Rangely Trustee Tim Webber updated the town board on Jan. 10 regarding the Live Action Role Play (LARP) event the town hosted on Labor Day weekend in 2022. He looks forward to hosting the next event. Rangely’s location between the two “kingdoms” creates the ideal place for the event. Webber hopes to help the town and businesses prepare for the needs of both parties.
Town Manager Lisa Piering shared her updates leading to the closing of accounting and financial reports and the beginning of grant applications. The Town was awarded a CCITF grant from the county for $40,000 for the White River Village foundation repairs and a grant from the Colorado Garden Foundation for raised garden beds at White River Village for $14,000. Other grants awarded within the Rangely community include Giant Step Preschool, $3,900; Rangely Outdoor Museum, $22,850; Rangely Cemetery District, $15,000; Pioneers Medical Center, $56,422.68; Rangely Rural Fire Protection District, $5,879; Rangely Junior College District $12,500; and White River Natural Resource Conservation District $75,000. Early plans are underway for grant applications to install three solar lights in the Pinyon Circle neighborhood. Grant applications to help with housing, especially workforce housing, are in process, and Robin Hanrahan of Built Form Lab, LLC is assisting with these. There is currently an every-door direct survey out in the community to help understand what the community needs. Residents can complete it online or dropoff the paper copy at the drop box in the Town Hall municipal building.
The Rangely Police Department has two positions in dispatch available, one part-time and one full time and is accepting applications for both. Other notable news from the police department included Dispatcher Cook being voted by her peers and the Rangely Police Department employee of the year.
Other PD updates: patrol is fully staffed and operational; patrol officers attended the Ranger Academy graduation at CNCC; the PD held its annual Christmas party; assisted with the parade of lights; all of the patrols qualified with their duty weapons; all patrol vehicles had their radar certified; Chief Hamblin attended the Rio Blanco case review with River Bridge Regional Center for Children; a replacement K9 vehicle was purchased from Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and put into operation to replace the old K9 vehicle.
Jeff LeBleu submitted his supervisor report highlighting utility locates, vehicle and equipment maintenance, taking skid steer tires to Grand Junction for replacement and filling with foam, sanding streets and “plowing a little snow.”
Town engineer Jocelyn Mullen provided the following status updates on current projects:
• Headworks Replacement Project Grant: Contractor has left the site for 10-12 weeks to complete other contractual obligations and expects to return in January 2023 to complete the work into Spring of 2023.
• Engineering for the Halfturn Waterline Replacement project is in progress. Town staff is waiting on a final design from the engineer.
• Still deciding who to award the design contract for a bulk Raw Water Fill Station. Received estimates from Bohannan Huston to compare with KLJ Engineers and need to make a final decision. This project will help prove Rangely’s conditional water rights at the wastewater treatment plant, so it doesn’t lose those rights.
• Considering a grant application to the State Historical Society for a structural assessment of the old Nichols Store building. Waiting for a proposal from Chamberlin Architects in Grand Junction.
• Cogency project development work; Cogency is waiting for financing and the town and Cogency are working on a Department of Energy grant application.
• Office of Just Transition grant for river access improvements; Town is waiting on a signed contract from the state.
• Working on a GoCo grant with CNCC for an athletic field, playground and construction of a college loop multi-use path.
• Negotiating terms to rent space to T-Mobile for equipment on Verizon Tower.
• Planning work: calls and emails regarding planning, development, and building questions; reviewing work by contract planner on comprehensive plan update.
The Tank Center for Sonic Arts offered a special thanks to everyone who pitched in to make their end-of-year fundraising campaign a success. With an added push from Colorado Gives Day, the TANK raised more than $22,000 for the coming 2023 season. Stayed tuned for details about a bigger-than-ever Solstice Festival June 23-25; new record label, Round Sound, and its first release, Slow Beethoven, and the other concerts and residencies coming up this summer.
Free Open Saturdays start May 6. Book your own 2023 TANK sessions now, or record remotely in the TANK anytime, even this winter.
In regular business, the board approved a fermented malt beverage license renewal for Kum & Go; approved the appointment of county commissioner Doug Overton to the Rangely Development Association and approved Alden VandenBrink as the special district representative for that group.
The board went into executive session to complete the town manager’s annual review.
By KATIE KING | Special to The Herald Times
