County commissioners met Tuesday, Oct. 11 in Meeker for work sessions and a regular meeting.
County employees will be staying with the same insurance pool for the coming year, after requests for additional quotes were not received in time to meet the Oct. 1 deadline for withdrawing from the current plan.
Budget workshops for 2023 begin Oct. 17. This year’s budget information will be available online, using new software, according to Budget and Finance Director Janae Stanworth. The new system will provide additional levels of detail and in coming years is expected to be easier for staff and for the public to review and understand. The budget will be finalized and approved in December. Once the budget is approved, grant requests will be addressed by the commissioners.
Nita Smith gave a presentation for Community Counts, a local 501(c)3 organization established to connect the energy industry and the community through open communication. Industry information, traffic and event information that might affect operators and contractors, such as rig moves, fire restrictions and prescribed burns, road closures, etc., are shared via email. Community Counts currently has 55 members.
As the county transitions to one Value Added Reseller (VAR) for broadband service following the departure of Visionary Broadband, Mark Futch of Cimarron Telecommunications shared his concerns regarding the current contract the county has for the VARs. In 2013 the county agreed to have two VARs acting as the middle ground between the county, which owns the broadband infrastructure, and customers. With Visionary’s departure, the county opted to take on Visionary’s customers.
Futch said he thinks the county having to step in and take over those customers could have been avoided without the mandate to have two VARs, and shared his thoughts about the current VAR contract—which sets a minimum rate the VARs can charge—and other policies and procedures.
Commissioners explained taking on customers themselves will allow the county to invest in expanding the broadband project through the enterprise fund, and will open access to grant funding that a VAR cannot leverage.
“We would actually prefer more than two VARs, to tell the truth,” Eric Jaquez, RBC Facilities Director said. “We would love to see partnership in development and infrastructure of the network. We are unique in that we don’t require VARs to buy in to the infrastructure.”
Regular Meeting
During the regular board meeting, commissioners approved a letter of support for RiversEdge West, a group applying for a grant through the Colorado River District to support tamarisk and Russian olive removal along sections of the White River and Yellow Creek.
The board unanimously denied a letter of support for the White River Conservation District’s grant application to the Colorado State Forest Service that would help fund a position to work on mitigating fire risk. Commissioners questioned whether the program would mandate fuels reduction on private property, and the cost to the county. The District also put in a grant application to the county to help cover the position, but grant awards won’t be made until after budget season.
Don Steerman was appointed as the County Services Administrator as part of the restructuring plan discussed and approved earlier this year.
County Assessor Renae Nielson presented the 2022 county property assessment study.
The board also approved a reduced cost for internet services to county employees as part of the employee benefit package.
A bid not to exceed $84,851.71 was awarded to Patriot Petroluem Solutions for the replacement of the Rangely fleet fuel dispensers.
Commissioners also approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for developing an environmental impact statement associated with establishing an experimental population of northern gray wolves in Colorado. The MOU gives the county cooperating agency status and a voice at the table, said RBC Emergency Manager Eddie Smercina. The focus is to discuss a possible 10j ruling which would allow, basically, lethal control of introduced wolves.
The board approved a site lease agreement for T-Mobile West to use the TeePee Tower site for cell service, contingent on the approval of the property owner; agreed to decline participation in the state’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act (FAMLI); and approved the terms and conditions of the Treasury Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund for 2022 and 2023 in the amount of $2,395,831.98 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act.
Following an executive session, commissioners approved Carmen McKay as the new Department of Human Services Director for the county.
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What is the County Beat?
The Rio Blanco Herald Times makes a concerted effort to cover local government as part of our mission to inform citizens and hold power to account. The County Beat details discussion and action by the Rio Blanco County board of commissioners, who generally meet the second, third and fourth Tuesday of each month.
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
