The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners approved the 2023 budget during a regular meeting on December 6, 2022. During public comment at the meeting, residents objected to cuts in the Office of Emergency Management budget and reducing a full-time employee to half time.

Emergency Manager Nathan Whittington said the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) operating budget was cut. But, they have added a new department for cyber security. He will be losing a full-time employee, Diane Stundon, who will go to 20 hours per week.

She has been deputy emergency manager and lead planning for the county and has been his right-hand person. She also has been the liaison between the sheriff’s department and GCART, Gilpin County’s animal rescue team.

Public comment included that GCART provides professional training and helps animal welfare. They have been experiencing growing pains. It’s about the animals and not about politics. Diane brings knowledge of Gilpin County and grants and training for volunteers.

Without a full-time employee, Gilpin County would be underprepared such as Boulder County in the Marshal fire, which had no plan. Nothing is more important than animals and loss of property.

OEM also has received $60,000 in grants to help offset salaries from the Division of Homeland Security Emergency Management, and the County has hired a new grant writer. OEM will still be responsible for their own grants, but the grant writer will help if they have questions.

Whittington said they have many plans they have to get done for the County. They will be working on deploying the N5 Shield.

Gilpin was the first county in the nation to deploy the sensors and have five through the county. With United Power, they will have 40 to 50 N5 sensors in the county. The sensors detect forest fires as soon as start.

To find our more about the Gilpin County budgets (past and present), check out their website at https://gilpincounty.colorado.gov/departments-offices/finance- department/financialdocuments