The Fremont County Commissioners approved a bid award for extension of a trails project in Canon City at the board's regular meeting. The City of Canon City and the Canon City Recreation and Park District are the two principal entities involved in the trail extension, but the County was the applicant to the Colorado Department of Transportation for the federal grant money that is funding the project. The Commissioners awarded a contract to the low bidder, Avalanche Excavating of Canon City, in the amount of $628,738. A contract for the work will not be signed until the work plan receives C-DOT approval and after the Canon City Council approves a $60,000 fund transfer to help pay for the work. The project will extend the Arkansas Riverwalk trail beneath the 9th street river bridge and westwards to a foot bridge across the river to connect to Santa Fe Depot at the River Station. Because the bids exceeded money available, work to extend the trail beneath the 'Black Bridge' under the railroad will be completed by the City and the Rec District instead of the contractor. The County is contributing $10,000 in lottery funds to the project.
The Commissioners Tuesday also approved a 2006 contract to continue participation in the Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments' Regional Recycling Program. The final contract amount will be $29,353. Commissioner Mike Stiehl said it appears surcharges on dumping at the Phantom Landfill and local transfer stations now exceed the amount needed to pay for the recycling program and that more markets are being developed to return some revenues for recycled products.
The Commissioners approved another $6,000 expenditure to help pay for the North Canon Sewer study. With many septic systems failing north of Canon City, the Fremont Sanitation District and the County Commissioners agreed to finance a study to extend sewer service north. The extra $6,000 will pay for the cost of expanding the study area from 1,742 acres to 2,113 acres. a $13,000 state mineral impact grant is being matched by $11,550 from the sanitation district and $10,450 from Fremont County.
In other business at the December 13th regular meeting the Commissioners:
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Reappointed Danny DeGeorge and newly appointed Ryan McCallister to the Fremont County Tourism Council for three year terms. McCallister replaces Peg Piltingsrud of Florence who did not seek reappointment.
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The Commissioners commended her for her service.Reappointed Kathy Kunselman, Marie Adams, Patsy Michaud, and Phil Quattlebaum to the Fremont County Fair Board.
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Appointed Edgie Walrath of Florence to a five year term on the John C. Fremont Library District Board at Florence.
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Received oral reports from Ann Oatman-Gardner on the Fort Carson-Pikes Peak Sustainability Project, from J.R. Phillips on revisions to the Fremont County Noxious Weed Management Plan, and from Bryce Nelson about the Fremont County Civil Air Patrol activities.
The Board of Commissioners also announced a special meeting for 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 20th, for the purpose of certifying mill levies to the state for all Fremont County governmental entities which collect property taxes.