The Fremont County Board of Commissioners has appointed a new Veterans Service Office to replace Betty Hanawalt who is retiring after five years of service. At their January 28th regular meeting the Board voted unanimously to select Al Augustine of Cañon City as Hanawalt’s replacement. Chairman Debbie Bell said the selection was a difficult decision given the fact that there were several qualified applicants. Augustine is active in American Legion Post 13 in Cañon City where he serves as the group’s Finance Officer and manages the Legion’s bingo operation. Augustine retired from the Chicago Police Department in 2003 where in his last 12 years there, he worked as a detective. Commissioner Ed Norden noted that all of the veterans’ service organizations in Fremont County that reviewed the applications also recommended Augustine for the appointment.
The Board of Commissioners also took a moment to adopt a resolution praising the work of Betty Hanawalt. A resolution of commendation noted that on many occasions Hanawalt ran errands and drove veterans to various appointments on her own time and at her own expense.
The Board approved a request by the Tallahassee Volunteer Fire Department to use a water cistern for a new fire station being built northwest of Cañon City instead of being required to drill a well. Fire Chief Gordon Grosslight said the Tallahassee Fire volunteers are preparing to construct a fire station on the Rideout Ranch along Highway 9 about two miles north of the junction with Highway 50. Grosslight said they would need a 2,000 gallon cistern even if they would drill a well because water is the area often has to be heavily treated for human consumption. Commissioner Norden said he was willing to waive the water well drilling requirement since there will be no inhabitants living at the facility. Grosslight said waiving the water well requirement will also free up more of their money to erect the building itself.
In other business at the Commissioners’ January 22nd meeting the Board:
- Approved a resolution recognizing January 21st as John C. Fremont Day commemorating Fremont’s 200th birthday;
- Approved a bid award of $28,500 to The Aggregate Source for 10,000 tons of road base material for the Fremont County Department of Transportation (FCDOT);
- Approved a bid award of $30,000 to Andy Kagan & Sons for purchase of 6,000 tons of road base material for FCDOT;
- Approved a 2013 water lease agreement and lease payment of $722 to the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District allowing FCDOT to secure two acre feet of water from various streams for road maintenance purposes;
- Approved a waiver and indemnity agreement with Robert Olislagers of the Arapahoe County Airport Authority to conduct a peer review focusing on a Fremont County Airport security assessment at no cost to Fremont County.