SAGUACHE — The following highlights were taken from draft meeting minutes recorded by Saguache County Clerk’s office staffer Dominique White for the regular June 2 Saguache County Commissioners meeting broadcast via ZOOM.

Public comment
Ralph Abrams asked questions and explained the Opportunity Zone. Saguache County is listed as an Enterprise Zone not as an Opportunity Zone. Abrams requested the commissioners look into becoming an Opportunity Zone.

The Opportunity Zone is federal program but supported by Colorado. It is a tax investment strategy. Commissioner Ken Anderson stated once they have a SLVDRG Meeting and get more information he will let Abrams know information he has available.

Robert Tafoya asked the Commissioners if they had gotten a response from CDOT about Highway 17. The Board agreed to send CDOT another letter and see if they can give a reply for their requested speed reduction through the Town of Moffat.

Commissioners reports
Jason Anderson — Spoke with Jill Hunsaker Ryan, head of CDPHE, concerning the unique situation with Saguache County in relation to the variance request and requested additional help with tracking and testing for the Center outbreak.

Tim Lovato — I delivered some masks to the Center School Superintendent for the children and adults for the summer programs. The cloth masks were donated, and the paper masks were given by Saguache County Commissioners. Overall, 500 masks were donated by Saguache County. I received an email from the Center School Superintendent that they had given out 750 masks to the area residents.

Ken Anderson — Attended a teleconference with the Seniors. The fiscal year will be coming to a close at the end of June, 4745 meals were served and 3,024 were served in Saguache County. There is a veteran’s program coming out of Pueblo to serve the veterans.
Public health report

Mona Lovato and Janet Beiriger delivered the public health report. Beiriger stated an area in the Baca Grande Subdivision is under a boil water advisory.

Several people in attendance at the DSS food distribution in the Center Park last week were without masks and were not in cars as needed; they also were gathering in large groups. A total of 750 masks were given out. It will take 2-3 weeks to get someone to come down from the State to help with testing and the investigation.

Road and Bridge
Road and Bridge Supervisor Randal Arredondo presented an agreement from Center Soil Conservation for weed spraying. He suggested having them come in and present their agreement to the Board. Arredondo also presented two bids for a small plow truck. Commissioner Lovato asked Arredondo to have bids submitted to the county administrator in a sealed envelope. The Board agreed to postpone the decision until the next meeting.

County Attorney
County Attorney Ben Gibbons stated he has an opening brief that is due to the Moffat matter on June 9.  After that the town has a time period to file their brief, we will see if the court rules on the briefs or if they will require oral arguments. Gibbons forwarded two new bills that are being introduced to the Board. One has to do with suspending any privilege or immunity to police officers. The other is about price gouging.

County Administrator - County Administrator Wendi Maez presented the Public Health Sales Tax Grant in the amount of $3000 for COVID-19 expenses to the Board. Commissioners unanimously approved the grant to the town of Center for $3,000. Correction of a motion to award Saguache County Schools 100 percent of the Secure Rural Schools fund was also made by a 3-0 board decision, but there was no change to the amount granted.

Revenues and expenditure through the month of April 2020 were presented to the Board. Maez has been attending several meetings with valley and state public health directors. 

Everyone is willing to step in and help with COVID-19. Commissioner Lovato and Maez met with the Public Health staff Thursday, May 28.  A discussion took place concerning Public Health staff wages and increases.  Two Public Health employees were not given their three and 5 percent increases, and the Board voted to grant the increases in a 3-0 decision retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020. Commissioners also voted 3-0 to grant a $4 per hour increase to public health employees, less the one employee, until a public health director is hired.

County Housing
After convening under the board of County Housing, Commissioners entered into executive session but no reason for the session was recorded in the minutes.

Office of Emergency Management
Emergency manager Bobby Woelz presented the board with a proposal for his hours. The proposal suggested an increase to 40 hours per week retroactive to January 2020 and use the remaining 87 hours of overtime to be used as comp time in August. In a 3-0 vote, commissioners moved Woelz to 40 hours per week retroactive to March 1 through the remainder of the year. The Board agreed to look at policies before making a decision regarding the comp time.

Land Use
Interim Land Use Administrator Amber Wilson presented proposals for two marijuana businesses to Commissioners. Day Old/Huckleberry Farms LLC requested they be allowed to pay their Reclamation bond to the County Treasurer in cash because the were having problems obtaining the bond. Lowered from $100,000 to $10,000 in any other way. The Board voted 3-0 to allow them to pay the Treasurer $10,000  in cash. Blooming Budz requested an extension on their compliance with Conditional Use permit requirements which have not been fulfilled. Commissioners granted the extension in a 2-1 vote, provided the business shows significant progress such as 50 percent which is electricity, two greenhouses and one storage container added to the business.

Commissioners then accepted bids on county-owned lots in the Baca Grande and Mineral Hot Springs Estates.

The meeting adjourned at 2:01 p.m