Mindy Leary, Gilpin County. On January 7, 2020, the Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners met at the Gilpin County Courthouse for their regular meeting. Commissioners Gail Watson, Linda Isenhart and Ron Engels were in attendance. Gilpin County Attorney Jim Petrock was honored for 38 years of service, as was Sherrin Ashcraft for her service as director of human services. January is named Radon Awareness month and Commissioner Watson is appointed chair of the board with Engels as acting pro-tem chair.

A nearly full house was in attendance to honor Jim Petrock’s 38 years of service as Gilpin County attorney. Many past commissioners and local representatives showed their respect with fond memories and humorous and heartfelt gratitude toward Petrock.

Former commissioner, Jeanie Nicholson said, “What I most appreciate about you, Jim, is that you kept me out of trouble, legally.” Which was met with several chuckles. “Particularly during the time when we were considering the Brannon Gravel proposal. Ron Slinger and Forest Whitman and I were the commissioners and we needed to navigate very carefully through that process and Jim gave us the very best legal counsel so that we didn’t misstep.”

Sherrin Ashcraft was also honored for eight years of service as the human services director. First, she presented a Memorandum of Understanding for child support enforcement between Gilpin and Jefferson Counties. This is the third amendment to the original child support services MOU and is to extend the term for an additional one-year term beginning January 1, 2020 and ending December 31, 2020.

Jefferson County has informed Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties that after this year they will no longer be providing this service to either county. This will give Gilpin County a year to learn the process and develop the program. It also provides an opportunity to see if Clear Creek County will help fund this program. The board approved the motion.

Bonnie Albrecht, public health coordinator, presented a request to proclaim January as National Radon Action Month and support recommended radon practices and policies to reduce radon exposure.

Radon is an odorless and colorless radioactive gas that is a byproduct of uranium breakdown in soil. Long-term exposure to radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who do not smoke tobacco. Most Colorado soils contain consistently high levels of radon.

Gilpin County contains some of the highest levels of radon in Colorado counties, with 60.22% of samples registering dangerous levels. Mitigation in homes is usually a simple process but because this gas is impossible to detect without testing, many homeowners are unaware of this issue.

Commissioner Watson, now the acting chair, commented on the need for this proclamation as the numbers are, “Over fifty percent of homes.” The motion was made for approval and all were in favor.

Some other topics covered include a temporary ground lease with Mountain Broadband near the Gilpin Public Library and a contract for bottled water service through Eldorado Springs.  

(Originally published in the January 16, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)