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Town government can be entertaining

Posted 5/28/25

Dear Editor,

Out of curiosity, I read the Board of Trustees (BOT) May 20 agenda along with the staff reports. More entertaining than one might think. It reads like a tragic comedy. Humorous momentarily with a disturbing reality. At every turn of...

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Town government can be entertaining

Posted

Dear Editor,


Out of curiosity, I read the Board of Trustees (BOT) May 20 agenda along with the staff reports. More entertaining than one might think. It reads like a tragic comedy. Humorous momentarily with a disturbing reality. At every turn of a page there were contradictions, bad ideas, and budget wasting purchases illustrated. 

For example, the Town Administrator wrote, “The Streets Dept was evaluating contractor options for critical culvert replacement.” Sounds like the streets crew is seeking to hire a contractor to finish the dept’s basic work responsibilities. ‘Evaluating contractor options’ doesn’t approach the ‘critical’ work with any urgency or motivation to perform. 

The Streets Department has a fleet of new trucks and equipment as well as a big crew of full-time employees that already places a heavy burden of cost on the community. Only in government can it be considered to pay an independent contractor to complete the Streets Dept. work. The community stands to pay for the work twice. Pay town employees not to do their work and hire someone else to complete their work at a higher price. Time for the Streets Dept. to set up to the challenge and achieve.

I also read that the Utility Dept. had a rough Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspection at the water plant. The State Engineers are a thorough bunch. A few correctable items were identified along with a few worth mentioning. 

It was discovered that when providing water from hydrants it is necessary to use a backflow prevention device to ensure contaminants do not enter the town’s water distribution system. This is a violation of the Colorado Primary Drinking Water Regulations, Section 11.39 for the lack of cross connection prevention. The utilities staff report informed the BOT their response to the violation was the town would be, “not allowing temporary use of water from hydrants until a backflow prevention assembly is available and certified.” 

Yesterday (on May 21) I saw a hose lying on the ground attached to the hydrant on Ridge Road. Guess Boulder County Road Maintenance didn’t get the memo. The State Heath Dept cites the town for a regulatory violation and the town allows the inappropriate activity to continue. I wonder what degree of enforcement can be ordered by the Heath Dept for a persistent violation of the regulation they were just cited? That’s like speeding away after receiving a speeding ticket.     

I also thought it was funny that the town Utility Manager is not really in charge. This role to be the one accountable for the Utilities Departments activities, decisions, and compliance is referred to the Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC). The town has hired a guy from Wellington, Colorado, to be the town’s ORC. Does it seem strange to have the person ultimately accountable for the town’s utilities to live 80 miles away?

It appears our Utility Manager has not obtained the proper level of certifications to be the town’s Operator In Responsible Charge. It costs $2750.00 monthly to retain the services of an ‘ORC Contractor’. The town pays for it twice. See a pattern here? 

  As I read more, the follies went on and on. The most dramatic action is the BOT themselves are openly and defiantly violating the Town Code. What message is broadcast when the town’s governing body doesn’t follow their own rules? One such defiant BOT act is a violation of  Article III, Section 13-63 of the Town Code. It directs the BOT to provide a permit for anyone taking water from the distribution system. This and other related town codes are being ignored by those individuals whose job it is to guide and maintain the Town’s Codes. Irony or hypocrisy? Is there any honor or ethics personified by Trustees when not following their own rules? 

What has become established is an unaccountable and contradictory style of governance on display. It’s free for everyone to go and see. The tragic comedy of administrative errors and uninformed decisions is being played at two monthly showings. The town’s elected actors script a play on a live stage. The town’s theater, a Board of Trustees meeting.    

Mark Clift

Gilpin County