Fremont County’s Noxious Weed Control Department is staying busy this summer fighting noxious weeds. Weed Control Director J.R. Phillips told the Board of Commissioners today that even in drought conditions it seems that weeds continue to thrive. Phillips and his two Weed Department employees, Jana Gregg and Tom Grette, delivered their semi-annual report to the commissioners today. Gregg reported that $85,000 worth of noxious weed control work has been billed to cooperating landowners so far this summer with $12,000 having been spent thus far on weed control herbicides. Gregg said the new Van Diest Supply warehouse along Highway 67 north of Florence has proven to be beneficial and convenient to the county’s weed control efforts. Phillips reported that they have experimented with a new herbicide to control weeds around the arena at Fremont County’s Pathfinder Regional Park which has proven to be very effective.
Grette reported that the Four Mile watershed weed control project that started four years ago to fight Tamarisk and Russian Olive continues to gain strength. Grette said there are lots of private landowners and public agencies which have partnered to control both species along Four Mile Creek. He said 63 acres have been treated so far this summer and that they still intend to do some aerial seeding to get desirable grasses to grow where Tamarisk and Russian Olive are removed. Phillips said Fremont County is cooperating with other counties to control up Tamarisk on up to 1,400 acres across the southeastern part of the state. Phillips said a natural control program is also proving effective through the use of an invasive insect which kills off the Tamarisk plants.
The Board of Commissioners today also voted to extend by another two years the Conditional Use Permit for the Northfield Coal Mine near Williamsburg. The mine owners are hopeful that as the economy improves a market can still be developed for the Northfield Coal so mining operations can start and new jobs created.
The commissioners today also:
- Approved a two lot minor subdivision for Erik and Jennifer Lang at Highway 50 and Swissvale Road in the Swissvale area; Authorized the chairman to sign a one year extension of agreements with the state for the Colorado Works Program and Colorado Child Care Assistance Program;
- Approved a Special Events Beer Permit for the Cañon City Rodeo Association for a midget wrestling event at the rodeo grounds on September 9th;
- Approved signing a letter of support for the Town of Coal Creek which is applying for a GOCO grant to enhance the town park with a building for restrooms, a sprinkler system, and concessions stand.