The Rio Blanco County Board of Commissioners met for its first regular meeting of 2024 on Tuesday at the county courthouse. On a lengthy agenda, the board made appointments for representatives to various offices and entities and renewed some annual agreements.
Meeker resident Jeff Madison and Rangely resident Alden Vanden Brink were interviewed for an open seat on the Colorado River District board. Vanden Brink, who is also the executive director of the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District, will remain on the Colorado River District board following his reappointment by commissioners.
Commissioner Doug Overton will be the board chair for 2024, with Commissioner Jennifer O’Hearon as chair pro tem. Both O’Hearon’s seat and Commissioner Ty Gates’s seat are up for reelection in 2024. O’Hearon announced her intention to run for a full term after being appointed in 2022. Gates said he does not plan to run again but will fulfill his current term of office.
Commissioners convened as the county Board of Health with Public Health Director Makala Sheridan. Sheridan said Pioneers Medical Center notified her they are willing to move ahead with a contract and memorandum of understanding to provide Covid vaccinations using public health grant funding, and said she had not heard back from Rangely District Hospital. As the Board of Health, commissioners went into executive session with County Attorney Don Steerman to discuss contract negotiations.
In a separate special meeting Tuesday afternoon, the commissioners adopted the 2024 budget and certified the mill levies.
