John Scarffe, Gilpin County.  The public and Gilpin County employees filled the Gilpin County Courthouse Meeting Room to recognize newly elected officials for 2019 during a reception at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, before the regular Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners meeting at 9 a.m. Newly elected officials are Gilpin County commissioner for District 2 Linda Isenhart, Assessor Anne Schafer, Clerk and Recorder Sahari McCormick, Gilpin County coroner Zane Laubhan, Sheriff Kevin Armstrong and Treasurer and Public Trustee Mary R. Lorenz.

During the regular meeting, Judge Dennis Hall swore in the new and returning officials. Commissioner Linda Isenhart took over the gavel as board chair and thanked Commissioner Engels for the excellent job he did as chair.

Later in the meeting, County Manager Abel Montoya distributed a news release announcing the purchase of a 1.5-acre property at 15193 Highway 119 in mid-county for a new Human Services Department and Public Health building for $480,773. The property is adjacent to existing county owned land, and the building is about 5,088 square feet.

The property is zoned commercial, according to the release, and allows for the intended use. “Renovation and site work are planned to be completed in the fall of 2019.”

In April 2018, the county met with Reilly Johnson Architecture (RJA) to begin a Justice Center 20-year needs assessment that examined space requirements for the Sheriff’s Office, Jail, Courts and Probation, the District Attorney’s Office, Human Services and Public Health Services. The study estimated that the Human Services and Public Health Department needs could cost $6.9 million for a new building.

The purchase of the Highway 119 building and renovation is a much more cost-efficient way to provide the needed space, according to the release. Relocating the Human Services Department from the Justice Center will allow for the future expansion of existing services at the Justice Center and will save money. The county will select a construction company in the next few weeks.

Sheriff Armstrong introduced an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) establishing a VHF Regional Maintenance Program following the withdrawal of the City of Black Hawk. Clear Creek and Gilpin County received a letter from Black Hawk withdrawing from the IGA.

Black Hawk is in the process of transitioning to the state’s DTRS system.

“This development and knowing that the Black Hawk radio system is separate from the Clear Creek/Gilpin radio network, has led us to the conclusion that membership in the shared maintenance program will no longer be necessary as of this date,” states the letter.

Armstrong told the board that he met with Clear Creek and discussed the next steps. They want to move into another system, and the year 2020 will be the date for 800 updates. “They have to give us a year notice. In 2020, Black Hawk will no longer be responsible.”

Board Chair Ron Engels said they have the expectation that the county will be transitioning to the new 800 system and requested that Armstrong send a letter to them formalizing it. Armstrong said they should get a consultant on board to get the information they need.

The Sheriff’s Office will still have maintenance to do, and he is trying to get everyone to the table, including the Timberline Fire District, Gilpin County Ambulance Authority, gaming and public works. He would like to get everyone to help with the RFP process to find out costs for maintaining systems.

“We want the consultant to tell us what we need,” Armstrong said. He will write a response and get approval from Montoya.

“We’re going to have better coverage with this system. Timberline Fire will do a radio test and we’re getting better coverage with that Eldora tower. It will enhance coverage,” Armstrong said. Montoya said he will draft the letter and give them as much notice as possible and date it today.

Human Services Director Sharon Ashcraft updated the county on impacts from the Federal Government shut down. For January, the county looks fine, but the state has a constant contact about how February will look, benefits and everything will go as is.

The government has to keep benefits flowing, Ashcraft said. In the third week of January, they will have an emergency meeting about what the county can anticipate for February, worrying about benefits and food stamps.

Commissioner Linda Isenhart said that if this drags on, she is wondering if the county needs to have a plan. Ashcraft said that the state is working hard on their end to get as much information as they can. If essential personnel are not getting paid and calling in sick, those are issues the state is working on. They are still comfortable with February but not beyond.

The board also divided up annual appointments to other boards and agencies and authorized use of facsimile signatures for county officials. The board met on January 22 and February 5, 2019, at the Gilpin County Courthouse.

(Originally published in the January 24, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)