On February 16, 2024 at 8 a.m., the Yuma County Board of Commissioners met in regular session. Chairman Mike Leerar, Commissioner Scott Weaver, Commissioner Adam Gates, and Administrator Brandi Ritchey were present throughout the day.
The Commissioners reviewed and signed accounts payable and discussed various meetings attended throughout the prior month.
Road & Bridge Supervisor Tom Andersen and Blade Foreman Justin Lorimer joined the meeting at 8:30 a.m. to provide department updates. After much research, Andersen has discovered Yuma County is not under MSHA regulations if the Road and Bridge Department uses a static grizzly screen at the pits to clean material. This will help sort out the big chunks of rocks that are in the material. Andersen has been working with the state on completing the permit paper work to reclaim a sand pit that was opened up in Wray.
The group discussed a new Post Repair Inspection Report to be used in the R&B shop.
Lorimer provided road reports throughout the county. The crew is working on rebuilding the crown on County Road BB and County Road 58. After that project wraps up the crew will move to County Road JJ and start pulling up the ditches to get the road elevated and then finish with a top coat of new material.
The group discussed the current fees for Underground Utility Permits. Andersen presented neighboring county fee schedules to make comparisons to. The BOCC asked Andersen to come up with a new, more competitive fee schedule and present it to them. The group discussed efficiency of having employees drive county owned vehicles to the outlaying shops. Lorimer stated that a semi driver would like to cross train into driving a blade. The BOCC is on board with cross training to help improve efficiencies across the Road and Bridge Department and encourages Andersen and Lorimer to try to get more employees on board with cross training.
At 9:25 Kara Hoover joined the group to discuss exempt/non-exempt employee statuses. The group discussed if there would be a benefit to removing Comp Time from exempt employees. No decision was made and there will be further discussion on this topic.
The Board of County Commissioners convened as the Board of Social Services at 9:30 a.m. Human Services Director Kara Hoover, Income Maintenance Supervisor Dalene Rogers and Eligibility Program Specialist Phyllis Miller were present. Detailed minutes of the Board of Social Services are maintained separately by the Department of Human Services. The Board of County Commissioners reconvened at 10:30 a.m.
At 11 a.m. the Commissioners heard a presentation from Clayton Demanes with Placer.ai. Also present was Economic Development Director, Shelby Clark. Placer.ai can gather valuable information such as marketing, points of interest, consumer trends, demographics and analytics.
At 11:30 a.m. the Commissioners were joined by Shelby Clark from the Yuma County Economic Development Office to hear department updates and discuss the upcoming Yuma County Ag Week which will take place March 18th– March 23rd.
At 2 p.m. the Commissioners were joined by Fairground Manager Carmen Murray. Murray discussed renovations of the horse stalls. Murray will get bids to make the necessary repairs to the horse stalls. Murray presented a new option for activities at the fairgrounds for families to participate in instead of the carnival. The Commissioner’s liked the ideas and Murray will present it to the Fair Board at their next meetings.
At 2:30 p.m. the Commissioners were joined by Assessor Cindy Taylor and two members of the public. There is a discrepancy in the system that generated their address causing the residents to not receive all of their mail. The counties GIS provider suggests changing their address to fix the issue. Taylor and the Dickson’s are going to try to reach out to Google again to see if the address can get added to google maps to fix the mail issues. Taylor also presented her yearly PILT application for the Department of Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
At 3 p.m. the Commissioners met with Emergency Manager, Jake Rockwell. Among topics discussed were recent and upcoming weather trends, COVID and Public Health, Public Safety and Relations, Homeland Security Grants, and upcoming RED Cross shelter training to be held March 29. Rockwell provided updates on his training completions, possible interns, Hazard Mitigation Plan and a Site Visit coordinated by the OGM with the State.
Administrator Brandi Ritchey reviewed calls, correspondence, and presented the following for discussion and action; The Commissioners reviewed and approved the minutes from the previous BOCC meetings. The Commissioners heard information on pending CAPP and workers’ compensation claims. Chairman Leerar’s signature on several items were reviewed and approved including; A Safe Fleet Credit Application for Road and Bridge, and a contract between the county and Nate Botsford. The Commissioners received various department reports including an update on the administration of the Eastern Transportation Planning Region, discussion of business undertaken by the 911 Authority Board. Ritchey presented correspondence received since the last meeting including board appointments, a budget request from the Coroner’s Office, updated salary sheet for 2024, Personal and Sick Bank hours and BEAD Program Updates. The commissioners made a new appointment to the West Yuma County Cemetery Board and approved an updated maintenance salary sheet. There being no further business, Chairman Leerar adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m. The next regular meetings of the Board of County Commissioners will be on February 29, 2024.