A twenty minute regular meeting of the Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday was highlighted by board action to transfer some Department of Human Services funds to Boulder County. The commissioners voted to ratify the Chairman’s signature on paperwork that was signed last Thursday transferring $100,000 in TANF reserve funds to Boulder County.
TANF—Temporary Aid to Needy Families, involves restricted funds that Fremont County was still holding in reserve as the close of Colorado’s fiscal year approaches on June 30th. Fremont County was in a position where the reserve dollars would have to be turned back while Boulder County was experiencing a shortfall. Fremont County Department of Human Services Director Steve Clifton told the commissioners in a workshop meeting last week that in past years Fremont County was on the receiving end of some of those needed dollars. He says this year Fremont County was able to return the favor.
The commissioners adopted a proclamation declaring the week of June 20-26th as Amateur Radio Week in Fremont County. Local club representative Amanda Alden told the board that local ham radio operators were instrumental in recent years with such major events as the Waldo Canyon Fire, the Black Forest wildfire, and the Royal Gorge wildfire. Alden said local amateur radio club members are working with other clubs to develop a backbone infrastructure of ham radio operators stretching from Cheyenne, Wyoming, south to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ham radio operators will participate in Amateur Radio Field Day exercises on June 25th and 26th at the Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City.
In other business Tuesday the Board of Commissioners:
- Approved action to support the Upper Arkansas Area Council of Government’s housing rehabilitation program by reducing building permit fees for qualifying families. County building permit fees will be reduced by $100 for every housing unit that undergoes rehabilitation to preserve housing for low to moderate income families in rural areas of Fremont County;
- Authorized the Chairman’s signature on the annual Southern Colorado RETAC contract allowing the Fremont County EMS Council to secure $15,000 in grant funding;
- Heard a monthly report from County Clerk and Recorder Katie Barr in which the county’s portion of motor vehicle registration fees for May, 2016 totaled over $569,000. Barr reported that amount was $100,000 more than the amount collected in May of 2015.