Pavilion to be fully enclosed; funds freed up for new features
Plans for Phillips County’s Pavilion Project have received a major improvement. At their Tuesday, Feb. 28, meeting, county commissioners noted that the pavilion will no longer have two open sides, as previously planned, but will be entirely enclosed.
When the Department of Local Affairs reviewed the first grant application, they commented that the building would be more usable all year if it were enclosed, and the decision was made to do so.
Under the new plans, the cost estimate for the steel went down $66,000, which will make funds available for bathrooms, a meeting room, an office/kitchen and a storage room that were not part of the initial plans. This is in addition to the existing plans for a large arena, concessions and animal pens.
Commissioners said the changes will prohibit them from qualifying for a Great Outdoors Colorado grant, but they continue to seek other sources of funding.
The National Finals Rodeo Gala netted $18,179, the travel voucher raffle brought in $1,110, and the fundraising committee continues to look at new events and projects for fundraising. Additionally, the board received a donation of 2,000 bushels of corn for the project.
In the last six months, the committed dollars toward the project has risen $105,726, bringing the total committed funds to $834,000, about 52 percent of the funds needed.
The county has reapplied for the Colorado Energy Impact funds and is working with the Boettcher Foundation and Daniels Fund for potential applications.
Comm center upgrades explored further
While plans to accommodate necessary upgrades to the communication center have already been discussed, in February the board met with Sen. Cory Gardner’s representative Darlene Carpio to consider it further. Comm Center Director Kenny Gaskill and Emergency Manager Bob Heldenbrand provided details regarding the project and the cost.
The possibility of working with surrounding counties to lower costs is still being considered. One option that would require a partnership with Logan County to use their recording system could lower the cost to $265,419, down from the original estimate of $314,783. Funding will depend on whether such an arrangement can be made.
July 1 is the deadline to install a new console. The board noted that Phillips County is the last county to make the upgrade, and while they will still be able to communicate after July 1, it won’t be as efficient and there won’t be as many channels.
Other business
Additionally in the month of February, commissioners:
—signed a letter of support for the East Phillips County Hospital District’s grant application to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment for new cardiac heart monitors for the ambulances.
—approved an eight-year lease agreement with Dominion Voting Systems, the vendor approved by the state for all future elections. Annual payments over the entire lease will be approximately $20,000 per year.
—met with Kyle Gordon, the new Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer, who introduced himself and made his services available to the county. He works in the Phillips and Sedgwick County areas.
—approved an intergovernmental agreement ratifying formation of the regional planning commission for transportation planning, called the Eastern Transportation Planning Region.
—reviewed correspondence from Colorado Counties Inc. regarding a bill in the legislature that would cap the number of marijuana plants allowed for individual residences in all counties that currently have no cap. The board will monitor the bill’s progress.
—approved a waste characterization and acceptance plan training by American Environmental Consulting for landfill personnel at a cost not to exceed $1,425.
—approved advertising for a vendor to recycle the scrap metal at the landfill.
—held a public hearing to consider an application from Ryan and Danyelle Horton to rezone approximately 2.5 acres in the SE1/4 of Section 17, T7N, R47W from A-2 to C, commercial. The property is about 4 miles south of Haxtun on Colorado Highway 59. No public comment was offered, and the planning commission recommended approval of the request. Commissioners approved the rezoning, and the Hortons plan to open a commercial welding operation at the site in the near future.
—met with Lynn Arenson, representative of MASA Medical Transportation Solutions. Arenson described their insurance plan for air and ground medical transport.
—approved the hiring of Adam Greenman as a full-time road worker. He has been working part time through the fall and winter.
—reviewed bids for carpet installation in the courtroom and third-floor meeting room. The board accepted the bid submitted by Randy Hoch in the amount of $9,750.
—sent a request to the Holyoke and Haxtun fire chiefs requesting that their respective fire marshals inspect all county facilities for fire hazards and fire safety equipment.
—approved the annual wildfire operations plan.