OURAY COUNTY BRIEFS

OURAY COUNTY – The scheduled closure of Waste Management’s Ouray County Transfer Station has been avoided, if only temporarily, something that comes as a great relief to county residents without contracted trash pickup service.

Waste Management District Manager David Jones informed the Ouray Board of County Commissioners that the transfer station near Ridgway will remain open until March 31, instead of closing as originally planned on Feb. 28. The planned closure is a result of financial shortfalls in the company.

Since hearing of the closure on Feb. 2, Ouray County Commissioners Heidi Albritton and Lynn Padgett have heard from a number of county residents who say the transfer station is badly needed.

“I got quite a bit of feedback,” Padgett said, adding that one resident told her she used the facility at least once a month, because contracted trash pick-up service in her area would require her to haul it several miles away from her house. “She observed that could become a bear problem with the potential of trash being thrown about. Her only other option would be to haul it to Montrose.”

After some research, Padgett discovered that Ouray County actually holds the state permit for the facility and as such was “in charge of this transfer facility.” She also heard from residents who said they would be amenable to increased fees at the facility to keep it operating.

Commissioner Keith Meinert said that he saw the waste transfer station as a needed amenity for county residents.

The commissioners agreed that a meeting with Waste Management officials should be scheduled to see if any sort of agreement to keep the facility open could be reached.

Sheriff’s Office Gets Avi Beacons, Use of Snowmobiles

Ouray County Sheriff Dominic “Junior” Mattivi told the Ouray Board of County Commissioners on Monday that his office has received a donation of avalanche rescue beacons.

“We have them ready if we need them,” Mattivi said.

Earlier this winter, Mattivi put out the word that his department was in need of beacons for deputies who must perform work in the county’s avalanche-prone Red Mountain Pass area. But because of strict budget allowances, the sheriff’s office was unable to purchase the avalanche beacons. He did not say who donated the funds to purchase the beacons.

And after meeting with the local department of Colorado State Parks, Mattivi said the county is now welcome to use their snowmobiles and ATVs to reach residents on un-maintained roads in times of an emergency.

Both Mattivi and Chief Emergency Services Paramedic Norm Rooker had expressed concern at the commissioners’ Feb. 2 meeting that without snowmobiles, some residents in outlying parts of the county are almost unreachable in an emergency because of their remote location. Mattivi told the commissioners that he had recently received a domestic violence call at a remote residence but then spent most of the night looking for a snowmobile to access the residence.

Mattivi suggested that the county draft a Memorandum of Understanding with Colorado State Parks outlining use and terms of the equipment.

Board of Visual Appeals Alternates Appointed, Terms Set

The Ouray County Commissioners on Monday passed a resolution that outlined the terms and appointment for alternate members for the Ouray County’s Board of Visual Appeals.

Tom McKenny, Doug MacFarlane, John Clark, and Eric Dickerson were all appointed as alternates to the Board of Visual Appeals on Monday after the commissioners passed resolution 2009-007, which states that alternate terms will be limited to three years.

The resolution originally stated that three alternate seats would exist, but the commissioners ultimately decided to omit any specific number.
“I don’t see any reason to pare it down to three,” Commissioner Keith Meinert said. “I didn’t have any criteria to select three out of four.”

The four members appointed on Monday were the only ones who submitted letters of interest in sitting as an alternate on the Board of Visual Appeals.