OURAY COUNTY BRIEFS

Commissioner Don Batchelder Says Goodbye

OURAY – After seeing the draft of a resolution to impose a moratorium on residential mining claim development on Monday, the Ouray County Commissioners directed County Attorney Mary Deganhart to polish the wording so that it can be brought back for adoption at their Jan. 26 meeting.

If approved, the moratorium will commence for a term of six months, during which time regulations will be put in the county’s Land Use Code regarding residential construction on mining claims. The commissioners wanted to make sure the moratorium did not affect mining companies initiating work on their mining claims.

The commissioners did approve a resolution on Monday that outlines the county’s priorities for revising the LUC in the next six months. They include regulations for residential mining claims; amendments to Section 6.12 (formerly 6.13) to include additions to boundary adjustments; and review of the current requirement that any amendment be approved by two-thirds of affected property owners.

County to Become Nonprofit’s Fiscal Sponsor

The Ouray County Commissioners approved a request for the county to become the Voyager Youth Program’s fiscal agent in order to receive grant money if the nonprofit is given a grant from the State of Colorado. The nonprofit organization, dedicated to drug and alcohol abuse prevention, is not able receive funds directly because of its 501(c)3 status.

Karla Cline, executive director of the Voyager Youth Program, approached the commissioners at Monday’s regular meeting.

“Voyager would work in collaboration with you as a contracted agency,” she explained. Right now, she is in the application process for the Governor’s Portion of Federal Safe and Drug Free-Communities Act grant, which is administered through Colorado Department of Human Services. She said the grant focuses on drug and alcohol abuse prevention within area schools and is geared for minors.

Commissioners Keith Meinert and Heidi Albritton expressed concern about the added workload for County Administrator Connie Hunt, but Meinert added that acting as a fiscal sponsor is nothing new for the county.

“It’s not like we are doing this for the first time,” he said. “We are the fiscal agent for Top of the Pines. I am inclined to say let’s work with them as much as we can and facilitate their grant.”

The commissioners directed Hunt to work out any further details with Cline and that a Memorandum of Understanding be drafted so the responsibilities between the two organizations are clear.

Don Batchelder Says Goodbye After Eight Years

Monday’s meeting in Ouray marked Don Batchelder’s final day at his post after eight years serving as Ouray County’s District 1 Commissioner.

Batchelder was thanked for his service by Commissioners Heidi Albritton and Keith Meinert as well as county staff with five minutes of Grateful Dead music, baked goods and gifts of sealed hot air.

“I am going to miss Don,” County Administrator Connie Hunt said. “He is a wonderful asset to the county and to the communities within Ouray. It has been a great pleasure working with him.”

“We all appreciate the eight years you have put into the county,” Meinert added.

“Thanks to all of you, it has really been my pleasure the past eight years,” Batchelder said.

The newly elected District 1 Commissioner, Lynn Padgett, took her oath of office the following morning at a reception at the Ouray Courthouse.