End of the year budgetary matters highlighted a brief agenda of business for the Fremont County Commissioners. The Board met in a rare Friday session since the meeting was rescheduled due to the regular meeting date occurring on December 25th.
The Commissioners approved a resolution certifying all of the mill levies for every governmental entity in the county that relies on property taxes as part of its revenue. The annual mill levy certification is required by state law. The final summary showed a total of $24.96 million being estimated for collection in property taxes for schools, cities, towns, the county, and all special districts against a total Fremont County assessed valuation of $429.527 million. That represents an increase of $56.22 million in assessed value from one year ago. The Commissioners say the increase is a credit to the hard work by new County Assessor Stacey Seifert and her staff to get a five year back log of properties on the tax rolls in Fremont County.
The Commissioners adopted a resolution formally approving the service plan for the proposed new Western Fremont Fire Protection District at Coaldale. The Commissioners conducted a public hearing at the December 11th meeting on the plan. Commission Chairman Ed Norden noted that there was no public opposition to the plan which would split the Coaldale area off from the Deer Mountain Fire District. Norden said there were a number of letters from the Coaldale and Deer Mountain area that supported the proposal. The next step is for organizers to file the plan in Fremont County District Court in hopes of conducting an election in May. That election would seek approval from Coaldale residents to form the new district and elect their own board of directors.
In other business the Commissioners:
The Commissioners approved a resolution certifying all of the mill levies for every governmental entity in the county that relies on property taxes as part of its revenue. The annual mill levy certification is required by state law. The final summary showed a total of $24.96 million being estimated for collection in property taxes for schools, cities, towns, the county, and all special districts against a total Fremont County assessed valuation of $429.527 million. That represents an increase of $56.22 million in assessed value from one year ago. The Commissioners say the increase is a credit to the hard work by new County Assessor Stacey Seifert and her staff to get a five year back log of properties on the tax rolls in Fremont County.
The Commissioners adopted a resolution formally approving the service plan for the proposed new Western Fremont Fire Protection District at Coaldale. The Commissioners conducted a public hearing at the December 11th meeting on the plan. Commission Chairman Ed Norden noted that there was no public opposition to the plan which would split the Coaldale area off from the Deer Mountain Fire District. Norden said there were a number of letters from the Coaldale and Deer Mountain area that supported the proposal. The next step is for organizers to file the plan in Fremont County District Court in hopes of conducting an election in May. That election would seek approval from Coaldale residents to form the new district and elect their own board of directors.
In other business the Commissioners:
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Approved resolutions for a supplemental 2007 budget to reflect changes primarily due to grant monies received and disbursed and for transfer of appropriated funds between various budget lines;
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Approved a resolution supporting Fremont County's involvement in the Preserve America program in an effort to secure a grant for historical heritage programs;
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Approved a resolution expanding the medical providers' list for workers compensation insurance;
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Approved the grant contract for receiving $400,000 in Colorado Gaming Impact Funds for spending in 2008;
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Approved a waiver to permit Cemex of Florence to replace a failed leach line to their septic system at 213 South Robinson instead of being forced to install 900 feet of sewage pipe to hook into Fremont Sanitation District lines.