The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners extended the County’s disaster declaration during a regular, virtual meeting on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, and required masks at the Gilpin County School District. The Board also discussed the use of sick leave for Covid-19 related leave, a request to hire a full-time facilities maintenance technician, and approved a jail food proposal.

At the beginning of the meeting, Board Chair Linda Isenhart added to the agenda, proposing convening as the Board of Health at 3 p.m. Public Health Coordinator Bonnie Albrecht provided the Covid-19 Update with Emergency Manager Nathan Whittington.

Albrecht said the County has had 24 cases in the past two weeks, and only 59 percent of County residents are vaccinated. The cases have gone up quite a bit in the last month.

There are vaccination clinics twice a week, and there are tests available at the Public Health trailer. The County has had 354 cases in total.

County Attorney Bradford Benning then introduced a proposal to extend the Gilpin County Disaster Declaration. He said the sixth disaster declaration expires at the end of September.

With the Delta variant remaining as a threat, the County is still in the same realm as it has been, and the number of cases has gone up since the prior extension, Benning said. This will reinforce that we are in a pandemic and will be getting state aid for supply purchases.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) extended its Disaster Declaration to the end of this year, and Benning suggested that Gilpin County could do the same. Isenhart said she thinks it’s a good idea.

Nearby hospitals are being overwhelmed. They were hoping Covid would taper off, but it is still with us, Isenhart said. Commissioner Sandy Hollingsworth moved to extend the disaster declaration through December 31, and the Board approved the motion with Commissioner Web Sill voting nay.

The Board discussed complaints and Covid cases at the Gilpin County Schools. Isenhart said the schools have had some cases of classes being quarantined because of Covid, and the commissioners have received numerous emails and phone calls about the school’s hesitancy to require masking.

Dr. Dawn Comstock, Executive Director of Public Health, said she wanted to share what Albrecht said, since she interacts with the school officials on a daily basis. The school has had seven cases that have been confirmed in the last 14 days.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) school guides, CDPHE now recommends universal indoor masking regardless of vaccination. The Colorado Children’s Hospital said wearing masks will help mitigate the spread of Covid. Dr. Comstock recommended adopting a mask mandate and testing for all unvaccinated students and teachers.

Isenhart said this is quite serious. They have received emails and calls from parents recommending that this is the way Gilpin County can go. “We hoped the School Board would be forthcoming and create a policy themselves.”

Commissioners noted that masks are required in Clear Creek, Boulder, and Jefferson Counties. Commissioner Web Sill said the School Board voted 4 to 1 to continue the policies they have in place, and, since the citizens voted for the current Board, he did not want to override the decision of all of the school district voters because of the complaints of a very few people, including the one dissenting vote.

He suggested giving the School Board some time to make their own decision. Being required to vaccinate and test is segregation and discrimination, Sill said. “I’m more than willing to give a little while for the School Board to make a decision.”

Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie chose not to enter into the afternoon discussion.

The Commissioners heard comments from three members of the public who were in favor of having masking requirements at the schools. The Commission then voted to require masking of all school students, employees, teachers, and visitors until the end of the quarter on December 16, with Sill voting against it.

During the morning meeting, the Commissioners discussed extending Covid-19 pay versus using sick time. Benning said the Families First Relief Act requires that employees receive 80 hours in sick leave for Covid. The purpose is to encourage employees to stay healthy. The Board agreed to revisit this at the October 18 meeting and just keep the status quo.

Facilities Manager Ryan Keenan requested hiring a full-time maintenance technician. He said he wanted to change the job listing from temporary seasonal worker to a full-time technician.

Commissioner Sill agreed with the proposal. Hollingsworth said they are in the middle of the Graves study regarding employee salaries and they are keeping an eye on employee starting salaries. Isenhart said they will leave it to Ryan to jump through the hoops and get it started after he firms up his proposal.

The Board heard a proposal for the second meeting with Summit Foods for jail and Senior meals. The Sheriff’s Office has three employees budgeted for the kitchen which serves the jail, Meals on Wheels, and the congregate meals at lunch, said Detentions Officer Greg Demo.

By entering into a contract with Summit Food Service they would eliminate these three positions from the county’s payroll. The Summit Food Service contract will be on a sliding scale based on the actual number of meals served.

The meal count each day would be completed and verified by GCSO staff. The billing for food service would be weekly.

Sheriff’s Officer Greg Demo said he reached out to three jails that use Summit Food Service – Teller, Fremont, and Larimer counties – and received nothing but positive remarks.

Commissioner Sill said he thinks they ought to do it. It will help with staffing, but they should watch over a period a time to see if the staffing and the quality and quantity of food remain high.

County Attorney Benning said that if they approve the contract today, it would commence on October 25. Hollingsworth said it would save $120,000 in salaries.

Sill said they can move to approve the contract today and have Benning finish the contract today. Benning said he could do that, and the Board approved the contract.

The next meeting of the Gilpin Board of County Commissioners will be on September 29, 2021.