County

Meetings on justice center set

MEEKER I In 2013, the Rio Blanco County Board of Commissioners launched the Justice Center Project with the their stated objective of improving current facilities that serve our citizens, county and district law enforcement and to improve efficiencies for county services based in Meeker.
In December, Reilly Johnson Architecture of Denver was hired to complete the planning, programming and design of the project’s architectural features. They were instructed to consider four major criteria in their design:
1) Develop a plan that will bring the sheriff’s offices, judges’ chambers, district and county courts and the detention center into compliance with the American Disabilities Act and current state regulations; 2) Create an environment for the historical downtown square of Meeker that will encourage economic traffic while maintaining and enhancing a public gathering area that can be utilized for various events, including concerts, community celebrations and more; 3) Produce an architectural design that fits the flavor of the current downtown buildings; 4) Take into consideration the historical value of, and explore possibly repurposing the old Meeker Elementary School building.
Currently, Reilly Johnson is meeting with employees of the courts, sheriff’s office and other users of the building to gain a full understanding of current and future needs.
This information is being utilized in the development of a conceptual design that reflects the four criteria mentioned above, square footage needs, public comment collected throughout 2013, and the project budget. The conceptual design recommendation to the commissioners will be a balance of needs and budget.
To learn more, join the Rio Blanco County commissioners for public informational meetings. The board will host a meeting in Rangely at 6 p.m. on March 11 at the Weiss Conference Room at CNCC.A second meeting will be held in Meeker at 6 p.m. on March 12 at the Fairfield Center. Additional information can be found online by visiting www.co.rio-blanco.co.us/information/justicecenter.
Why does Rio Blanco County need major upgrades to the courthouse and county service offices?
The courthouse was built in 1935 and has had minimal improvements since. Unfortunately, the building is experiencing infrastructure failure and repairs must be made to allow for complete building functionality and safety.
The current law enforcement facilities, courtroom and detention center do not meet requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act and are not in compliance with existing state regulations. Equally important is the need to improve safety throughout — safety for area residents, county employees and detainees.
Has public comment been incorporated into the plans for the center?
Yes. There were several significant concerns and/or suggestions made by community members that have been considered in the development. The county has set its sights to, where feasible, preserve the historical value of the old elementary school.
The four key criteria identified by the commissioners concerning project design take into consideration the historical value of this building and explore the possible repurposing of the old Meeker Elementary School building. Currently, one draft conceptual design includes incorporating the 1939 WPA section of the old school into the facility design.
The county also could use the old elementary school for economic development purposes and recruit a business to fill it. The commissioners are committed to economic development with the mission of increasing primary jobs throughout the county. They feel the most effective way to address economic development is to dedicate a staff position to develop a strategic approach to furthering community development, expanding sustainable business opportunities and bringing job creation to the county.
Having foot traffic in the downtown is important. The commissioners have directed the architect to develop not just a building, but to create an environment capable of hosting community gatherings and events conducive to creating increased opportunities for foot traffic.
Why does the courthouse have to be in Meeker?
By state statute, Meeker is designated as the county seat. Changing the county seat designation and relocating courts, law enforcement offices and the detention center to Rangely would require a costly and time-consuming legal process;
It is also important that the building “fits” Meeker and not be an overbuilt “Taj Mahal.” Reilly Johnson has been instructed to design a building that is functional and fits with the existing character of the downtown buildings and their style, thus, adding to the overall aesthetic appeal of the downtown square.
The commissioners also will be considerate of taxpayer money and make the project affordable. The commissioners are able to fund this project through existing revenues as a result of years of conservative budgeting.

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
  • The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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