Delta County Citizen Report (DCCR) is pleased to announce it has received a $2,500 San Juan Regional Council merit grant from the El Pomar Foundation. These funds will support the general operations of the organization.
El Pomar Regional Council board member and local resident Betsy Marston recommended DCCR for the award to support the organization’s work to build a better community relationship with county government.
“The first thing we plan to do with some of this funding is to join the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition (CFIC),” says DCCR president JoAnn Kalenak. “CFIC has been a vital resource for our organization as a statewide champion of open meetings and open records law.”
Past DCCR work with the county has resulted in more detailed public meeting agendas and a change in public notification locations to provide unfettered public access to meeting postings; and the creation of a first-time county Open Meetings Policy and county resolution outlining the county’s processes to ensure state statue compliance and added transparency for residents.
Besides weekly reporting and commentary on county government meetings and activities, DCCR is currently engaging the county to post meeting documents online, prior to public meetings. County Administrator Robbie LeValley recently notified DCCR of the county’s intention to begin posting documents online in October, giving the public time to review them and provide input during meeting discussions.
DCCR continues to report and comment on the county budget process and has encouraged changes to the county’s yearly budget rollover and reserve management as well as budget presentation improvements.
Future plans for DCCR include possible videotaping of county meetings; a high school education program; and the creation of satellite organizations in other counties.
The El Pomar Foundation awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. El Pomar is a general-purpose foundation for Colorado whose Trustees approve grants across a wide spectrum of focus areas including: arts and culture, civic and community initiatives, education, health, and human services.
The Blue Sage Center for the Arts in Paonia also received a San Juan Regional Council merit grant award.
PICTURED Left to right: Betsy Marston El Pomar San Juan Regional Council board member, JoAnn Kalenak president of Delta County Citizen Report, Mary Bachran Blue Sage Center for the Arts board member, and Kyle Boyle El Pomar Fellow and San Juan Regional Council board member.