Adoption of findings for rescission of a Penrose zone change and discussion about anticipated 2009 budget cuts highlighted the agenda of business for the Fremont County Board of Commissioners Tuesday.
The board formally adopted a resolution setting out seven pages of findings in the aftermath of the Commissioners' decision on April 22nd to rescind a zone change first approved last December for the Ron Walker Ranch at Penrose. Neighbors in Top Rail Ranch Estates protested and argued that Walker misrepresented his intent to sell the ranch to the Holcim Company in his zone change application. The Commissioners voted April 22nd to vacate the Ag Forestry zone change and restore the property, now owned by Holcim, to Ag Rural and Ag Suburban zoning.
Among findings in the resolution approved by the board Tuesday is that Walker's responses to six questions in the zoning application did not reflect his intent to sell to Holcim, that the property sale was completed just days after the zone change, that Walker did exploration drilling on the property to determine minerals value, and that Holcim posted signs in January on the property declaring it as a "Future Quarry Site".
The Commissioners Tuesday also briefly discussed the county's financial and budgetary problems attributed to the current economic downturn. The board noted that in the first quarter of this year, sales and use tax collections were down by 8.2 percent or $93,000 less than a year ago. Combined with cost overruns at the Fremont County Jail due to escalating inmate numbers, the county finds itself in a possible $800,000 deficit by the end of this year.
District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha said the board along with department heads and other elected officials are currently examining all options as a way to both cut costs and increase revenues in some areas. Lasha said what's happening locally is a reflection of the national economy. District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden said the Commissioners must take some action soon to stem the tide. Norden said "At some point in time citizens in Fremont County will need to be aware that the services the county delivers are going to be affected. You cannot rack up the kinds of revenue shortfalls we're seeing without affecting the delivery of county services".
The Commissioners were to have another follow up meeting with department heads and elected officials before arriving at some long ranging budget cutting solutions to address the situation.
In other business Tuesday the Commissioners:
The board formally adopted a resolution setting out seven pages of findings in the aftermath of the Commissioners' decision on April 22nd to rescind a zone change first approved last December for the Ron Walker Ranch at Penrose. Neighbors in Top Rail Ranch Estates protested and argued that Walker misrepresented his intent to sell the ranch to the Holcim Company in his zone change application. The Commissioners voted April 22nd to vacate the Ag Forestry zone change and restore the property, now owned by Holcim, to Ag Rural and Ag Suburban zoning.
Among findings in the resolution approved by the board Tuesday is that Walker's responses to six questions in the zoning application did not reflect his intent to sell to Holcim, that the property sale was completed just days after the zone change, that Walker did exploration drilling on the property to determine minerals value, and that Holcim posted signs in January on the property declaring it as a "Future Quarry Site".
The Commissioners Tuesday also briefly discussed the county's financial and budgetary problems attributed to the current economic downturn. The board noted that in the first quarter of this year, sales and use tax collections were down by 8.2 percent or $93,000 less than a year ago. Combined with cost overruns at the Fremont County Jail due to escalating inmate numbers, the county finds itself in a possible $800,000 deficit by the end of this year.
District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha said the board along with department heads and other elected officials are currently examining all options as a way to both cut costs and increase revenues in some areas. Lasha said what's happening locally is a reflection of the national economy. District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden said the Commissioners must take some action soon to stem the tide. Norden said "At some point in time citizens in Fremont County will need to be aware that the services the county delivers are going to be affected. You cannot rack up the kinds of revenue shortfalls we're seeing without affecting the delivery of county services".
The Commissioners were to have another follow up meeting with department heads and elected officials before arriving at some long ranging budget cutting solutions to address the situation.
In other business Tuesday the Commissioners:
-
Appointed Dan Brixey and Dave Boden to the Fremont County Building Code Board of Appeals;
-
Approved two property tax abatements proposed by the County Assessor;
-
Approved a resolution establishing use of mail ballots for the odd-year election this November;
-
Awarded a bid to the Ennovate Corporation for $23,677 to perform an energy audit of all the county's buildings;
-
Authorized the chairman to sign a contract with Lamb-Star Engineering for $4,800 to conduct tests on the Texas Creek river bridge to determine if there is a crack in a steel bridge truss;
-
Heard from Fremont 4-H Foundation President Virginia Patton who presented a lifetime Foundation membership plaque to Commissioner Larry Lasha for his foundation contributions.