Gail Watson and Buddy Schmalz, 2013 appointments
By Lynn Volkens
It was the changing of the guard at the Gilpin County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, January 8, 2013. Newly elected District 3 Commissioner, Gail Watson, was sworn into office, as was Buddy Schmalz, who was re-elected to his second term as District 1 Commissioner. Judge Jack Berryhill of the First Judicial District Court administered the oaths of office to Watson and Schmalz. District 2 Commissioner, Connie McLain, plus a gallery full of friends, family and county staff members looked on. As the County is just getting back up to speed following the holidays, there was little business to conduct and no departmental reports.
Certificates of Election
Gilpin’s Clerk and Recorder, Colleen Stewart, presented Commissioners Schmalz and Watson with their official Certificates of Election.
2013 Commissioner Chairman
One of the Commissioners is appointed annually as Chair of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), to conduct their meetings and take the lead on other Commissioner business. Commissioner McLain had held the position throughout 2012. She passed the gavel to Commissioner Schmalz, who will be Chairman for 2013.
Annual Appointments
Colorado statute requires every Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to designate authority to specific people to perform the duties of the office. Gilpin Commissioners appointed themselves (Schmalz, McLain and Watson) as “Commissioners to Convey” for purposes related to real estate transactions. They also appointed themselves as the Board of Adjustment and the Liquor Licensing Authority.
Roger Baker was officially appointed County Manager; Jim Petrock, County Attorney; Sharon Cate, Administrative Assistant to the BOCC; Clorinda Smith, Budget Officer; and Steven Watson, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. The Depository Banks for the County were specified as Wells Fargo, Colorado Trust General, Colorado Trust CDT and C-Safe. The Weekly Register-Call was again appointed as the Newspaper of Record.
CCI Appointments
Colorado Counties, Incorporated (CCI), an organization which lobbies legislators on behalf of member counties, includes nine Steering Committees which cover various areas of interest. Participating counties have direct representation on these committees. Gilpin has traditionally divided that representation among the three Commissioners depending upon their individual areas of interest or expertise. For 2013, those committees with the corresponding appointed Gilpin Commissioner are:
Public Lands: Mclain
Agriculture, Wildlife and Rural Affairs: McLain
Land Use and Natural Resources: McLain
Health and Human Services: McLain
Tourism and Resorts: Schmalz
General Government: Schmalz
Taxation and Finance: Schmalz
Transportation and Telecommunications: Schmalz
Legislative Committee: Watson
CCI Mountain District: All three Commissioners
Commissioners also appointed County Manager Baker as their CCI Steering Committee Voting Proxy to fill in for them if needed.
Other Committees and Board Appointments
Besides the internal appointments and the CCI committees, there are 17 other committees and boards on which Gilpin Commissioners have a seat. These are listed below, with each designated Commissioner representative.
Recreational Sport Shooting Collaborative: Watson
Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association: Watson
Community Health Assessment Project: McLain
Human Services Advisory Board: Schmalz
Gilpin Ambulance Authority Board: Schmalz
Gilpin Ambulance Authority Alternate: Watson
Eagles’ Nest Board of Directors: Schmalz
Jefferson Center for Mental Health: McLain
911 Authority Board: Schmalz
Rollins Pass Restoration Association: Watson
Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission: Schmalz
Public Forfeiture Funds Committee: Schmalz
Gilpin Water District: Watson
Worker’s Compensation Pool: Watson
Casualty and Property Pool: Watson
Rocky Mountain Rail Authority: Watson
South Platte River Authority: Watson
Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG): McLain
Triad Early Childhood Council: Larry Grieco
Human Services/Foster Care
Commissioners discussed the Chafee Foster Care Independence Plan Memorandum (CFCIP) of Understanding (MOU) and then, acting as the Board of Human Services, voted to renew it for 2013. The MOU is an agreement between Gilpin, Clear Creek and Jefferson County for the latter to provide services for minors placed in foster care. For youth who are not expected to return to their biological parents, the Chafee Plan teaches them the independent living skills (budgeting, secondary and post-secondary education, job training, transitional housing, health and healthy lifestyle choices, etc.) that they will need to succeed once they “age out” of the foster care system at age 18. Chafee services extend up to age 21 for these young people, providing them with a caseworker who assists and mentors them through the process of learning to be self-sufficient. Youth participating in the program can earn cash incentives related to attendance in trainings, accomplishing educational and work goals, and volunteer hours.
Funding for the CFCIP is federal, disbursed through grants to the state and then to the county administering the program. The funding is disbursed to the three counties based on how many people are served. In Gilpin, there have been only a few recipients of this program’s services over a period of several years’ time. The total tri-county funding for 2013 is $174,269. Gilpin’s portion of that (0.75%) is $1,307. County Manager Baker pointed out the amount would not cover hiring someone to administer Gilpin’s participation in the services (if any) so the Gilpin portion of the funds is allotted for administration services that would be provided by Jefferson County, as needed.
Rollinsville and Pinecliffe Post Offices
During Public Comment, Cindy Thompson, retired Postmaster of the Rollinsville Post Office, told County Commissioners she is working to make sure delivery services to post office customers in the north-Gilpin area retain convenient package delivery. The U.S. Postal Service will be making changes at Gilpin County post offices at Rollinsville and Pinecliffe. It’s possible that the USPS will change their current plan, which would make it necessary for some residents in north-Gilpin to drive to Black Hawk to pick-up some packages, Thompson said. If the USPS alters the current plan nothing more will need to be done, she said. But if that doesn’t happen, she asked Commissioners for their support in working with the USPS to insure the best service for County residents.
A meeting for Postal Service representatives to meet with community members has been rescheduled from a previously published date and location. That meeting will now take place at 2 p.m. on January 30, 2013 at the Nederland Library. Thompson said people needing rides should watch the Rollinsville Post Office bulletin board for a sign-up sheet.
Heads Up
Gilpin County Commissioners meet next on January 29, 2013.
