FC 912 News Bytes: Montezuma County BOCC Notes 1-14-25

By Dexter Gill

January 15, 2025

Today's meeting was delayed due to the official Swearing In of newly elected officers, which included  Commissioners  Lindsay and Koppenhaffer.  The Meeting opened at 11:00 a.m. with simple  signing of some previously authorized Land Use actions. Last meeting there were a goodly number of County employees recognized for length of service, and one person got overlooked, so award was presented today to Bobbi Locke, director of Health Dept. for 33 years of service to the County!

Public Address time resulted in residents of Summit Ridge subdivision expressing concern for increasing traffic and requesting for the County to have CDOT update Traffic Counts to hopefully result in actions to improve safety for ingress and egress.  Another comment was suggested that Department reports could be given quarterly to help to be better informed.  (that was the way previously before “work sessions” were established on the Monday preceding the Board meeting)  It was later pointed out that the Work sessions are also recorded live on YouTube, so you can watch live or view later.

Several actions were approved, including Road Maintenance funding, which by the way was mentioned there are over 790+ miles of County roads to maintain and improve, and they are doing an outstanding job.  Another item was the disposal of older vehicles which will be out for Public Auction, which interested persons can log on the internet site, www.publicsurplus.com and bid on these 9 units.  Three new replacement vehicles were approved on five year lease basis.  Other approvals were for contract for Landfill operation and Sheriff office for Jail Health Care contact with Southern Health Partners.

Reports indicated the Dollar Store legal action is now just waiting on the Courts decision.  The Road 41 maintenance and fence issue is now declared Done, and the Road Dept. has done an outstanding job.

The State Legislature is now in session and there were 123 bills dropped in the hopper. Which brings up the question of what kind of political trash will they come up with this year.  At the end of the meeting a discussion on a State Health Dept. document  demand for the BOCC Chair to sign, promising that the County would obey the State Law regarding  access to individuals health records.  That was due to a new State Law passed, obviously politicizing  the historic existing State and Federal laws that the Commissioners had just taken an oath to uphold and protect.  The State Legislature passed a “law” that the County must follow the “law”?  It might be well If they passed a law that the Legislature must obey the Constitution in passing laws. They are already putting in bills violating the Constitution!

In other matters of concern, the B.C. Wolves were delivered into the Eagle County Airport, and the Colorado Congressional GOP Representatives have publicly criticized the continuance of this at this time.

BLM has put in place a new Management Plan for Bears Ears Nat. Monument, which closes down much public access and use, a“last minute”action.  Another  BLM “last minute” Management Plan in Wyoming was approved in spite of several Counties Objecting.   The USFWS  refused a Wyoming request to Delist the Grizzly Bear,  upset WY Game and Fish..   Twelve (12) historical Ranches, running 4,700 cattle, with leases on 17,000 acres of the Point Reyes National Seashore are losing their leases, due to The Nature Conservancy “Buying out” the Leases for the Government.

Side note, the USFWS, National Parks and Monuments, BLM lands are ALL under the Secretary of Interior.  Back when Colorado’s  Ken Salazar was Sec. of Interior, he denied renewing lease of historical  Oyster bed farming there.  The Environmental NGO’s are the “government” in control.

Get ready to see what Colorado legislature will do to  us! 

"The line between good and evil, runs through every human heart"--Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Russian Author