RANGELY | The Rangely Town Board of Trustees meeting was called to order by Mayor Andy Shaffer at 7:04 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24. Trustees Alisa Granger, Tyson Hacking, Andy Key, Keely Ellis, and Trey Robie were present.
Petitions and Public Input:
Colorado Northwestern Community College President Ron Granger updated the trustees and public on campus changes during the pandemic. Most CNCC classes that can be put online (about 75%) have been and the staff has been trained. The other 25% of classes which cannot be held online such as the National Park Service Ranger Academy and Aviation Mechanics will return at the discretion of the students. Students are starting to come back to CNCC and about 45 students are expected to return. Upon return the college will screen the students before they can check back into the residence halls. Students have been relocated to Holland and Nichols Halls which freed up Ross Hall. Ross Hall can now be used for overflow patients from Rangely District Hospital if needed. Many CNCC employees are working from home. Only 30-40% are working on campus currently and that number is expected to drop through the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. The college is suggesting limiting students’ off-campus activity. National Park Service Ranger Academy students are isolating for 14 days upon arrival back on campus and are tending to online classwork during that time.
Giovanni’s Italian Grill owner Sandy Payne thanked the Town of Rangely and Rio Blanco County for all their efforts during the pandemic. She said their online ordering has become popular and takeout business was already growing strong before the orders from the governor came down last week. Her business has furloughed one team member and two other employees will be taking advantage of the Rio Blanco County Workshare Program this week.
Committee/board meetings
Town Manager Lisa Piering reports the RDA and RDC meetings have been canceled. April Community Outreach will probably be canceled as well.
There were no supervisor reports at this meeting.
Town Manager update
Town marketing coordinator Jeannie Caldwell and Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Konnie Billgren were making great strides in economic development but that has been put on hold for the moment, according to Piering. She reports the dynamic duo has been marketing online and everyone is chipping in and implementing changes as they come.
The Town of Rangely has been taking social distancing seriously but they are still working and are committed to providing essential services to town residents. The town has a contingency plan in place and has people in other towns that they could rely on so those operations would go on. Departments are cross-trained, and everyone is confident in continuing to operate as normal. Piering has asked departments to cut back on spending for the time being. The Town presented a grant request to the Department of Local Affairs remotely. The grant, if received, would help fund the waterline project. Piering believes the presentation went well.
Under old business, the board denied the liquor license for California Wok, LLC.
Under new business, trustees approved the February 2020 financial summary; approved a liquor license renewal for Loaf ’n’ Jug; approved a resolution declaring a local disaster. Piering said the resolution could give the Town of Rangely the ability to receive state and federal money at a later time. It would also give administrators discretion to make decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency on behalf of the Town of Rangely.
The board also approved a letter of support for a contribution project by the Association of Northwest Colorado (AGNC). The letter implores enterprise zones apply to become a contribution project for the purpose of collecting contributions that could be used to assist businesses in our enterprise zone with negative impacts resulting from the coronavirus responses.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:37 p.m.
