Commissioners meet in Meeker

RBC | Monday the county commissioners appointed Danny Lapp to the Rio Blanco County Fair Board, approved a series of vehicle bids and awarded the annual crackfill project bid and Piceance Creek weed spraying bids. The commissioners also renewed the ambulance service licenses for Rangely District Hospital and the Rio Blanco County Fire Protection District Meeker Ambulance Service.
The board approved bids from Northwest Auto for a full-size GMC Yukon and a GMC 2500 HD pickup and a bid for two vehicles from Transwest Trucks for $312,352.
Weed management bids on Piceance Creek were awarded to Coulter Aviation for $63,150, Noxious Weed Management for $105,000 and Julius Ag, Inc. for $105,000.
Road and Bridge Director Dave Morlan said County Road 8 is now open as far as Ripple Creek Lodge.
Morlan also said the plant surveys the BLM is requesting before maintenance plans can be agreed upon for various county roads will cost the county between $4,000 and $16,000.
Commissioner Si Woodruff asked Morlan to coordinate with the Town of Meeker to provide road maintenance in accordance with an agreement between the county and the Meeker Sportsman’s Club in exchange for providing training facilities for local law enforcement.
Woodruff and Jeff Rector attended the certified local government meetings last week about historic preservation.
“It’s pretty cool,” Rector said, “There’s a lot of potential, but there’s also a lot of legwork to do.”
In his update, Rector said the Rangely Chamber said BLM has been “giving them grief about an access agreement” for OHV trails and suggesting granting access on county roads.
Rector also said he has been in communication with the Western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District regarding coordinating Rangely’s July 4 events with Meeker’s Range Call celebration to afford residents the opportunity to take advantage of as many activities as possible, including two nights of fireworks.
Woodruff said he attended a recent Meeker Sportsman’s Club meeting and was “surprised how many people use that little club.” The club is working to raise money to purchase the property the shooting range is situated on.
Woodruff also said he would like to discuss the possibility of some county departments going to a four-day work week.
Commissioner Shawn Bolton was named chair of the first Urban Renewal Authority meeting for Meeker. He also attended a meeting in Grand Junction discussing the next steps for support for the Jordan Cove LNG project.
The next commissioners’ meeting in Meeker will be held in the new boardroom at the courthouse April 21.