News Now Blog

The Fremont County Commissioners today voted to lift the fire ban that was in effect for the past 3 1/2 months. Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker requested that the Stage One Fire Restrictions be lifted due to rainfall in recent days and moderating temperatures. The fire ban on all open burning, agricultural burning, and fireworks was imposed on May 13th, the day after the Ferguson Wildfire broke out in the Deer Mountain area southwest of Canon City. District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden noted that the county's fire ban applied only the unincorporated areas of Fremont County.

The Colorado Department of Local Affairs has notified Fremont County that the county has been awarded a $405,000 Energy and Mineral Impact grant to replace aging Road and Bridge equipment. The $405,000 grant represents the full amount the county sought in its application. District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden, Road and Bridge Department Shop Foreman Tony Adamic, and Pat Long of the Tallahassee District Road Shop made a formal presentation of the grant request to the Energy and Mineral Advisory Committee when it met in Canon City on July 24th for grant hearings.

The Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday took formal action to get a contract in place for a third party water expert for the Black Range uranium exploration on the Taylor Ranch. The commissioners voted to authorize Chairman Larry Lasha to sign the contract with Western Water and Land (WWL) of Grand Junction once the firm completes their own legal review of the contract. Once the contract is signed the commissioners will work with WWL to finalize the scope of work to be followed.

A vacancy in a key county administrative post will afford the Fremont County Commissioners the opportunity to convert the duties into a long anticipated County Manager's position.

Fremont County Human Resources Director George Overstreet recently informed the commissioners that he will leave that position this fall so that he and his wife might return to their former home in Kansas. Overstreet said he plans to depart the post no later than November 1st but may vacate the position earlier depending on his relocation plans.

The Fremont County Planning Commission Tuesday evening takes up discussion for a third consecutive monthly meeting on changes in zoning definitions at the Fremont County Airport. There are two primary points of discussion under which two new zone districts would be created on the south side of the Fremont County Airport with elimination of an Airport Industrial Park zone.

Copper Gulch Road (County Road 28) southwest of Canon City was reopened to traffic at noon Thursday after 3 1/2 days of emergency repairs were completed by District 3 Road and Bridge crews. The road was closed last Saturday evening after a flash flood hit the Copper Gulch area. It was estimated that a cloud burst of more than two inches of rain hit a 10 to 12 square mile area sending a torrent of flood water down the gulch.

The Fremont County Commissioners have chosen a Grand Junction firm to serve as the independent consultant on water issues associated with the conditional use permit that allows Black Range Minerals (BRM) to resume uranium exploration in the Tallahassee area along County Road 2. The commissioners are finalizing the contract language to hire Western Water and Land (WWL) of Grand Junction to serve as the independent hydrogeologist to review and make recommendations on the adequacy of the surface and groundwater monitoring program proposed by Black Range Minerals.

The Fremont County Commissioners approved a pair of bid awards for a new warehouse building and fencing at the Fremont County Airport and conducted a public hearing on a grant that would enable the Early Childhood program to move into the old Harrison School in Canon City.

The Fremont County Commissioners Tuesday adopted final conditions for a conditional use permit approved last month for the resumption of uranium exploration by Black Range Minerals on the Taylor Ranch northwest of Canon City. The Commissioners also approved a retail liquor license in the Penrose area over the objections of another liquor store owner.