Dear Editor,
$1,000,000. One million. A mil. No matter how you say it, it is a lot of money! Black Hawk has offered to give Gilpin County $1,000,000 every year (increasing for inflation), with a
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Dear Editor,
$1,000,000. One million. A mil. No matter how you say it, it is a lot of money! Black Hawk has offered to give Gilpin County $1,000,000 every year (increasing for inflation), with a few conditions:
The money must be used “exclusively for the operating expenses of the Gilpin County Community Center.” Also, that the rec center opens seven days a week, like in the good, old pre-pandemic era.
The total Gilpin County mill levy, including the mill levy for the Gilpin County Library District, shall not exceed 10.695 mills.
Those are the three conditions that affect my life. Yet Commissioners Hollingsworth and Berumen want to chip away at the offer with Mayor Spellman! The final line of the Gilpin County response to Black Hawk’s proposal says this – and I quote – “A financial donation and/ or support would be very much appreciated, if conditions were not attached to any such financial contribution.” That is not a joke.
Commissioner Mornis likes the idea. After all, she helped us as we worked beat down the Hollingsworth/Berumen 1A forever tax hike as a means to gain approximately $1.5 million each year – right out of the taxpayers’ pockets. They lost. Nearly 2-1. They also told us at Budget Hearings they will be coming back to the taxpayers soon for another Mill Levy to support the Community Center.
Is this crazy, or what?!?!? I just don’t understand why those Commissioners didn’t accept that “generous offer” and tweak it if absolutely essential with the Black Hawk Council! I would imagine they wouldn’t complain about getting a full week of 12-hour days. Maybe less on Sundays, who knows! Novel idea, but maybe the people could let you know when they’d most like to use the facility. An option to use it before/after work would be a huge hit!
If you sense a bit of sarcasm, you are very astute. If the Commissioners need some “dedicated funds” for The Community Center…. maybe this Proposed IGA would be considered such. But then, what do I know? I just live here and love Gilpin County. I want what’s best for all. Marie Mornis, thank you. Please talk to your colleagues, and ask them to accept the deal before it’s gone. Then we could go to the BoCC meeting to thank you all.
Donna Okray Parman
Gilpin County
