News Now Blog

Fremont County, local municipalities, and area businesses are cooperating again this year for the annual spring clean up campaign. The heart of the campaign is distribution of free trash disposal vouchers to citizens. Each household is allowed to pick up one free voucher on a first come, first served basis. Each voucher allows a person to haul 2 1/2 cubic yards, or a standard, level pickup load of trash to the Twin Landfill along Phantom Canyon Road or to the Fremont Disposal Transfer Station at 1639 Mariposa Lane south of Canon City.

The Fremont County Commissioners labored another two hours over issues associated with the proposed Northfield Coal Mine in the Chandler and Williamsburg area at the March 13th regular meeting. After board approval of a conditional use permit at the February 27th meeting, the board spent time Tuesday discussing with the applicant the specific language that will be considered for a long list of conditions under the permit.

The Fremont County Commissioners voted to approve a permit for a coal mine in the Williamsburg area at their regular meeting February 27th but delayed for another two weeks consideration of the conditions for the coal mine operation.

Residents of the North Canon area are being urged to attend another public informational meeting this Friday night, March 2nd, on the proposed North Canon Sewer project. Since the last meeting in December residents were asked to return signed contracts indicating their interest in being part of the project. Fremont Sanitation District Manager George Medaris said a number of contracts were received in the last two days and in fact contracts are still being accepted.

An update on the proposed North Canon Sewer project, tabling of a coal mine application, and consideration of raising tipping fees for disposal of solid waste highlighted the agenda for the Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting on February 13th.

An amendment to COLORADO RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS will take effect on March 1, 2007, and will help to protect people that eat at restaurants or buy food from delis. Fremont County Environmental Health Officer Sid Darden reports that the amendment prohibits bare hand contact with any food that is ready-to-eat or not subject to any further cooking, and most restaurant owners and managers have been aware that this new regulation was coming for the past few years.

The Fremont County Board of Commissioners dealt with a brief agenda for their second formal meeting of the New Year on January 23rd.

The Fremont County Commissioners conducted their annual organizational meeting January 9th and then spent the bulk of the meeting in a nearly 3 1/2 hour public hearing on a proposed coal mine.

Fremont County Environmental Health Officer Sid Darden reports that free radon test kits offered by the Colorado Department of Public Health last week, were all claimed within 3 days, however test kits are still available for $7 from The National Safety Council.

A direct link to a coupon is available on the state health department's web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us, or by calling 1-800-846-3986, the state's year-round radon hotline. The kits also are sold at most hardware stores for between $25-$35.