Mindy Leary, Gilpin County. On July 9, 2019, the Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners met at the Gilpin County Courthouse to discuss the Quality of Life survey that was mailed out to Gilpin County residents in June 2019. The survey was conducted to collect citizen input regarding quality of life in Gilpin County and views on programs and services, county employees, community needs, economic and housing development, emergency planning, taxation and communication. The survey was created and administered by the Center for Research and Public Policy and presented to the commissioner board by Jerry Lindsley.  

Using a quantitative research design, an online survey was also completed among 509 residents or property owners within Gilpin County. Lindsley said this was very good compared to smaller municipalities considering Gilpin’s population. Impressively, 96 percent of all respondents reported their quality of life as good or very good. 

Lindsley continued discussing the results in regard to Gilpin County as a place to work and a place to retire and findings show that Gilpin is a better place to retire than to work. Commissioner Ron Engels asked about the category labeled, “unsure,” questioning, “The 14 percent that are unsure about here being a place to retire are those people young enough that they haven’t thought about retirement?” Lindsley responded in the affirmative.  

All respondents were asked to indicate the reasons they chose to move to or remain in Gilpin County and the number one reason, at 88 percent, was “mountain living.” The survey also asked respondents about the reasons why a resident might choose to leave Gilpin County, and the most frequently cited was proximity to health care facilities and/or health reasons.    

By far, the most frequently named community need was for grocery stores at 82.1 percent. This was followed by a second tier of business or service needs including banking, (64.2 percent), restaurants (59.5 percent), general retail (58.2 percent) and health food opportunities (56.9 percent). 

Lindsley pointed out, “What’s actionable for you; proximity to healthcare facilities and shopping needs, different or better housing, proximity to amenities. So, if you’re trying to meet community need but also to help people stay here, this is guidance for you.”

Commissioner Linda Isenhart responded by saying, “I think it is, and then we also have to define what ‘amenities’ means. We’re not going to build a Wal-Mart up here. We have transportation that we’re definitely working on to improve shopping for seniors.”

Another highlight of this meeting had to do with the public’s concern over accessibility for emergency services where a gas pipeline is being installed at Dory Hill Road. Several citizens expressed concern during public comment, including an individual who had left a heated voicemail for the commissioners the prior evening. Engels played this voicemail for the board and sympathetically agreed with the citizen’s concerns.

Engels said, “I was on the phone to Preston Gibson of Excel Energy first thing this morning and I invited, which is too weak a word, someone from Excel or Black Eagle to attend this meeting and explain why they allowed that to happen and give us the public assurance that that was never going to happen again. We got an email just a couple of moments ago from Mr. Gibson saying that no one would be in attendance.” 

Engels went on to ask County Attorney Jim Petrock what legal remedies might be made by either the county or a resident should this happen again. Petrock replied, “Well, actually since it’s a public road, a county road, the county, not an individual, is responsible for the road. We are responsible for the road; we are responsible for public safety.” 

There are penalty provisions in the permit that makes this an act of non-compliance. Petrock went on to say, “If anything like this happens again, send the sheriff, because they cannot fully obstruct a public road, period. It’s a violation of the law. The sheriff can shut it down immediately.”  

Commissioner Gail Watson stated, “I want to add to the record that I got a phone call last night from someone on Dory Hill also with the same complaint and wanted to know why we allowed this, and told him in my understanding that we didn’t have the ability to tell them they couldn’t put the pipeline through, that the state controls that. So, it is interesting to know that if the contract says it’s a roaming closure that they can’t totally close it, that we can send the sheriff.” Petrock added, “They can’t just deprive citizens’ access completely.” 

(Originally published in the July 18, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)