RBC | In work sessions Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Rio Blanco County Commissioners heard an update on activities from Callie Scritchfield, executive director of the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts. Scritchfield said seeking long-term, sustainable funding has been “priority one.” Scritchfield said the districts are administering 14 grants right now to keep their work moving forward, in addition to the regular mill levy tax collected and additional funding from the county. After a taxing error discovered in 2016 by the county assessor cut the districts’ budgets by 83%, the county stepped in to provide additional funding, currently about $75K a year.
Scritchfield shared progress on projects like rangeland health, saying they anticipate up to $500K to be available “if all goes well” for on-the-ground operations related to range monitoring, the coordinated resource management plan, and other tasks surrounding rangeland health.
Scritchfield also discussed the implementation of the land use plan in relation to sage grouse, wild horses, wolves, and the proposed Wolf Creek Reservoir.
Douglas Creek Conservation District board member Rosaly Coombs said they have applied for a grant with a cooperating agency to address the Mormon cricket problem and asked what the county has planned in assistance with that.
Commissioner Ty Gates said they’ve been encouraging residents to let the county know where the crickets “bedding grounds” are so bait can be put out ahead of time, and plan to continue buying bait.
“We applied for $50K to do spraying,” Scritchfield said, citing reports that spraying is effective if it’s done early in May. “Our hope is to do that. It will be a huge coordinated effort between agencies and landowners.”
Moffat County has been spraying for crickets, and Scritchfield said the cost is about $6-7 per acre and can stop the crickets if they’re sprayed before their shells harden. “I think the spraying would cover a lot bigger area,” she said, adding that it will be important to share information between the county and the districts about where the crickets are located.
Aso discussed were the return of discussions about the federally-proposed 30×30 plan, and the return water flow and modeling study on the White River.
“The amount of planning BLM is doing right now is totally unprecedented and I believe it’s being driven by that [30×30 Plan],” Scritchfield said.
Megan Francone, representing Open Heart Advocates, a victim services and community response service, shared information about the organization which has been operating under the umbrella of Memorial Regional Health in Craig, but will be a standalone entity in January 2024. Open Heart Advocates provides services to survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, provides emergency shelter, a hotline, and community response under the Victim’s Rights Act, including crisis intervention for first responders. By way of example, two back-to-back deaths at Pioneers Medical Center this summer prompted Open Heart Advocates to send a team out to address needs of the responders involved.
“As we go out on our own we are looking for support,” Francone said. Commissioner Jennifer O’Hearon said they can consider the organization during the next grant cycle.
County Planner Leif Joy requested direction on the recent moratorium on large scale renewable energy projects. Wind and solar projects were not included in the Land Use Plan, and so the commissioners are seeking additional information and “tools” for addressing renewable energy projects. Joy said the planning commission would wait to hear from the commissioners before moving forward. If the planning commission determines changes are needed for the land use regulations, there will be opportunity for public comment.
Operations Administrator Eric Jaquez said the Meeker Colorado Civic Improvement Corporation (MCCIC) Board is short two members now, following the departure of Mona Avey as board president. The county is transitioning oversight of maintenance for the Fairfield Apartments to the MCCIC Board, which intends to contract with someone to act as a resident maintenance manager.
Human Resources Director Laura Smith reviewed insurance rate comparisons with the commissioners prior to budget planning.
During public comment in the regular meeting, Commissioners heard from Sean VonRoenn with the Eastern Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District and Regas Halandras, representing the Meeker Area Mountain Biking Association (MAMBA).
Halandras said MAMBA has taken on the responsibility of maintenance on the trail system, which now needs mechanical maintenance. To this point, only hand maintenance has been done. The organizations are applying for a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) grant, and are hoping for funding support to leverage and a letter of recommendation for the CPW grant.
Also during public comment, not on the agenda, Alden VandenBrink with the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District (RBWCD), added further explanation to a statement released last week regarding the theft of $3.3 million from ColoTrust after the funds were transferred from the RBWCD. VandenBrink said the theft is being treated by investigators as an “act of domestic terrorism” because of the connection to water supply infrastructure.
“All $4 million is now in a local bank,” VandenBrink said, after funds were returned through the investigation and a settlement with ColoTrust and insurance. “ColoTrust is also a victim of this crime.”
The theft did not affect or impact progress on the proposed Wolf Creek Reservoir Project, VandenBrink added.
“This is the hardest thing I ever had to do,” VandenBrink said. “I’m happy to move forward and I hope we can put this behind us.”
In regular business, but board approved an agreement for services with Brian Prayer to provide provide interim plumbing inspection until the RBC building inspector can assign those duties and approved a resolution moving jurisdiction for plumbing permits and inspections back to RBC from the state board; ratified a letter expressing support for keeping the Northwest Transportation Planning Region boundaries and membership the same; approved an amended grazing lease to Three Crowns Ranch LLC; approved final payment for pavement striping; a purchase order for the RBC Virtual Law Enforcement Training Project, and a letter to the Colorado Broadband Office for a grant to go toward the RBC Broadband Expansion Project.
Commissioners tabled consideration of contracting with other entities for RBC Broadband Expansion Project prior to discussion in executive session.
The board, acting as the Board of Adjustment, approved a variance for Clint Hawkinson allowing for a smaller parcel size regarding recreational vehicles.
Commissioners then went into executive session to conduct interviews for an interim county manager, annual performance reviews for department administrators, and to discuss negotiations regarding the Broadband Expansion Project.
