Congrats on fabulous concert
Dear Editor,
I would like to congratulate the Meeker High School and Barone Middle School Band and Choir Director Raquel Neesham on the fabulous Pops Concert which took place at the Fairfield Center on Feb. 22, 2024!
Meeker student musicians were highlighted in the program which featured soloists, ensembles and the middle school and high school choirs and bands. Community members who had pre-purchased fundraiser dinner tickets were treated to enthusiastic service by the students (those who wished to attend the concert without the sold out dinner were admitted free of charge). As a parent assisting behind the scenes in the kitchen I observed the students being respectful and supportive of each other and the band program. It was evident that Ms. Neesham is a respected teacher and has put a tremendous amount of effort into the program. As a parent of Meeker students, granddaughter of former Band Director Mary Villa who taught music in this district for over 30 years, and a current member of the Meeker School District Board of Education, this makes me incredibly proud.
Events such as these are not possible without the support of the administrative staff and teachers of the Meeker School District, parents, and the greater community. Thank you to all who play a role in sustaining our vital music program!
Sincerely,
Hanna Borchard
Meeker
School dinner concert worthy of praise
Dear Editor,
The stars shown brightly Thursday evening, Feb. 22 in Meeker at the delightful Pops 2024 dinner concert presented by the youth musicians of our school under the direction of a wonderfully gifted, inspiring and creative Raquel Neesham.
The appearance, courtesy, efficiency, respectfulness, and talents of the students in seating, serving, picking up and performing in their turn was a compliment to the administration who has assembled the teachers and very much a credit to the parents, relatives and friends in attendance.
The master of ceremonies did a masterful job informing and entertaining, he is just a pure, delightful young man. The life lessons initiated, performed and encouraged are seeds planted and watered that will impact those young lives and assure our community well-trained and responsible leaders in the coming years. Thank you to everyone involved and especially Raquel and “her kids.”
Oh yes, upon leaving the Fairfield Center and walking to the car we looked up, the sky was full of stars and the moon shining brightly capping off a perfect Meeker community evening.
Jim Pelley
Meeker
Response to Wolf Creek letter
Dear Editor,
I am the District Manager of the Rio Blanco Water Conservation District (RBWCD) and am proud to represent the Board of Directors who are the proponents, and only proponents, of the Wolf Creek Reservoir Project.
We realize not everyone will be a proponent of our proposed project. The Board expects and encourages differing opinions and critical questions. How large of a project can the taxpayers of our district afford? What size of reservoir do we need? What is the evaporation rate? Where should the access for recreation be located? Does Rangely have enough water storage? Can agriculture benefit from the project? How does the reservoir benefit up stream water users? These are great questions. These are the right questions. The answers can result in heated discussions and even more questions, both of which are positive for the proposed project and the public process we are going through.
Our public outreach has two driving philosophies. 1. Present the project to all who ask, answer questions, and listen to their concerns. 2. Make sure the public’s concerns are reflected in every new version of the Plan of Development.
In 2023 we learned a great deal through direct interactions with Rio Blanco County, Town of Rangely, Town of Meeker, and the community. A large concern for Meeker, Rangely and RBC was the recreation access to the reservoir from Highway 40 in Moffat County. All three of them rightfully pointed out the concern that future sales tax revenue from recreational users would be derived in Moffat County not Rio Blanco if the recreation access remained primarily on Highway 40. They are right. Our latest Plan of Development has the primary recreation access from Highway 64 detailed which adjacent landowners, including 4M Ranch, and all the Cooperating Agencies involved in the permitting process have seen. We asked, we heard, and we changed our plan of development.
The RBWCD realizes not everyone will be a proponent of our proposed project. We expect opposition and that the opposition will be passionate. But there is a line between passion and misrepresentation. The District will not let these willful lies go unanswered and I will not allow cheap accusations to question the integrity of any Board Member of the RBWCD from Deirdra Macnab. To clear the record:
· “Could the real proponent of this project be an energy company? Truth: The RBWCD continues as an opposer to the transfer of the Mahogany Water Right to the location of the Wolf Creek Project and the need statement does not include water for energy nor specifically does the water court decree. Water for energy development was willfully dropped by the RBWCD from the Wolf Creek water court decree which 4M Ranch is aware since they were a party to the case.
· “the proposed reservoir cannot be used for endangered fish, augmentation to help upriver, or any agriculture. So why build one and for whom?”, Truth: Those three uses are contemplated in our Colorado Water Court decree and Ms. Macnab knows this as she was an active opposing participant in the water court case.
· “The Wolf Creek location would be of no benefit to the upper White River or the entire eastern end of the County and basin”, The RBWCD, the Yellow Jacket Water Conservancy District, Rio Blanco County and other water users have a Inter Governmental Agreements in place to use the Wolf Creek Reservoir Project for a countywide water augmentation tool.
We could go on and on.
All we ask is when you inquire about the Wolf Creek Reservoir Project is that you solicit your information from a provider of reliable information. This includes the Bureau of Land Management for information specific to the Wolf Creek Reservoir Project.
Sincerely,
Alden Vanden Brink
RWWCD District Manager
