Colorado Lottery Executive Director Abel Tapia told the Fremont County Commissioners Tuesday that since its inception 28 years ago more than $10 million in lottery funds have benefitted Fremont County. Tapia and two Lottery staff members visited the commissioners in what they described as an effort to have face to face conversations with local officials about how lottery funds benefit Colorado. Tapia noted that lottery funds are constitutionally protected as approved by the voters. He said lottery ticket sales so far in 2011 are running $15 million ahead of last year.
Lottery Community Relations Specialist Matt Robbins shared a comprehensive list of sample projects in Fremont County that have benefitted from the Lottery’s Conservation Trust Fund through community grants and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grants. Some of the recent examples include new bleachers, lights, and restrooms at the Pathfinder Regional Park arena, the Cañon City Whitewater Kayak Park, the Florence swimming pool renovation, Penrose Park improvements, Cotopaxi ball fields, Cañon City tennis court improvements, and Cañon City’s Riverwalk Trail. Tapia noted that with Colorado’s budget shortfalls, the Colorado Lottery now funds about 50 percent of the costs to maintain all state parks.
At Tuesday’s regular meeting the Board of Commissioners also filled a vacancy on the Fremont County Planning Commission. The commissioners appointed Steve Smith of Penrose to fill a vacancy created by the resignation in February of Planning Commissioner Tom Doxey. Smith is a 35 year resident of the Penrose area and is Director of Colorado Correctional Industries for the Colorado Department of Corrections. Commission Chairman Ed Norden said Smith’s experience with water, land use, and legislative issues should prove valuable to the Planning Commission. Commissioner Debbie Bell added that Smith’s experience in Correctional Industries agricultural programs should also add valuable insight on agricultural issues that come before the Planning Commission.
The commissioners voted to approve a resolution determining that any elections in this odd—numbered year of 2011 be mail ballot elections. County Clerk Katie Barr said there will be municipal elections and school board elections and that mail ballots will save all of the entities a great deal of money. Commissioner Mike Stiehl added that voters continue to express support for mail ballot elections as their preferred method of voting.
The commissioners voted to approve annual ambulance licenses for five agencies that operate within Fremont County. Upon the recommendation of Tom Anderson, who handles ambulance inspections for the county, the commissioners approved licensing of 14 ambulances for American Medical Response; three ambulances for Arkansas Valley Ambulance; two ambulances for the Florence Volunteer Fire Department; two ambulances for the Penrose Volunteer Fire Department; and two ambulances for Northwest E.M.S. License and inspection fees were also waived for AVA, Florence, Penrose, and Northwest E.M.S. ambulances.
Other business handled Tuesday by the Board of Commissioners:
- Adopted a proclamation for Foster Care Month for the month of May in Fremont County urging families to contact the Department of Human Services for information on how to become a foster care family;
- Approved a contract amendment for the North Cañon Sewer Extension project taking note of minor changes in addresses and the number of properties to be served with sanitary sewer;
- Approved an agreement with Lee & Burgess of Centennial, Colorado, to conduct a county employee compensation and classification study and update;
- Awarded bids for purchase of asphalt, aggregate, and oil for asphalt and chip sealing surfacing projects this spring and summer;
- Approved a temporary use permit for the Penrose Chamber of Commerce to operate their annual flea market every Saturday this spring and summer in the parking lot of the Gooseberry Patch in Penrose;
- Heard a report from Public Trustee and County Treasurer Pat McFarland that foreclosures initiated in her office for the first quarter of 2011 totaled 76. She said that compares to 101 foreclosures initiated in the 4th quarter of 2010 and to 74 for the first quarter of 2010.