BOCC Minutes December 12, 2023

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

December 12, 2023

STATE OF COLORADO           )

                                                     ) ss.

COUNTY OF MONTEZUMA   )

At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Montezuma County, Colorado, held on Tuesday December 12, 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 December 12, 2023 with the Pledge of Allegiance

MINUTES: Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the Proceedings of the Board of County Commissioners of Montezuma County, for Tuesday, December 5, 2023 as presented.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.

PLANNING: Planning Director, Don Haley along with Assistant, S. Jane Duncan presented for discussion and approval of an After-The-Fact Variance, submitted by Ashley C. Smith, on property located at 7348 Road 40.3, Mancos, CO, consisting of 3.79 acres, more or less, located north of Road 40.3, situated in Section 5, Township 35N, Range 13W, N.M.P.M.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the After-The-Fact Variance, submitted by Ashley C. Smith, on property located at 7348 County Road 40.3, Mancos, CO.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

Planning Director, Haley along with Assistant, Duncan presented for signatures of a Mylar for a Variance Application for setbacks and lot size, submitted by Kenneth Hinton; agent: Richard O’Brien, on property located at 7351 Road 24.3, Cortez, CO, consisting of 3 acres, more or less, located north of Road G.2, west of Road 24.3, situated in Section 3, Township 35N, Range 16W, N.M.P.M.

Planning Director, Haley along with Assistant, Duncan presented for signatures of a Mylar for a Boundary Line Adjustment Application submitted by The Faucet Company, LLC, on property located at 24194 Road L, Cortez, CO, consisting of 6.75 acres, more or less, and Richard McDonald, on property located at 10801 Hwy 491, Cortez, CO, consisting of 1.40 acres, more or less, both located west of Hwy 491, south of Road L, situated in Section 22, Township 36N, Range 16W, N.M.P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comment was made by Mike Lynch.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

DISCUSSION: Senior Services Director, Jennifer Morris presented proposed amendments to the Fee Schedule for use of the Senior Center / Annex I.  Proposed increases included: the kitchen deposit $100.00, an hourly rate at $35.00 per hour, and the kitchen rental $150.00.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the increase in fees, for the use of the Annex, as presented.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

DISCUSSION: The discussion related to proposed fee charges, for the use of the County Annex I for County Elections was tabled to a future date. (See attached) 

DISCUSSION: Senior Services Director Morris will move forward with a proposed LOR Grant for a part-time kitchen help at the Senior Center.

MCCO / TRANSIT: Director, Jennifer Morris reported that the Rico run had not worked out and the program had been stopped.

DISCUSSION: The discussion related to the draft 2024 Holiday Schedule was tabled to a future date.  (See attached)

ASSESSOR: During the Monday workshop Montezuma County Assessor, Leslie Bugg presented an agreement for contract services between the Montezuma County Assessor’s office and Total Assessment Solutions Corporation “TASC”, for approval.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the agreement between the Montezuma County Assessor’s Office and Total Assessment Solutions Corporation.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

DISCUSSION: The Rural Technical Assistance Program Funding grant submission form was presented for approval.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the grant application submission form, for the RTAP, Rural Technical Assistance Program funding, in the amount of $41,000.00.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried. (See attached)

DISCUSSION: During the Monday BOCC workshop, Sheriff Steve Nowlin presented the LOR Foundation Grant Application Submission Form for approval.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the grant application submission form, for the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, with the LOR Foundation in the amount of $19,115.00.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT: County Attorney, Ian MacLaren no report given.

ADMINISTRATOR REPORT: County Administrator, Travis Anderson no report given.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER REPORT: Topics within the Commissioners reports included: Commissioner Koppenhafer discussed the completion of the Colorado River Task Force meetings and the recommendations sent forward to the legislature.  Commissioner Lindsay discussed the scheduled Cortez City Council meeting and the Community benefit event for Cortez Police Officer Sargent Moran.  Commissioner Candelaria was not available to report.

Vice Chairman Lindsay called a recess of the meeting until 10:30 a.m.   Vice Chairman Lindsay reconvened the meeting.

PUBLIC LANDS:

Mesa Verde National Park, Kayci Cook Collins met with the Commissioners to give an update on the Park.  Topics discussed included: visitation numbers, economic benefit information, winter conditions, closures and delayed openings, available equipment operator positions, a borrowed snowplow from Rocky Mountain National Park, the cancellation of the Annual Luminary Event and a 2025 closure of the Wetherill Mesa for scheduled projects.

Bureau of Land Management, Tres Rios Field Office Manager, Derek Padilla met with the Commissioners to give updates.  Manager Padilla discussed the attended Gunnison Sage Grouse and Big Game Resource Management Plan Amendments public meetings and reported that comments would be due by February 6, 2024 on both.  Other topics discussed included: the completion of the (TAP) Travel Analysis Planning Resource Management Plan Maintenance Map updates and planned winter pile burnings with projects in the Summit Lake area.

Canyon of the Ancients National Monument Manager, Ray O’Neal met with the Commissioners to give updates.  Topic discussed included; an update on the Trail Canyon Ranch pending BLM permit for horse tours in the Sand Canyon area, the Painted Hand projects update, the 2025 funding from the Great American Outdoors Act for projects at the Canyon of the Ancients and a proposed reduction of the speed limit.

DISCUSSION: A discussion related to scheduling the date for the 2024 Budget Public Hearing was held.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to set the Public Hearing for the County Budget, to December 28, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.

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

CORRESPONDENCE: The following correspondence was read and noted:

MEETING ADJOURNED:  10:45 a.m.

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Clerk                     December 12, 2023                          Chairman