Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker told the Board of Commissioners Tuesday that long awaited security improvements have been installed at the Fremont County Judicial Building. Sheriff Beicker said the new video conferencing equipment has been installed in the first floor courtroom of the Judicial Building. The Sheriff said the security enhancement means that inmates can remain within the secure section of the jail thereby saving time and money by not having more detention officers tied up with transporting inmates to court.
Sheriff Beicker said that while many judges will still want to speak to some defendants face to face, 11th Judicial District Chief Judge Charles Barton is encouraging judges throughout the district to employ the internet video technology. Beicker said the courtroom video conferencing will also enhance security and save money for the Department of Corrections by not having to transport so many inmates to court hearings.
Fremont County received a $45,700 grant from the Colorado Court Security Cash Fund to finance the installation of the video conferencing equipment. The grant fund was created five years ago through the collection of surcharge fees on court cases.
The Commissioners on Tuesday also awarded a bid for new security fencing at the Fremont County Airport. The bid award went to Taylor Fencing of Pueblo which submitted the lowest of four bids at $58,061. The Taylor bid was $15,000 lower than the next lowest bid. Fremont County Airport Manager Dick Baker said the Federal Aviation Administration recommended the fence replacement during a recent site inspection. Not only will the new seven-foot chain link fence replace an existing barbed-wire fence, it will also expand the area at the airport maintained with security fencing. An FAA grant through the Colorado Aeronautics Division is paying for 90 percent of the fencing cost.
In other business on Tuesday the Board of Commissioners:
- Approved a hotel-restaurant liquor license for the Royal Gorge Company operating the Royal Gorge Country Café at the corner of Highway 50 and County Road 3A;
- Approved a proclamation designating May as Foster Care Month in Fremont County;
- Approved a lease renewal with the Fremont County GIS Authority for the GIS office space in the County Administration Building;
- Formally approved a resolution adopting a set of Rules and Regulations for the Fremont County Airport;
- Approved a subdivision variance for Kenneth and Frances Gordon of Howard allowing creation of an outlot from an existing outlot for the purpose of resolving water storage and irrigation issues for the Ireland Domestic Water Development Corporation located in the Acres of Ireland subdivision;
- Scheduled a public hearing for 10:00 a.m. May 22nd on a requested zone change from Business to Rural Highway Business for the Razor Ridge property located adjacent to the Skyline Drive entrance west of Cañon City.