RANGELY | Emergency Ordinance 672- Fire Ban
Following the county’s lead, the town issued a municipal fire ban. The ban includes outdoor fires such as campfires, fireworks and field or trash burning. As a result, the Fourth of July fireworks show at Kenney Reservoir has been canceled.
Police Chief Wilczek said that primary compliance will come from citizens issuing complaints which will result in a warning and then a summons. If the banned activity starts a fire the perpetrator will likely be “taken to jail.”
The last municipal fire ban was in 2012.
West Springs Hospital
Michelle Huber with Mind Springs Health discussed a $17.75 million-dollar expansion to the West Springs psychiatric hospital in Grand Junction. The facility is the only one between Denver and Salt Lake City and, according to Huber, in high demand with an average of 8-12 people on a waiting list at all times.
This week Rio Blanco had four “crisis” situations, none of which were able to receive a place, Huber said. In 2017 Mind Springs provided crisis assistance to 233 people in Rio Blanco County. The new facility will double the available beds and create a wing dedicated to children and adolescents. The project has raised $10 million to date. The town will discuss potentially pledging funds to the project as they approach their budget cycle.
Town Manager Update
Manager Peter Brixius told the council that river algae is causing intake problems at the water treatment plant with the screens requiring cleaning every eight hours.
Police Officer Max Becker will be leaving the Rangely PD next month to take a position with the Rio Blanco Sheriff’s Office.
The town has been fogging for mosquitos in local parks. The aerial spraying is scheduled for next week.
Tanglewood Update
Brixius said there would be a few more weeks of work on the water line replacement in the neighborhood, then sidewalks will be removed to allow for connections. Completion of the project, which started early this month, is expected by early September. The town said they have implemented dust control efforts.
Audit
Marlo Coates of Colorado CPA presented the 2017 town financial audit saying that 99.7 percent of levied property taxes were collected, amounting to just over $183,000. The Public Giving Fund was the only fund to go over budgeted expenditures, exceeding the budget by $760.
The audit was unanimously accepted by the council.
