RBC | Incoming Rio Blanco County Clerk and Recorder Shawn Luce, currently the deputy clerk, updated commissioners Tuesday, as did Assessor Renae Nielson and Treasurer Rhonna Waldref.
Luce said motor vehicle numbers are up following a lull during the pandemic. “We thought it might slow down, but now everyone is getting vehicles because they’re available again.”
On elections, Luce said a recount required by the state for the Secretary of State primary election is complete and “went smooth.” The clerk’s office is preparing for the general election in November.
Assessor Neilson said numbers are up about 18%. The west side is up about 15% and the east side is up about 10%. “That has nothing to do with high-priced homes,” Nielsen said. “That increase has to do with oil and gas.”
Starting into the next round of reappraisals, Neilson said her department estimates residential values to increase by up to 25%. Only 5% of the county’s valuation comes from residential.
Another change coming is that mobile homes valued under $28K have been exempted from property taxes for the coming year. As of Tuesday, 99.14% of taxes have been collected, totalling $34.8 million and leaving $302K still uncollected. Of that number, more than half is from oil and gas companies with about $100K remaining from “people who just haven’t paid their taxes yet.”
Linda Masters, RBC Extension Agent, shared about getting emergency management training as part of her range and natural resources work. She’s also collaborating with other extension agents on drought management, working on weed control and trainings, and is a co-leader on a Colorado State University program that is working on creating guide books about preparing for natural disaster, living through an emergency situation, and what to do after a natural disaster. The guidebooks will be county specific with contacts and resources.
Her office is also partnering with master gardeners and the historical society to create a landscape plan for the Milk Creek Battlefield Park using native plants, and working with the sportsman’s club to provide range time for 4-H shooting sports.
The shooting sports program sent a six-person archery team to state and placed sixth of out 20 teams. Eli Bennett, 10, placed 10th individually out of 114 participants. Masters said those attending the state fair in Pueblo can contact her office for passes and parking passes.
She has also been surveying dead and dying trees around the county, most issues attributable to long-term drought.
Amorette Hawkins with the Rangely Library District spoke to commissioners by phone regarding an emergency grant application for the library. “It’s not something anyone plans or budgets for,” she said, describing sewer line problems between the library and the Department of Human Services building in Rangely. The grant request was for half of the total project amount, up to $5,000, and was approved.
Callie Hendrickson and Mark Etchart updated the board on conservation district projects, noting that the land use plan is finalized, cooperating agency agreements are underway regarding sage grouse and wolves.
Priorities identified by landowners that the districts are focused on are rangeland, water and wildlife.
In the regular board meeting, commissioners:
• Approved an agreement with the state Department of Human Services to receive funding, approved new fleet user rates for 2023 to reflect higher fuel costs, and selected administrators under the reorganization of county departments. Scott Marsh will be the public works administrator, Eric Jaquez will be the operations administrator and Leif Joy will be the community development administrator.
• Awarded a bid for an 11-passenger transit bus used by Pioneers Medical Center, approved a grazing lease for 3 Crown Ranch LLC to update an old agreement, ratified an amendment with Elk Creek Ranch Owners Association, among other business items.
• Fair Board representatives Quentin Smith and Clint Shults said this year’s livestock sale was just “one steer away” from being a half-million dollar sale, with more than 250 exhibitors. The fair board keeps 2% of the sale price from the livestock auction. Those funds go toward expenses related to the sale.
Following commissioner updates, the board went into executive session to confer with county attorney Don Steerman on two items: RBC housing and pending litigation regarding Clerk and Recorder Boots Campbell related to the recall of former commissioner Gary Moyer.
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
