The Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to table any action on the ‘Over the River’ temporary use permit application until the board’s regular meeting on March 13th. Commission Chair Debbie Bell said the board is working hard to reach a resolution. She said as they prepare to make a decision, the board is carefully reviewing language of the permit, particularly as it relates to conditions and findings listed. Bell said it’s important for citizens to understand that the Board of Commissioners listened to them and took their concerns to heart in drafting proposed conditions. Bell said public concerns are the focus and that it is not a popularity contest.
District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden said there apparently were rumors that because Christo announced plans to postpone the exhibition by another year until 2015, the Board of Commissioners would also delay their decision another year. Norden said that simply is not true and that he believes the board intends to deliver a decision on the application by the end of March. Bell said if it looks like the matter will be tabled further on March 13th the commissioners will make every effort to publicize that fact beforehand. Under the controversial art project, the artist Christo proposes to cover 5.9 miles of the Arkansas River with translucent fabric. It would involve 177 construction days over a three year period with the two week exhibition event now targeted for August of 2015. The Board of Commissioners received 833 written comments on the project. Commissioner Norden said the Planning Department continues to receive written comments on the project but because the official public comment period ended on February 9th, those written comments are not part of the record and have not been shared with the commissioners.
The Over the River project has secured a Bureau of Land Management 2920 federal lands permit and still needs local permits from the Fremont and Chaffee County Boards of Commissioners, the Colorado Department of Transportation, and the Colorado State Patrol.
The commissioners on Tuesday also voted 2 to 1 to rescind a moratorium approved last fall to prohibit the signing of any new leases for property at the Fremont County Airport until work was completed on updating the Airport Master Plan. The Airport Advisory Committee recommended that the moratorium be rescinded so new leases could be considered. Airport Manager Richard Baker said Armstrong Consultants of Grand Junction had advised that allowing new leases at the airport would not have an impact on work being done on the Master Plan. Committee Member Jim Woolworth said he is confident that any concerns the Board of Commissioners have as it relates to the Master Plan can be dealt with by setting out certain restrictions in the terms of any lease. Commissioner Mike Stiehl voted against cancelling the moratorium saying he wasn’t convinced that signing new leases would not impact work on the Master Plan.
The commissioners also set a date for a public hearing for April 10th at 10:00 .a.m. for the adoption of proposed Rules and Regulations to govern operations at the Fremont County Airport. Citizens who have concern about airport rules should attend the meeting in person, submit comments in writing to the Board of Commissioners, or both.
In other business on Tuesday the Board of Commissioners:
- Heard a presentation from PuebloCAREs regarding radon hazards. Fremont County Environmental Health Officer Sid Darden said after the presentation 55 free radon test kits were distributed to Fremont County residents. Other residents desiring a free radon test kit can get one by calling PuebloCAREs for information at 719-252-6258;
- Approved revisions to the Pathfinder Regional Park Facility Usage Policy and fee schedule. The policy now addresses the ability for groups to lease park grounds on county property outside of the arena facilities including dry camping;
- Reappointed Margaret Stiles Storm and Kay Ellison to the Fremont County Heritage Commission;
- Presented a certificate and gift to Harold Serven for 12 years of service on the Fremont County Board of Zoning Adjustment;
- Approved a Special Event Liquor License for the Cañon City Rodeo Association for their Blossom Festival weekend rodeos on May 4th and 5th;
- Approved a purchase order of $45,384 for the Fremont County Office of Emergency Management to use a grant to buy a mobile incident command trailer for use by law enforcement agencies, Emergency Management, and Search and Rescue to set up a portable command center where needed in the county;
- Approved a bid of $64,165 to West Tech Communications for purchase of a new telephone system in the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s Office;
- Approved the annual contract renewal with Correctional Health Care Companies to be the service provider for inmate health care services at the Fremont County Jail.