PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

January 26, 2021

STATE OF COLORADO           )

                                                     ) ss.

COUNTY OF MONTEZUMA   )

At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Montezuma County, Colorado, held on Tuesday January 26, 2021 at the Montezuma County Administration building in Cortez, Colorado, there were present:

Jim Candelaria, Chairman

Kent Lindsay, Vice Chairman

Joel Stevenson, Commissioner of Deeds

Shalako Powers, County Administrator

John C. Baxter, County Attorney

Kim Percell, County Clerk

CHAIRMAN, CANDELARIA opened the meeting of January 26, 2021 with the Pledge of Allegiance.

MINUTES: Commissioner Lindsay moved to accept the minutes of the Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners Montezuma County, Colorado dated January 19, 2021 as presented.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Stevenson and carried.

PLANNING: Director, Don Haley with Assistant, S. Jane Duncan presented for signatures of a Mylar for a Boundary Line Adjustment to Lot #8, amending the Totten Land General Planned Unit Development (GPUD) on property owned by Totten Land, LLC; Agent Cap Allen, located at 10363 Road 29, Cortez, CO, located north of Road K.3, west of Road 29, situated in Section 20, T.36N, R.15W, N.M.P.M

PUBLIC COMMENT: Rafe Obrien discussed the 2021 budget for the County Fairgrounds Race Track. 

DISCUSSION: Dolores Chamber of Commerce Director, Susan Lisak, met with the Commissioners to present for review a Montezuma County 2021 Relocation Guide.   Director Lisak reported that the Relocation Guide would be digital in the beginning, working towards a printed version. Other topics discussed included: reasons for a relocation guide, the ability to attract more diverse business, a reference toolkit, marketing the area, a potential table of contents, sponsorships, the development of the website https://www.lovelocalmontezuma.com, the County demographics and a onetime funding request in the amount of $10,000.00 to get the project off the ground.  (See attached)

BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MONTHLY REPORT: It being the time set aside, the Board of Social Services was conducted.  Director, Gina Montoya and Finance Officer, Lori Higgins were present.  (See attached)

VETERANS SERVICE: Veteran Service Officer, Rick Torres along with Assistant Service Officer, Sarah Kuhn met with the Commissioners to give a monthly report.  Officer Torres introduced himself and Officer Kuhn, then gave an overview of the Montezuma County Veterans Program.  A copy of the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, County Veterans Service Officers Monthly Report and Certification of Pay December 2020 was presented for the record.  Other topics discussed included; the mission statement, core values, the County’s Veteran population, the focus of effort, the department budget, an update on the monthly expenditures, statistical data and the indirect income to Montezuma County.  (See attached). 

MONTEZUMA COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (MCCO): MCCO Manager, Jennifer Morris met with the Commissioners to give a monthly report.  Manager Morris introduced herself and gave an overview of the MCCO program.  Other topics discussed included; a 2020 MOCO Report, grant funds received, the establishment of a fixed route program, COVID patient transports, vehicle wrap advertisements, transportation partnerships with neighboring counties, driver qualifications and Medicaid clients.  (See attached) 

SENIOR SERVICES: Director Jonathon G. Parker met with the Commissioners to give a monthly report on the Senior Services programs.  Director Parker introduced himself and gave an overview of the Senior Service programs.  Topics discussed included; the Meals on Wheels home delivery program, Region 9, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA), grant funding, average yearly budget, the onsite meals program, the meal schedules, other activities offered, the Extension Office’s Aging Mastery Program, a proposed home visit program, offered tele-programs, a future safe reopening plan and the COVID-19 vaccination availability for seniors.

CSU EXTENSION OFFICE: Extension Director, Gregory Felsen met with the Commissioners to give a monthly report.  Director Felsen introduced himself and gave an overview of the Extension Office.  Topics of the discussion included; scheduled events, the Western Colorado Cattle and Forage Update, a drought planning workshop, the Extension Newsletter, the Master Gardner Program, the Native Plant Master’s Program the 4H & Youth Development Program, the County Fair, the scheduled market beef weigh in, the (STEM) Science Technology Engineer and Mathematics Americore member that does the After School Programming, the scheduled Advisory Board meeting, an additional member to the Advisory Board, the team up through United Way, a County vehicle for the Extension office, the Modern Day Victory Program, the Grow and Give Campaign, the Montezuma School to Farm Program and the Cottage Food Training Program.  (See attached)

COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT: County Attorney, John Baxter, discussed the 2009 BAA Kinder Morgan case, amendments to the proposed DOLA Excessive Force Resolution and the Request for Product (RFP) for the Fiber Project.  

NATURAL RESOURCES, PLANNING & PUBLIC LANDS: Resource Director, James Dietrich, met with the Commissioners to give a weekly report.  Director Dietrich presented for signatures, a letter of support addressed to BLM Tres Rios Field Office, Jen Jardine, regarding the 1794 (S01000) DOI-BLM-CO-S07-2021-003 EA, Kinder Morgan Exploration Project.  Commissioner Stevenson moved to send the letter to the BLM Tres Rios Field Office, Attention Jen Jardine, 29211 Highway 184 Dolores Colorado 81323, regarding, 1794 (S01000) DOI-BLM-CO-S07-2021-003 EA, on the Kinder Morgan Exploration Project.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  Director Dietrich presented for signatures a letter addressed to the Honorable Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado, regarding Proposition 114, with a request to not rush the reintroduction of the wolf, to complete the planning for the reintroduction.  The Commissioners were in agreement to include and send the letter to Parks and Wildlife.   Commissioner Lindsay moved to sign the letter to Governor Polis asking him to slow down the reintroduction of the wolf, so that we can know what is coming and how to plan for this.  Second by Commissioner Stevenson, the motion carried.  Other topics discussed included: a bid received from G Affordable Signs in the amount of $19,086.00, for the Administration Building sign and the Archeology Assessments for the Flowdine and Yellow Jacket allotments.  (See attached)

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT:

EXPENDITURES REPORT: Administrator, Shak Powers presented the November 2020 Accounts Payable Expenditure Reports for approval.  Commissioner Lindsay moved to approve the expenditures as presented.  Second by Commissioner Stevenson and carried.  

EXPENDITURES REPORT: Administrator Powers presented the December 2020 Accounts Payable Expenditure Reports for approval.  Commissioner Stevenson moved to approve the December payables as brought to us today   Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried. 

Administrator Powers discussed a request from Brian Bartlett, for reappointment, of a 2 year term, to the Lodgers Tax Committee.  Commissioner Stevenson moved to leave Brian Bartlett on the Lodgers Tax Committee.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  Other topics discussed included; future budgeting discussions on the County reserve funds and a maximum fund amount for agency requests.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER REPORT: Topics discussed within the Commissioners reports included: time spent reading documents and topic education, the attended Multi Agency Coordination meeting, the Montezuma Business Taskforce meeting, the Board to Board meeting with San Miguel, the CCI legislative session meeting, the Fairgrounds video presentation, the County Commissioners of Southwest Colorado meeting, the attended Town of Dolores Council meeting and the proposed Grant Writer position.   

DISCUSSION: GIS Manager, Doug Roth along with Resource Director, Dietrich met with the Commissioners to discuss a map of Forest Service Logging Areas (as of 2021 permit activity list) and the impacts to Montezuma County roads.  Topics discussed included; the road impact mileage for each project, the predicted end dates and the number of estimated yearly loads.  (See attached)

Chairman Candelaria announced the adjournment of the meeting for the LUNCH break.

Chairman Candelaria announced the meeting would reconvene

BOARD OF COUNTY HEALTH: It being the time set aside, the Board of County Health was conducted.  Public Health Director Bobbie Lock, and Assistant Director Laurel Schafer were present.  (See attached)

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Pursuant to Attorney Baxter’s suggestion, Commissioner Stevenson moved to go into executive session for a conference with the attorney for the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and/or instructing negotiations under C.R.S. Section 24-6-402(4)(e), to include Commissioners, Candelaria, Lindsay and Stevenson, Administrator Powers, Attorney Baxter and Clerk Percell, seconded by Commissioner Lindsay and carried. Topics for the executive session were legal tactics of negotiation, legalities and procedure regarding the Fiber Optics Request for Product Agreement with the City of Cortez.  Commissioner Lindsay moved to go out of executive session, seconded by Commissioner Stevenson and carried.   (See attached)

PUBLIC COMMENT: None

CORRESPONDENCE: The following correspondence was read and noted:

MOTION TO ADJOURN: was made by Commissioner Lindsay seconded by Commissioner Stevenson and carried.

MEETING ADJOURNED: 4:00 p.m.