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CS&WD board awash in controversy over commercial water rates

By Renee Rinehart –(Published: August 17, 2017) In an attempt to work with the Cuchara Inn on delinquent water bills, the board of Cucharas Water & Sanitation District asked the holder to submit a repayment plan, but then demanded total payment.

Those two options caused a lengthy regular meeting on Friday, August eleven and drove the board to extend the regular meeting two more times, with one meeting Tuesday and another yesterday. These meetings were an attempt to lodge the dispute over excessively high water bills for the Cuchara Inn.

Yesterday, the board denied a motility to temporarily adopt the La Veta commercial rates, which charges half the EQR rate for hotels. Director Tom Lewis made the motility, then voted against it, along with Board President Gerald Van Nort and Director Henry Harnly. Directors Jim Berg and Art Pierce voted in favor of the mobility. About twenty five residents attended the Wednesday meeting along with business owners of Yellow Pine Guest Ranch and The Timbers.

Scott Lynch, holder of the Cuchara Inn, read a statement to the CS&WD board Wednesday, announcing they will close the restaurant instantaneously and close the hotel on Nov. 1. He said, “It has become apparent that no matter how much research Marshall Moore and I do, no matter how we attempt to framework the facts in a way that will not offend or embarrass the board members by exposing how little they understand about what they were elected to do—it has no affect.”

Lynch went on to say, “This board is far more invested in appearing right than actually being right.” He said the stress of the never-ending game by CS&WD has robbed their family of peace, enjoyment and causes almost daily frustration.

Lynch ended his statement with, “Next time the water board election rolls around, I hope you will give more weight to the idea of competency in your candidates, I think you will be much better served.”

Candidates needed to run for school boards, city council

By Renee Rinehart –(Published: August Ten, 2017) Candidates are needed to pack seats on school boards and city council and nomination petitions are now available for those interested in running for a local office. The election will be held November 7, 2017.

La Veta Re-2 Board of Education has three Director seats open to serve a four-year term. Incumbents Ed Donovan and Eleanor Foley have served one term and may determine to run for a 2nd term. The seat held by Cindy Campbell will be open for a fresh member, as Campbell is term-limited after serving two consecutive terms.

Candidates need to file a written notice of intention and have a nomination petition signed by at least twenty five eligible electors. To qualify, candidates must be registered voters for twelve months and a resident of the school district. Nomination petitions are available at the district office, one hundred twenty six E. Garland St. in La Veta during regular business hours. The forms must be returned by August 31.

Three director seats are open on the Huerfano Re-1 Board of Education. The district includes Walsenburg, Gardner, Navajo Ranch, Majors Ranch as well as other incorporated areas of the county. Incumbents Dorothy Martinez and Sherry Gomez have finished their very first terms and are eligible to run for a 2nd term of four years. Elisha Meadows was elected in two thousand nine and two thousand thirteen and is now term-limited and will not be eligible to run again this year.

Qualified candidates must reside in the district for twelve months and be a registered voter. Interested candidates need to file a written notice of intention to be a candidate and accomplish a nomination petition with at least fifty signatures of eligible electors. Forms are available at the district offices, two hundred one E. Fifth Street in Walsenburg and must be returned by September 1.

The City of Walsenburg will elect a mayor and four council members this November along with Clerk and Treasurer. City council has four seats open for candidates to serve a term of four years. Incumbent council members Clint Boehler of Ward 1, and Charles Montoya of Ward three are up for re-election. The other seat in Ward three is also open this election, as it was packed by Manuel Lujan after John Salazar resigned due to relocating out of the city. Craig Lessar of Ward two is completing his 2nd term on council and will not be eligible to run for the seat again, due to term boundaries.

Mayor Jim Eccher is presently completing his 2nd two-year term, and has not announced his intention to seek re-election. The mayor is eligible to serve another two-year term before facing term thresholds. Walsenburg will also have openings for Treasurer and Clerk. Clerk Wanda Britt is also term limited and will not be able to seek re-election.

Walsenburg residents interested in running for office are asked to pick up a packet from the City Clerk and come back it by August 28.

Voters in the City of Walsenburg will be asked to pass a measure imposing a five percent excise tax on the sale and transfer of unprocessed retail marijuana. The city estimates the tax will collect $75,000 in extra revenue in two thousand eighteen and proceed annually. The fresh tax funds will go into the general fund to be used for operating expenses for Wild Waters pool, city parks, code enforcement and youth related activities.

Walsenburg to ask voters to impose excise tax on marijuana

By David Rinehart –(Published: August Three, 2017) Walsenburg Wild Waters and other city parks may see a cash infusion if voters approve a ballot question this November placing a five percent excise tax on commercial marijuana cultivation.

City Council approved Ordinance one thousand one hundred two at their regular meeting Tuesday night that includes the actual ballot question. Local cultivators should be unaffected. They are already paying a five percent excise tax to Huerfano County. For those cultivators located within city boundaries, if the ballot issue passes the five percent revenue will now go to the city instead.

The ballot question specifies uses of the money, “making up any net loss inbetween operating revenues and operating expenses of the Wild Waters pool, City Parks maintenance and construction, code enforcement costs, and youth related activities.”

The city is hoping to garner up to $75,000 in revenue 2018, with expectation for more in the future.

Town moves forward on Ryus Ave. bridge project

By Cathy Mullens –(Published: August Three, 2017) After a brief executive session Tuesday night the La Veta town board voted to sign an “over commitment” letter to the Colorado Dept. of Transportation so bidding can begin for the Ryus Ave. bridge.

Mayor Doug Brgoch said the town is moving forward in its continued effort to get the Ryus Ave. bridge built. While the town does not have sufficient money ear-marked for the project, trustees agreed to sign the “over commitment” letter to CDOT basically telling if bids come in at or below the engineer’s estimate, the bridge will be built.

Brgoch says he’s certain the town can come up with the money needed to construct the bridge from the town’s general fund. Once CDOT puts out a call for bids, there will be a three-week period for bids to be received then another two to three weeks of processing and then a formal bid opening. The town is setting an end date of April 15, two thousand eighteen for completion of the fresh bridge. That will build in some plasticity for the contractors, who might have time for a “little” job like this one, during the winter months.

“It’s indeed only a three week project,” Brgoch said. “In the construction world this is a puny project,” Trustee Mickey Schmidt said. “We want to cater to their time framework.”

Two bears recently killed

By Renee Rinehart –(Published: August Three, 2017) Early Tuesday morning an unsuspicious motorist hit and killed a black bear on Hwy. Twelve at the north end of La Veta.

Emergency crews responded to the scene at about 7:45 a.m. to find the bear had attempted to cross the road near the Cucharas Sea. The puny SUV suffered harm to the front end. The driver was treated by local EMS but not transported to the hospital, according to officials.

The black bear was inbetween four and five years old and weighed approximately three hundred pounds, according to Wildlife Officer Mike Brown. Residents in the area of Very first and 2nd Streets reported a bear in the area the last several nights.

Brown said a 2nd bear was euthanized Tuesday morning after it broke into a livestock pen on Jameson’s ranch near Cuchara. Brown said the masculine bear was inbetween seven and nine years old and weighed three hundred fifty pounds. “Once a bear goes after livestock, we have to put it down,” Brown said.

Brown reminds residents and visitors to avoid bear conflicts by keeping trash inwards until the morning of scheduled pickup. This time of year bears are eating 20,000 calories per day to ready for hibernation. “They are looking for effortless food sources,” said Brown. Early freezes killed the fruit and berries they are used to ingesting, so they go for secondary sources of food such as bird feeders, trash and grills. “Make sure to eliminate pet food from porches and decks,” Brown said.

The best deterrent for livestock is to electrify the pen and fences to keep bears out.

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