RBC | This is the second in a three article series reviewing the purpose of 10 panels to which the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will be making appointments at its regular Jan. 28 meeting. Each of these 10 boards have vacancies. We also intend to provide some information as to whose terms are expiring and if those individuals wish to continue to serve in these capacities.
The BOCC urges anyone interested in appointment to any of the upcoming vacancies to complete the county’s application form and get it back to the county by Jan. 23. This application can be obtained from Human Resources Director Laura Smith at the courthouse or online at the county website, rbc. us, under “Government, Boards and Commissions.”
The boards reviewed last week were the Building Board of Appeals, Citizen Review Panel and the Columbine Park Board. This week’s focus is the Council on Aging Board, Fair Board and Fairgrounds Management Board.
– COUNCIL ON AGING BOARD
This three-member/two-alternate board makes decisions regarding funding and other services as part of the Area Agencies on Aging Program which provides information and services to assist older adults and those who care for them. Each member of the board is appointed for only a one-year term, so all five slots are open.
The current delegates are Dorothy Chappell of Meeker, Annalee Nickson, bus driver for the Rangely Radino Senior Center, and Linda Berry of Rangely. Current alternates are Zubie Devish and Doris Walters of Meeker. The group typically meets on the first Tuesday of every month, March through December.
Qualifications are Rio Blanco County residency and being 60 or older. This board works locally with Debra Barney of the White River Nutrition Program (Chuckwagon in Meeker and the Radino Center in Rangely) and with Barbara Bofinger, Director of the County Human Services Department. In addition, the group is part of the Northwest Colorado Area on Aging and typically travels to joint meetings with
their counterparts from the other counties in the five-county region.
According to Barney, it’s likely this board will be looking for some new faces to interface with the current members.
– FAIR BOARD
The purpose of the Fair Board is to maintain and oversee a successful annual county fair. The board meets to recommend policy and sound, knowledgeable decisions about the county fair, and acts in an advisory capacity to the BOCC. Board meetings have typically been the last Thursday of each month, alternating between Meeker and Rangely. Each of the 10 members are appointed to staggered three-year terms. Three current members with expiring terms are Meeker’s Ed Coryell and Rangely’s Adair Norman,
both of whom are reported to have been first appointed in 2007, and Rangely’s Cindy Garner, first appointed in 2011.
According to the commissioner’s office, Tammy Strain of Rangely and Shawn Bolton of Meeker have applied for Fair Board membership. Coryell has applied for re-appointment. Continuing Fair Board members are Meeker’s Karen Arnold, Ty Gates, Alex Plumb, Mike Lopez and Quentin Smith together with Rangely’s Rod Storey and Daniel Lapp. The Fair Board works primarily with the Rio Blanco County extension agent, currently Carla Farrand.
– FAIRGROUNDS MANAGEMENT BOARD
Members of the Fairgrounds Management Board are in place to make recommendations to fairgrounds facility director Boyd Richardson and the BOCC regarding the needs of the county fairgrounds facility and its operation. It meets only as needed.
This board is made up of six individuals, four appointed by the county commissioners for staggered three year terms. The other two members are to be appointed respectively by the Town of Meeker and the Eastern Rio Blanco Parks and Recreation District. Current board members
appointed by the BOCC are Billy Goedert, Dessa Watson, Janell Urista and Tod Gould. The terms of Goedert and Watson are expiring.
Both have served two terms having been originally appointed in 2013. The Recreation District and Town
of Meeker slots have neither been requested nor filled by anyone recently, according to those entities.
Next week the HT will review the Historic Preservation Board, Planning Commission, Rangely Cemetery Board and Weed Management Board. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Laura Smith at 970-878-9570 or email [email protected], or fill out an application online here (http://www.rbc.us/DocumentCenter/View/1173/APPLICATION-FORBOARD-OR-COMMISSIONMEMBERSHIP?bidId=).
By REED KELLEY | [email protected]
