MEEKER | Last Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held its regular January meeting at the Rio Blanco County Courthouse. The day began with the swearing-in of County Commissioners Jennifer O’Hearon and Callie Scritchfield, marking the first time in Rio Blanco County history that two women are serving simultaneously as commissioners.
The meeting opened with a public comment period during which Jeni Morlan expressed concerns regarding Colorado’s persons with disabilities law, HB 21-1110.
“The accessibility standards portion of the law requires that all governmental digital information and communications be accessible to everyone, including people with hearing, vision, or other physical challenges,” Morlan said.
Morlan noted that the county removed all website content in 2023, even though the compliance deadline is June 2025. She highlighted the issues that this creates for public access.
“This means that all county business documents—such as commissioners’ meetings, minutes, ordinances, and other information—are now only available in person or by phone,” Morlan said.
She criticized the move, saying, “Deleting all this information could be construed as not wanting people to access past county business easily. It may appear as if the law is being used as an excuse to limit transparency.”
Morlan urged the BOCC to consult counties like Garfield, Park, Moffat, Summit, Routt, Mesa, Montrose, and Delta, which have retained their online content while working toward compliance. She also cautioned against reinstating documents based solely on past viewership metrics, emphasizing the unpredictability of future public needs.
Additionally, Morlan voiced concern over the recent removal of three years’ worth of BOCC meeting videos from YouTube and called for greater transparency in appointing citizens to special boards. She proposed an annual lottery system to form an independent interview committee for board appointments, which she said could increase public involvement and improve cohesiveness.
Morlan also questioned the use of taxpayer funds to send two commissioners to Washington, D.C., for President Donald Trump’s inauguration which is a weeklong event.
After the public comment section of the meeting, Commissioner Doug Overton responded to Morlan’s concerns.
Regarding the ADA-compliant website, Overton acknowledged the financial burden of compliance. “If we were to make all our documents ADA compliant, it would break the county,” he said. Overton encouraged citizens to voice concerns to state legislators, noting that Rio Blanco County is ahead of others in addressing the law.
Overton also addressed the board appointment process, stating, “We have a hard time getting people to apply. If anyone is interested, put your name in, and we’d be glad to have you.”
Commissioners Scritchfield and O’Hearon clarified their participation in the Washington, D.C., trip. Commissioner Callie Scritchfield explained her mission in serving as a commissioner.
“I received an invitation from Senator Hickenlooper to attend the inauguration. Two reasons that I would have received that: first I was elected as commissioner and second is my working relationship with Sen. Hickenlooper particularly when he was governor. He knows that I can work with those across the aisle,” Scritchfield said.
“My husband was not interested in going so I reached out to the commissioners to see if one of them was interested. We have no intentions of having the county pay for more than one person, so Jennifer and I are both going to go, but we will be paying half of our cost because it should not cost the county more than the one amount,” continued Scritchfield. “This is not a fun trip. There will be work for the county that goes along with it. I feel like it is representing the county and making those relationships and networking so that when we have an issue we need help with we can reach out to those people.”
Commissioner Jennifer O’Hearon also spoke about the Washington, D.C. trip noting that she had plans already made in advance. She reached out to the Department of Energy’s interim director and asked for a meeting to talk about where the federal government is at with energy. She also tried to reach out to some congressmen to meet with them to talk about Secure Rural Schools funding. O’Hearon stated she is paying for her trip to Washington.
“This is an event of a lifetime, and so because of that I paid for my own plane tickets from the very beginning from the get-go. I did not charge the county. The only thing that I’ve so far charged to the county is one night of a hotel room,” stated O’Hearon.
In other business, the BOCC approved a service agreement amendment for Cross Connect Engineering, incorporating an updated fee schedule and increased fees for fiscal year 2025.
Sheriff Anthony Mazzola and Deputy Sheriff Travis Mobley provided updates on the training center, reporting that the project is 99% complete, with only the virtual reality component pending.
The board also approved the set regular meeting days for 2025, which will be held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. Meetings will alternate between Meeker and Rangely. They also approved Jennifer O’Hearon to serve as the new chair for the BOCC.
The meeting adjourned with an executive session to discuss contract negotiations with Colorado State University. The next BOCC meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2025, in Rangely at 9 a.m.
