The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) called their regular meeting to order at 9 a.m. on August 8, 2023. In attendance were Commissioner Marie A. Mornis from District 1, Commissioner Susan Berumen from District 2, Commissioner Sandy Hollingsworth from District 3, County Manager Ray Rears, and Deputy Clerk to the Board Margaret Keller, and County Attorney Brad Benning.

The Consent Agenda included:

- End of Month Report for July 2023 – Sahari McCormick, Clerk and Recorder

- Semi-Annual Report Ending June 30, 2023 – Mary Lorenz, Treasurer

- Assessor’s Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – April Nielsen, Assessor

- Clerk and Recorder’s Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Sahari McCormick, Clerk and Recorder

- Community Development Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Rob Gutierrez, Community Development Coordinator

- CSU Extension Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Jennifer Cook, Gilpin County CSU Extension Director

- Facilities Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Ryan Keenan, Facilities Director

- Finance Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Joe Allaire, Finance Director

- Human Resources Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Chanda Johnson, Human Resources Director

- Human Services Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Janey Barker, Human Services Director

- Public Health Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – Alisa Witt, Public Health Coordinator

- Public Trustee Quarterly Report for Q3 2023 – Mary Lorenz, Treasurer

- Public Works Quarterly Report for Q2 2023 – John Combs, Public Works Director

The Consent Agenda was approved with all in favor.

Director of Parks and Recreation Gabriella Chisholm introduced a new hire, Chanda Johnson, as the new Human Resources Director.

Kurt Kionka from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) presented an update on the I-70 Floyd Hill CDOT Project. The project improvements include:

• Add a third westbound I-70 travel lane in this two-lane bottleneck. This new lane will be full-time, tolled.

• Express Lane from just west of Homestead Rd. (Exit 247) through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels to Colorado Blvd./Idaho Springs (Exit 241).

• Rebuild bridges due to wear and tear, and heavy usage.

• Construct a missing two-mile section of the frontage road between US 6 and the Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway interchanges, which will improve emergency response.

• Build an extended on-ramp from US 6 onto eastbound I-70 for slow-moving vehicles to have more room to merge.

• Improve traffic flow and access at interchanges and intersections.

• Improve sight distance and safety by straightening roadway curves.

• Improve the Clear Creek Greenway trail.

• Implement environmental mitigation to enhance wildlife connectivity, air and water quality, stream conditions and recreation.

• Install two permanent air quality monitors.

There will be overnight lane and ramp closures, reduced speeds, and trucks entering and exiting the work zone. Rock blasting has begun to widen I-70 and there will be 20-minute traffic holds resulting in up to 45 minutes of delay in both directions, excluding weekends and holidays.

Weekly updates are posted on the website at I-70 Floyd Hill Project – Construction – Colorado Department of Transportation (codot.gov) and text alerts sent to general subscribers. Text ‘floydhill’ to 21000 to sign up for alerts.

Kionka added: “Here’s how to make your trip along the I-70 mountain corridor easier: carpool using TreadShare, download the app and pair with a rider or driver to share the trip, or use regional transit. Take Bustang, Snowstang, Outrider or Pegasus along I-70 and use local transit options to get around. Or you can change your route during peak travel time. Use the GoI70. com travel forecast to plan your trip and avoid traffic.”

The project began in July 2023 and CDOT expects to finish it by the end of 2028.

The board recessed as the Board of County Commissioners and convened as the Local Liquor Authority.

At 10:12 a.m. a public hearing was held for the First Responders Day Liquor License Application. Clerk and Recorder Sahari McCormick reported that the special event will be held September 9 at the Gilpin County Fairgrounds. She said the application is complete and recommends approval. With no comments, the hearing was closed at 10:13 a.m.

Hollingsworth moved to accept the license, Berumen seconded, and all were in favor. Berumen moved to reconvene as the Board of County Commissioners. All were in favor.

Johnson presented Resolution 23-62, Temporary Employment Contract Agreement with Shannon Arrington, Victim Services Coordinator. Arrington has retired but would like to maintain temporary employment to aid her team in the transition and help with the more complicated grants.

After some clarification on pay and dates, all were in favor.

James Shrout, Planner 1, presented Resolution BLA-23-2, Boundary Line Adjustment for 655 Pactolus Lake Rd.

Approval of the BLA will not create any new non-conformities under the current zoning regulations. Approval of the BLA would reconfigure existing parcels by relocating interior property lines resulting in the same number of parcels. Relocation of the interior property lines would eliminate the current easement for SGRY of Colorado, INC to access the other side of the parcel from the railroad right-of-way. All parcels are presently vacant and would remain as buildable lots.

Berumen moved to accept the resolution, Hollingsworth seconded, and motion passed unanimously.

Samuel Bower, Administrative Analyst, County Manager’s Office, presented Resolution 23-61, Establishing the Master Policy & Procedure Manual as the Controlling Document for All Policies.

This resolution establishes the Master Policy & Procedure Manual as the controlling document for all internal policies. This means that the Master Policy & Procedure Manual will take precedence should there be a conflict between it and another policy.

Berumen moved to accept the resolution, Hollingsworth seconded, and all were in favor.

Benning presented a draft for discussion of the Mill Levy Ballot Language for Parks and Recreation, which extends Gilpin County’s existing mill levy of 2.57 mills, dedicated for the Parks and Recreation Department, to be extended in perpetuity. This will amount to approximately $17.39 per $100,000 of residential market value per year, estimated to earn $1,308,450 in taxes for 2024).

Funding from this ballot measure would be used exclusively for the Parks and Recreation Department to fund its operation, capital improvements, and any other Parks and Recreation needs.

Benning said the mill levy was adopted in 2020 but is set to expire this year. He has been examining the language used for the Gilpin County Library’s mill levy ballot, how it accommodates inflation and population growth, and how he can apply it to this ballot measure.

Hollingsworth mentioned that since property taxes have been raised, it may seem like taxes are raised. Berumen responded that the mill levy stays the same. Mornis said the language on indexing and “debrucing” is confusing and that she prefers the measure to sunset rather than extend into perpetuity.

Benning plans on bringing a formal request to the BOCC at the next regular meeting on August 22.

Bower presented Resolution 23-32, Gilpin Advertising Panel (GAP) Board Recommendations and Appointments. This resolution appoints three individuals for which letters of interest were received as voting members of the GAP.

The Board appointed as voting members of the GAP the following individuals:

• Jim Crawford

• Margaret Keller

• Barbara Hardt

The board asked the candidates a few questions. Crawford works with the Historical Society in Central. Keller serves as Deputy Clerk to the board. Hardt is the Managing Editor for The Mountain-Ear.

The board asked Hardt about any conflicts of interest and she responded she does not handle ad sales, is salaried, and manages employees. She said she does not gain profit from ads and would abstain from any votes that would involve a conflict of interest.

Rears said he waited until they had three applicants to bring it to the Board. Benning said he did not see a conflict with Hardt’s appointment. Berumen said her involvement in the community would be an asset. Hollingsworth said she did not see a conflict of interest.

Rears said he would like a motion; there are funds to be used and appointees in place. The members will serve on staggered terms; so the board needs to assign one member a one-year term, one member a two-year term, and one member a three-year term.

There will be a reappointment of one member in January. Keller will be the ex-officio county appointment instead of Gutierrez, Hardt will be appointed for two years, and John Bryant’s term would expire January 1, 2024. Crawford will be appointed for three years. Motion passed 2-1 with Mornis voting nay.

Robert Gutierrez, Director of Community Development, Community Development, presented Resolution 23-45 Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Affordable Housing Commitment Resolution.

In 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition 123 to create a Statewide Affordable Housing Fund to support the maintenance and development of affordable housing within Colorado. For local governments, organizations, and businesses to access these additional funds for housing projects, the relevant local government must make an “Affordable Housing Commitment” with the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). The commitment to DOLA is supposed to outline how the local government intends to increase the affordable housing supply and also establish a baseline number of affordable units and pledge to increase that number by three percent annually by the end of 2026. The actual filing of the commitment can be done online through DOLA’s website.

Before the Commissioners is a resolution outlining and approving the Director of Community Development to execute an affordable housing commitment with DOLA. The resolution establishes a baseline number of affordable housing units and the county’s goal to meet by the end of 2026. The baseline estimation was determined utilizing DOLA’s online baseline tool.

The commissioners adjusted some wording in the Resolution having to do with the number of builds for affordable housing in this particular county.

Berumen moved to accept the Resolution as amended, Hollingsworth seconded, and motion passed 2-1. Mornis commented that she did not agree with the State’s mandated approach with counties; Berumen responded that this proposition was voter-approved and was not from the State government.

Benning and Rears delivered the County Attorney’s report and County Manager’s report, respectively.

Mornis listed the future meeting dates. On August 15, there will be a work session on roadway signs, utilities, and maintenance at the Courthouse at 9 a.m. On August 21 at 6 p.m. the commissioners will attend a mill levy discussion at the Community Center.

The meeting adjourned at 1:25 p.m.

The next regular meeting of the Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled for August 22 at 9 a.m. and is held in person at 203 Eureka Street in Central City and online via Zoom.