The Gilpin County Commissioners approved a resolution adopting the County’s Emergency Operation Plan during a regular meeting at 9 a.m. on April 19, 2022, at the Gilpin County Courthouse. The Board also approved a boundary line adjustment and elimination, a contract for ballot counting, a health services agreement with Adams County, and an agreement with the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado. They also discussed a policy for open records requests.

Sharon Cate, Deputy Clerk to the County Commissioners, introduced a resolution adopting the Gilpin County Emergency Operations Plan. Nathan Whittington, Director of Emergency Management, presented to the Board a proposed “Gilpin County Emergency Operations Plan” (EOP) and proposed “Civil Emergency, Emergency, or Local Disaster Regulations.”

The EOP establishes the structure for a coordinated response to various types of natural, technological, man-made emergencies and disasters, and terrorist attacks, according to the resolution. The EOP is subject to review, revision, and renewal every two years.

Various Annex plans to support the EOP will be developed in the future.

The Board has reviewed the proposed EOP and regulations and has determined them to be in the best interest of the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Gilpin County.

The Board approved the resolution.

County Planner TamiArcher introduced a Boundary Line Adjustment (BLA) for Matthew Emmons and Jeffrey Payne. The applicants are proposing realignment of two existing parcels which are narrow tracts, existing mining claims, that are about 115 feet wide. The narrowness of the tracts severely limits the buildable areas of the tracts.

The current configuration makes it challenging to meet setback requirements as well. The proposed reconfiguration will increase the width of both lots. No new parcels would be created by this BLA.

Board Chair Sandy Hollingsworth said it could create a new buildable lot, and Commissioner Web Sill said that making these lots wider is a safety issue.

The Board approved the BLA, and a Boundary Line Elimination (BLE) on Bobcat Trail for Andrea Wrobel as well. The applicants are applying for the BLE to simplify lot lines for the future construction of a home.

The Small Tracts Act (STA) parcel in the middle of the larger parcel was purchased from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) several years ago for this express purpose. The STA allows private property owners to purchase intervening USFS lands which are difficult for them to manage.

No new parcels would be created by this BLE, nor are any development rights being eliminated due to the small size of the STA parcel. This was an arduous process requiring a full National Environmental Policy Act review.

This proposed BLE meets the criteria. The property is surrounded on three sides by the existing property.

Clerk and Recorder Sahari McCormick introduced a contract with Clear Ballot for election verification. Back in March, the Board approved an agreement with Clear Ballot, which will recount the County’s ballots.

County Attorney Brad Benning said he has reviewed two contract proposals. The Board awarded the contract to Clear Ballot for November 8, 2022, at $10,300 plus 25 cents per ballot.

Human Services Director Laura Solomon introduced an agreement for Child Abuse and Neglect Assessment Services. Hollingsworth said this has come before the Board previously.

Solomon said it has taken six months to become finalized. Adams County has been hit by a lot of human services needs and is at capacity.

Gilpin County is lucky enough to have small caseloads, so they are offering to support Adams County through an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to help with intake services and upfront investigation. Then Adams County will take over the cases.

Adams County will be compensating Gilpin County on a tiered schedule, with Tier 1 at an hourly rate for a household with only one child. Tiers 2 and 3 will be based on a flat fee for the number of children in the home.

This has been reviewed by the attorneys for a period of up to one year and can be terminated with 30 days notice. Commissioner Web Sill said it’s a good agreement. “I’m very comfortable with the contract and us helping other counties.”

The Board approved the IGA.

County Manager Ray Rears introduced an agreement with Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado. The Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC) is a council of governments representing cities and counties in northwest Colorado including the counties of Mesa, Garfield, Rio Blanco and Moffat.

County Attorney Benning said he received an email this morning and proposed different language.

Northwest will be operating on fiveyear terms until 2025. Benning’s changes will indicate a 30-day termination notice, so he recommended putting this on hold. Commissioner Sill said it will cost $1,000 to join this council.

Rears said it will require further promotion. Participants in the program can receive a 25 percent tax credit for restoring historic buildings, and it is being used for continuing projects, such as the Central City Opera and the Belvidere Theatre.

The cost to participate is $2,000 per year, which will be split between Central City and Gilpin County. Bonnie Peterson with Northwest explained that Enterprise Zones were approved by the state legislator in 1986.

Central City and Gilpin County qualified for an Enterprise Zone, but Black Hawk did not qualify. Businesses have any number of tax breaks including job training. Benning said they can proceed today and make the changes to the contract.

The Board approved the IGA with the amendment of language regarding terminating the contract.

Sarah Baciak with the County Attorney’s Office introduced an Open Records Request (CORA) Policy. She said it would be a formal Board policy posted on the website. This policy will create a team with centralized email, including the fees they are allowed to charge and avenues by which to submit a request.

It will require people fill out a form. This is the first time the public has become aware of it. Baciak said she will be the lead person once a request has come in, and she will work with the Clerk and Recorder. Sharon Cate and Sahari McCormick will be on the team.

“We want to review everything we are sending out,” she said. Benning said reasons for a denial would include requests for personnel files and confidential work products, and information that isn’t ready to go public. There is discretion if it would do harm.

Rears said they will come back at the next meeting with a formal resolution.

The next meeting of the Gilpin County Commissioners will be on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 9 a.m. at the Gilpin County Courthouse