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December 29th Board of Commissioners Meeting

December 29th Board of Commissioners Meeting

The Fremont County Commissioners' final formal meeting of 2009 dealt with some routine end of the year business and clarifications on a pair of previously approved Special Review Use Permits.

The Commissioners voted Tuesday on five appointments to the Fremont County Tourism Council. The Commissioners reappointed Rudl Mergelman and Beth Katchmar to three year terms on the council and newly appointed Dan Brown of Keller-Williams Realty to a three year term filling a vacancy left by the departing Andy Neinas. Neinas served nine years on the Tourism Council since it was first formed. The Commissioners also appointed Vicky Casey of Buckskin Joe to serve the remaining two years of a term on the council created by the vacation of a seat held by Amy Colvin. To fill a vacancy created by the December resignation of Morrie Aves, the Commissioners appointed Mike Johnston of Prospectors RV Park to serve the remaining one year on that term.

The Commissioners unanimously approved a contract renewal for 2010 for County Manager George Sugars at an annual salary of $73,440. District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden commended Sugars for his first year on the job noting his efforts through the budget process. Norden said Sugars has also received high praise from Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker for Sugars' efforts in handling management and budget issues between the Commissioners and the Sheriff's Department. District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha said it should be noted that Sugars actually filled the vacancy of the Human Resources Director and his handling all of those duties in addition to tackling management duties for the county.

The board approved a resolution of intent for Fremont County to enter into financial obligations of approximately $3.5 million through the issuance of certificates of participation. Commissioner Ed Norden said a list of projects would be detailed later once the finances are actually put into place by the George K. Baum Company, but added that part of the package includes a refinancing of the certificates for various county buildings. Norden said principal payments on certificates for the jail, Human Services Building, and Judicial Center are escalating in 2010 beyond the available sales tax revenue to make those payments. As a result it's necessary to restructure the payment schedule.

Commissioner Mike Stiehl also noted that $2 million of the $3.5 million finance package is for the county's energy audit which got underway this past summer. Under a contract with Ennovate Corporation and through a grant from the Governor's Energy Office, the $2 million in energy efficiency improvements are to be paid off with guaranteed energy savings over a period of years.

In other business the Commissioners:
  • Reappointed Mike Welch and Jim Javernick to the Fremont County Board of Zoning Adjustment;
  • Modified the language of a condition for drainage requirements for the A.T. & T. Wireless facility permit at Penrose approved December 8th;
  • Dropped a signed affidavit requirement for fire protection responsibility from a permit for the University of Oklahoma Geology Camp approved December 8th. The Commissioners said a record has already been made that OU is aware their new geology camp south of Canon City will be constructed outside of any organized fire district boundaries;
  • Approved two resolutions dealing with end of year fund transfers and appropriations to close out the 2009 budget year.