• Commissioner Atchley opened the meeting with an announcement that “verbatum audio” will not be available for the June 26 proceeding due to technical difficulties with the county’s audio equipment. Chuck Peterson with Audio Video Experts, Grand Junction, was present and explained that the cause for the malfunction was under investigation but he suspected the “power down procedure.”
• Assistant County Attorney, John Baier, has been promoted to the County Attorney position vacated by Jin Ho Pack on August 3. John has worked for the county on two separate occasions totaling five years. (Pictured left to right, Commissioners Roaber, Atchley, Attorney John Baier, Commissioner Suppes.)
• Commissioners passed a resolution to approve Planning Commission by-laws changes that would add two new seats to the commission.
• Community Development Director, Elyse Casselberry, updated commissioners on the progress of the County Master Plan and the Recreation, Trails Master Plan. She reported that the Master Plan survey deadline had been extended to July 8. To date, 200 surveys have been collected but many others are expected from non-online sources. TAKE THE SURVEY: https://rpi.checkboxonline.com/Delta-County-Master-Plan-Sur…
Two open houses are planned for the Recreation, Trails Master Plan. Tentative dates are Aug. 1 and 2 in Hotchkiss and Delta respectively.
• County Assessor, Debbie Griffith, told commissioners that the annul audit reported a $17 million lose in assessed value of the county. She believes the Gallagher Amendment is playing a major role. The Gallagher Amendment was an amendment to the Colorado Constitution enacted in 1982 concerning property tax. It set forth the guidelines in the Colorado Constitution for determining the actual value of property and the valuation for assessment of such property. Learn more about Tabor and Gallagher: https://www.greateducation.org/…/funding-f…/tabor-gallagher/
• County Director of Emergency Management, Jeff Wright, talked with commissioners about the benefits to residents provided by Western Region Wildfire Council. This organization works with homeowners to access their fire risk level, offers education and advise about fire mitigation, and will pay up to 75% of the cost to cut and clear hazardous areas around the home. http://www.cowildfire.org