the BLM regarding an amendment to the plan for renewable projects, asking Montezuma County to become a cooperating agency.

Director Dietrich presented for approval the Montezuma County Paths to Mesa Verde PH3 Segment A, State SLAWRK Project: MTF C320-007 (25346) contract.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve project MTF C320-007 (25346) between Montezuma County and the State of Colorado.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT: County Attorney, Ian MacLaren discussed a proposed extension to the Ironwood property chip removal schedule, a proposed air incinerator and gave an update on the Fractural Interest Orders / Colorado Property Tax Administrator VS CO2 Committee case.

ADMINISTRATOR REPORT: County Administrator, Travis Anderson gave a weekly report.  Topics discussed included; a submitted letter of support for HB 23-1139, regarding the reclassification from 3D to 3A for Montezuma County, a notification of retirement from Social Service Director, Gina Montoya, a completed County by County review and the attended discussion with Colorado State Senator Simpson regarding Noxious Weed funding.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER REPORT: Topics discussed within the Commissioners reports included: Commissioner Koppenhafer discussed the attended Triple A meeting, the Southwest Water Conservation District legislative discussion, constituent phone calls and air incinerators.  Commissioner Lindsay discussed the attended Housing Solutions meeting, the Monday Workshop, the attended CSU Extension open house and constituent phone calls.  Commissioner Candelaria was not available to report.

MOTION TO ADJOURN: Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.

CORRESPONDENCE: The following correspondence was read and noted: Emails received from Mindy Nelsen and Laurel Schaffer.

MEETING ADJOURNED: 10:33 a.m.

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Clerk                     March 7, 2023                              Chairman