RBC | During a public workshop for the Rio Blanco County Commissioners Tuesday, Nov. 26, local property owner Melinda Parker approached the commissioners seeking financial help with taking her old apartment buildings down. The estimated costs from 2017 were $16,800 for the dump fee, $15,000 for trucking fees and $4,950 for the demolition fee. The building has been vacant and ready to be torn down since 2017. The cost was a concern for Parker as she believed the dump price was going to be going up in January 2020. However, for commercial accounts, the cost per ton is actually decreasing from $58 to $40. The commissioners decided they would table Parker’s request and discuss it at a later time.
Kent Walters shared his report with the commissioners of the upcoming meetings for the BLM. Alice Walker followed up with her end of the year review for the Rio Blanco County Public Health Department.
The commissioners then moved into their agenda where they approved a Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant application for the Rio Blanco County Road 7 Bridge Construction Project, as well as a support letter from the Board of County Commissioners of Rio Blanco County, to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs in support of the Town of Meeker’s grant request for the Water Street Water Line Replacement Project.
In other actions, the board:
– Approved a service order between the Board of County Commissioners of Rio Blanco County, and Northwest Open Access Network to provide after-hours NOC support.
– Approved a joint funding agreement between the Board of County Commissioners of Rio Blanco County, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, for the operation and maintenance of streamflow gauging stations and water quality sampling sites on the White River, Piceance Creek, Corral Gulch and Yellow Creek beginning Jan. 1, 2020.
– Approved an agreement for services between the Board of County Commissioners for the use and benefit of the Rio Blanco County Public Health Agency, and Albert R. Krueger, M.D., for the purpose of providing access to physician consultation and guidance in directing the Rio Blanco County Department of Public Health and Environment.
– Approved an agreement for service between the Board of County Commissioners for the use and benefit of the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, and Pioneers Medical Center to provide jail health consulting services.
During the commissioners’ updates, Commissioner Si Woodruff talked about his meeting with Overton on the generator. They talked about not having the correct power and equipment to change it. He also asked about the funding they commissioners will be giving to the Meeker Sportsmans Club this winter in support of their new range.
Commissioner Gary Moyer spoke about attending the 911 dispatchers meeting held in Rangely where they discussed that Rangely is committed to keeping their dispatch center. The end goal is to keep them separate. Commissioner Jeff Rector stated, “Rio Blanco County is not trying to take over the Rangely dispatch.” Sheriff Anthony Mazzola followed by saying, “We both want our dispatchers staying with jobs in both Rangely and Meeker. Let’s work together and figure this out.”
Commissioner Rector attended a coal and natural gas summit meeting in California and on his way back stopped in Utah and learned about the Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS) technologies. Rector believes this technology could be leveraged in Rio Blanco County.
By Paige Jones | [email protected]
