all right good morning everybody we will
this regular County Commission meeting
in Teller County Colorado this intent
really today is September 26
2024 we appreciate you all showing up
today and we'll get started with
commissioner Williams leading Us in
invation Crystal Brown our elected
treasur and Public Trustee will lead us
in the pledge Mr CH please bow your
heads dear heavenly father thank you for
another opportunity to serve the great
residence County thank you for this time
of year for the time of harvest a time
of Plenty and preparation for the winter
we pray that the folks in Florida and
surrounded areas are spared showing your
mercy hurricane that's been hit this
evening we remember that division
sometimes solved through diversity we
just don't want to see that much
division anymore we appreciate it his
name
amen United States
America stand
na
indivisible thank you for that ladies
and
gentlemen first up we have some minutes
from our August 20th meeting
I
did I
not with that I would move to approve
the minutes the bo County Comm County
Colorado dat August 20th 2024 has
presented second motion Mr chair thank
you assing no other discussion call
please Mr Stone yes Mr yes Mr Campell
yes then next up we have an accounts
payable
[Music]
run 924 for
2024 and I didn't have any comments on
that
one I have any
anything chair make a motion that we
approve the accounts payable dated
September 24th 20124 the amount of
yes Mr
yes all right and the next agenda item
is board rep commissioner Stone yeah
thank you Mr chairman um couple of
really busy things on my schedule right
now they're dominating a lot of time in
work on the U region 16
opoid
uh op Council mitigation Council and um
we are in the process process of uh
doing some strategic planning within
that group and uh we have a new
facilitator that we hired about eight
months ago and we're to the point now
where we're starting to really do some
long-term planning long-term look about
uh what we really want to accomplish
with this part of that is there will be
a conference coming up and I've formed
the board of this as well I'm going to
be up in Leland uh at the state opioid
uh policy convention this is where all
the different regions across the state
are going to come together and after
really the First full year of boards and
place beginning to stand up and do work
uh and learn from each other find out
what people are doing we uh here in
teller and Alo counties we've discovered
one of the areas that we have very
limited data on that perhaps might be
among U you know the most impacted and
most highest risk groups of people in
regard to Youth and youth from from age
10 to about 21 that are being severely
impacted not only by the opioid crisis
but also by what feeds a lot of the
opioid crisis which is uh High potency
marijuana in Colorado and
U because of that yesterday attended a
lunch and learn with da Michael Allen as
his guest he was the host of the event
and we had people coming from all over
the country to talk about po opioid
crisis in u the uh the impacts of high
potency cannabis and combining that with
social media and U kind of had my eyes
blown wide open by a lot of what I've
learned I new social media was PR
obviously I've worked in it for many
years um but the ways that social media
is now being used uh to uh to sell
cannabis to sell opioids openly uh
is
astounding um you know they're simply
using Code words U and there's a guy
that showed us he pulled it up on his
phone he went on Instagram and pulled up
hashtag Colorado Springs Colorado and
about every 10th thing that was tagged
with that was pictures with no words of
what was obviously illicit substances
for sale uh in Colorado and I know we
talked a lot with with our sheriff and
others about you know situations here in Teller County not only dealing with
cartels but also dealing with people and
families that are impacted U you know by
drug addiction and kind of what that
does to our County and sometimes you
know here on the south side of the
county we see it a little more but uh
it's it's really astounding and I think
we're going to have to have some
legislative fixes to it um and one of
the things that's interesting and this
is now shown through hundreds of studies
is that when Colorado legalized
marijuana uh um the average amount of
potency in uh in cannabis or marijuana
products was about
5% uh
today it's pushing 70% on average so the
amount of cannabis that is in the
product that people are buying whether
it's Edibles or Vapes and Vapes by the
way are a huge problem with youth uh
because they're easily disguisable for
things which are not illicit and anyway
the uh the potency of those has created new
problems that nobody ever saw coming
because they had never been seen before
and basically the old adage of the
Cannabis is uh you know pot is not
addictive is no longer true U evidently
that was mostly true uh except for
Behavioral addiction not physical
addiction back when the potency was 5%
but now is it's averaging 70% and you
can actually buy
99.9% pure THC over the counter anytime
you want um and just a drop of it you
know is U you know amazingly powerful
what's happening is not only your people
actually getting addicted but also
because of the potency of it is that
people no longer get the high off of uh
off of it like you know what they used
to so they start seeking things which
will get them that high oh good and then
move over to fentel and the studies and
the data out there is showing that about
90% they talk about Gateway products and
people like put reality is is now there
is a very clear and uh link between High
potency marijuana and the use of O it's
due to the addictive nature of high
potency cannabis I think our legislature
has got to do something about it they
passed a couple of laws in 2022 in
regards to packaging uh but nothing in
regards to potency I'm not sure that we
can but I think we need to try I think
we need to do everything we can because
it's as much as opioids have become you
know the number one Public Health crisis
in the country as more and more states
legalize marijuana I truly believe that
hypothy cannabis will be right on its
heels uh as you know as the second
greatest Health crisis in the country um
so anyway I'll be going to that
conference on the 19th and was coming
Monday and so I'll head up on Sunday
night and meet with other Ro acts around
the region and see what we can learn
from each other hopefully we can come up
with st because the data that we don't
have about Youth and their usage
uh it's just simply not there the we do
have a squat so we truly don't know how deep the problem is uh so it's one
of the things that this particular roak
wants to work on roak being the region
16 opioid Cal so anyway we're we're
going to be working on that but it's I
said it was very eye openening uh and
really sad we've spoken before about the
groups that are coming you know and talk
to us that are addicted to fit opioids
and or you recovering from that um the very clear connection between what's
what we have made legal in mrooms
probably we just going to add to the to
the mix of things that of what I'll
continue to call elicit
substances uh do nothing but you know
prepare someone for seeking the next
thing and and that's been know
and um on a brighter note though I also
attended the uh Toler senior Coalition
meeting this past Thursday and to senior
Coalition is thriving the services that
they provide to our community uh you
know just are tremendous uh their use of
their medical rides uh that they provide
for our residents has continued to
increase they're adding a couple more
fleet vehicles they'll be adding and
they received the grant now for uh a
basically a they're calling it a bus
barn but they don't have buses they have
vehicles and uh and shuttles but uh they
need to get those under some kind of
protection so they can do maintenance
and uh and take care of those vehicles
and they have received both planning
grants and also initial grants for that
and they're hoping with the next couple
of years to you to get a maintenance
facility built probably after the Divide
area near where their offes are but
again they're just doing great and Kathy
Lowry and her team are uh really are
rock stars for our community and by the
way those medical rides and all of the transit rides that were available at
81 not just
so if you have a need you need to get to
a medical appointment or you need uh you
know a ride somewhere please reach out
to tell senior poition because they can
probably help you out um lastly U and I
know Bob was out of town and U and so I
committed to online attending the CCI
the Colorado Count's Incorporated
security committee meetings this last
Friday we spent all day going through
propositions from counties across the
state on legislative issues um
construction defects did come up again
which was U you know a an issue I helped
champion last year that we didn't get
across the finish line but it's it's
going to come back again uh and then not
surprisingly tax issues came up and with
the um the lack of control
over uh you know property tax issues by
local government where the legislature
is stepping in and it seems like every
year they're changing and changing and
changing the problem create for penties
and local governments is that from year
to year you get a little Whiplash as to
what your Revenue sources are what your
stream is and you know we're trying to
adopt a budget when they just had a
legislative session six weeks ago to
change yet again the formula for how we
will uh for how we will do that so
counties are looking for ways to
stabilize their their revenue exam just
so it's predictable so that we can
predictively provide services to our
residents uh there are some uh you know
different ideas coming from around the
state everything from um the ability to
Levy unincorporated tax which currently
doesn't exist uh in the state to uh you
know being able to uh use certain TA in
different ways and and loosen up
for different type of taxes that come in
that are currently year marked that
maybe could could get better use 're
kind of exploring all things so we'll
see what comes out of that as we move CL
of the legislature um then on another
note I have spoken with Senator Martin
basley there are portions of the new
conceal car instruction law that have
come into effect and that's uh in
regards to the certification of firearms
instructors by local sheriff's
departments and our local sheriff's
department has you know enacted a
program of certification but as with
many rushed and not well thought out
laws one of the problems with this is
that uh instructors once they get
certified by a sheriff's department
that's not good enough for any other
sheriff's department under the new law
so U and many people are probably aware
I am an in enire was instructor and at
times have done classes for folks and
First Responders and but they come from
all over you know they come from Park
County they come from Douglas County uh
Western El Paso County as well as our
own County and previously that wasn't an
issue uh because the previous law simply
said that you had to be an n certified
instructor you or as one of the pathways
to receiving a concealed carry permit
and now the law says You must be
certified by your local sheriff which
means if somebody who lives six miles
north of w Park comes to a class in W
Park and I'm not certified with the
sheriff of D County
then can't use my class as uh as the
instruction that's required in the
concealed carry law so from that I've
gone to Mark basley also of course
spoken with our Sheriff about it and
fully supports the idea to uh Foster and
sponsor legislation to essentially
create reciprocity among counties that
if the county shair from Teller County
under the law has properly certified an
instructor that any other County in
Colorado should recognize that
certification because otherwise that
you're running around spending a lot of
money make you know trying to make sure
that you're certified in other counties
in case you have somebody from other
counties coming in so we're hopeful it
sounds very common sense but not a lot
of common sense the legisl so we'll see
how that goes but I'm appreciative
senator for his willingness to sponsor
that legislation and with that I think I
will wrap it up with that thank you Mr
chairman thank you commissioner Stone
commissioner Williams thank you Mr chair
I appreciate all your work on the
council Eric and reference CCI again Bob
was gone I was able to tell that online
as well Eric is our legislative do that
every choose one of us to it's hours of
his day and then back we get one vot as
a County so I will say what I saw this
year is a little more bipartisanship but
I also saw it's an election year and so
we have several acting currently active
legislators that are running for high
office and so you see some of that like
er said the tax frustra because we just
want to stop so we can figure out we're
doing our people thank you for your
leadership um really excited again you
see a lot of advertisement Kasa Court
pointed special Advocate I sit on that
board several levels executive board as
well governance board so our fifth
annual hope will be here next Wednesday
youth Cultural Center do open at 7 only
the hour 7:30 8:30 uh we've probably
already raised about $20,000 thanks to
corporate sponsors like the mine and
different people and I appreciate K when
being here uh the bank and so it's
really an opportunity to have some of
the local folks take a lot of courage
and explain their story kids like you
know the folks back here and what
they've been through and uh probably
have I'll just keep a generic several
dozen kids from Toler County in the
program what that program is is if you
lose your children for whatever reason
abuse State steps in they are they're
given different than a guardian a item
they're given an advocate in state of
Colorado that does nothing but advocate
for that child the goal is always to
give those children back to their
natural parents can it doesn't always
help doesn't always work but uh it's
about $1,500 a person to train [ __ ] and
that's what they use the money for and
I'll just say this indoors open at 7
7:30 8:30 next Wednesday at the UL
Center all the proceeds that we raise
will save so even though we work between
us in the pass this is I happy to have
the other Commissioners with us um
braver Angels obviously braver Angels
Holly may or may not be here today um
but Holly runs so it goes back to
Lincoln goes back to March 4th 1861 um
we already had seven states to see from
the Union uh Lincoln would be dead in
three and a half years the country was
falling apart very divided maybe worse
than we are now I think and he gave an
inaugural speech one of the shortest
speeches he gave but he ended with prob
can be saved if we can find the better
angels of our nature so hat off to O I
think Eric was there as well and Bob's
been a big supporter and they basically
just try to fill a room with people from
different sides of the aisle no secret
blue versus red was this case and it was
about elections uh so we have a member
of Jason's team there Pat came there I
really appreciate it Pat and you know
there's a lot of tension in the room as
people came together that's really the
sad thing residents and Neighbors in
Teller County who literally freeze up
when they stand next to somebody so what
they do is they break down little circle
groups so the tension gets even higher
and then you have to go around Circle
and say whether you lean blue or red
doesn't really matter but you know so
you know you're sit next to and we talk
and so it's really interesting um they
briefed us very quickly they briefed us
the higher level bra range at the
national level on like Integrity what we
found out is everybody's concerned about
elections just from different sides and
the three principles they gave us is one
voting should be easy but cheating
should be hard most people AG on that
every citizen should have an equal say
in who will govern them and that's done
through free and fair elections and the
American government will fail if
candidates refuse to accept the outcome
of the victory so you know we're a
nation of fans when two football teams
come together referee calls it walk away
we need to understand how that works and
hats off
reporter who was there a lot of Courage
um it was really neat to see um as she
reminded folks there who were agitated
on both sides I look I swore not to the
constitution in Colorado state that her
statute she has to follow she shares
some of her personal opinions which is
appreciated so I think Eric and I Eric
and I texted that evening a little
depressing to see how dug in some people
are but I think at least now people can
go home to their families and say hey I
sat next to a republican I sat next to a
Democrat well I heard one thing that
they said that I can get along with and
so they don't attempt to change your
mind they just attempt to open your mind
so hats off to Holly they very for doing
that they need every month in the
library for different issues and can is
important and again I'll just with
regards to election Integrity I have
full faith and confidence in stepan all
Commissioners and everything we can
she'll probably talk a little bit about
it mov on the crime you know we we had a
joint statement that went out on crime
uh Jason and the three Commission and
there's a statement there about
homelessness and I just want to clarify
nice thing about those statements is it
starts a conversation people call they
what do you mean by there is no one up
on this Das that doesn't have empathy
for homeless people they're before the
grace of God with all of us right couple
bad decisions a bad divorce your job and
you're living in the trailer doesn't
belong you when I was a kid here we
called a mountain you know I just buried
one month and a half ago a mountain man
that lived up here by himself on many
years so that's not what we're talking
about Eric kind of H into the crime is advocate for old color and so T
county has been targeted for fanol you
guys remember Jason night and I was in
conversation with Jason last he
authorized me to say a few things on his
behalf in terms of crime um we're in
charge of life he safety he got Public
Safety so we work together but we're
being taken advantage of and what I mean
by that is what do you do as a county
commissioner when you get a call someone
says hey there's somebody living on my
land in somebody else's trailer by the
way they're pooping on on the ground and
my well is right here or by the way
there are children there that should be
in school or by the way they shot at me
you know all those things are happening
so fentanyl crime felons our jails are
not empty but they're half empty because
they're all the mountains and so again I
just want to clarify we're not targeting
homeless people but there are really bad
people hiding among the homeless people
um all three of us sit on boards from
senior coalition to ask the Mind Center
to partnership that care about folks and
the term that we use now is giving them
a hand up not hand hand out so all that
empathy and compassion is there um but
you elected us to take care of safety
and we're telling you there's some ises
up here getting after so uh Jason will
have a statement probably later this
week to clarify that um it's really to
take care of all residents um last thing
I'll say is uh Eric did a really good
job with it you know mushrooms is
another example I don't think any of us
are up here saying you can't enjoy
marijuana you can't have Jack Daniels
you can't do whatever you're legal all
to do we're telling you things are
happening that are taking control and so
you come to this town and buy marijuana
legally and don't spend the night and
get free alcohol and right now there's
some overing going on we're looking at F
and you get in your car and you cross
over into unincorporated T County you're
going to engang your kids on school
buses you know on older people and and
that's what we're looking at that's we
going after there are a lot of people
that come up here that are in their mid
70s for the first time they're not used
to the altitude they have two or three
resisting conditions on oxygen they
drinking too much and then they pop a
goo me and wonder why it didn't kick in
so they pop a second one you ever try
that you know it takes a few hours and
then they get in the road and they drive
through it and so that's what Jason's
seeing and so we're not heavy-handed no
we owe it to you to be careful out there
and there's a lot of leaf Lookers up
here right now as you know and you don't
having fun so um I think I'll end it
with that but just a great time to be
here and I do uh ask you guys to keep
forward in your prayers that's a pretty
big storm it's five almost 500 miles
across it's the entire State of Florida
so ask yourself how prepared Denver
would be if they lost electricity got
five feet of snow to help out so it's
going to be interesting to watch and
we'll see do but keep PR with that M
church thank you commissioner just one
additional I like to thr out there with
the braver angels seminars that I've
gone to it's about getting people in the
room that don't necessarily have
Bas beliefs and philosophies that they
live by it's about in them in the room
and having conversations that can be
civil that's what braver Angel likes to
do they like to explore topics and have
conversations where you can get adults
in the room and mix and match and it
doesn't matter what side you're on of
what subject or what the topic is for
the week but to have conversations with
other people and have it in a civil
manner I think there few of those where
you know it's amazing if you create the
right environment you can have good
constructive decisions and sometimes
some results come out of their where you
can do something in the community but
it's about fostering Communications and
not getting outrageous and not getting
animosity built up but have a
conversation with your neighbor who may
not believe in everything you believe in
and it's not always political sometimes
it's just philosophies of life sometimes
deals with religion and policies in the
state it's not an R&D discussion
typically it's about getting people
together from different sides and having
good constru start through conversations
and fostering in a simple manner so I
appreciate you guys showing up for me
when I wasn't in town but thank you so
much on that one um been spending some
time quite a bit with pipek Workforce as
a board that I sit on I lead right now
but um trying to help Tracy through this
U she's got another audit at the Pik
speak Workforce Center it's another
division of some State Administration
that are calling it a monitoring review
um it it really comes down to
terminology this is their third a
they've had in the last 15 months and
they've been constant from CD CD at the
federal level the cdle at the labor
department of the state she has just got
a Target on her back right now but the
good thing is this one's coming out
pretty good um but three audits in one
year from different agencies seems like
a little bit of heavy this and in this
one they're not finding anything but
that's that's say okay but I've been
spend a lot of time helping with her as
an ex auditor it's nice to have some
eyes go down there and say that's not
what auditing should look like that's
not what review should look like um so I
a lot as you mentioned I spent some
family time did some camping in the
other parts of the the country this week
over towards independent past and spend
a few days out there without cell phone
coverage and just checking out you know
because it's nice not to answer that
phone every five minutes or so and then
I've also got a buddy in town that I was
in high school band we've been friends
for 50 years so he lived in Phoenix most
his life he recently moved to Georgia
but he's in town doing some caretaking
so I've been spend some time with him
it's nice to have friends that you grew
up with 50 years ago so that's been
keeping me busy quite a bit and I think
at that I'll leave it
short and we'll move on to the elected
official I think
you're
Stephanie good morning
everyone so I traveled to the big city
of linman a couple weeks ago we had
conference there and it was very nice um
it's nice I this is my second time is
going as treasure and public trusty and
I'm starting to fit in and you know fill
in the shoes and stuff so I really enjoy
it and it's nice to go to smaller ones
will be going to uh lovelin in October
it's more of everybody around the state
but I do like the the smaller ones with
the rounder tables because conversation
is always really nice you learn so much
um I do have um we've been getting ready
for the um taxan sale that will be going
on November 1st through the
4 and um we do have a little bit more
this year last year we had 578 Parcels
this year we have
644 so we do have um a little bit more
we are 98% Collective though so that's
good um we will be submitted that to the
paper uh next week already so that's
crazy um and then um I'll be back next
month for a full report for my third
quarter report for you I'll be out next
week I have a personal thing going on so
looking forward to my son getting
married and um I think that's all I have
most you guys
your
discussions legislation we should be
watching for new ideas coming in public
trust you know the only thing that we're
still um working on is that treasurer's
deed you know we're still working
through that a lot of the counties you
know because of big and small we're
trying to work together um with how
we're handling that the um vendors are
still which is very odd to me they're
not they're not prepared for that so
we're not being
we're doing it until our County by hand
on those Treasures Deeds so we are still
selling those um there's a lot of
counties that are not they're not taking
any of those so that's um and they're
going to revamp that legislation and
then also when we went into special
session um which got shot down right you
know I talked to Senator basley about
you know the 12mon payment and things so
hopefully that second session really
calmed them down so let's hope that we
don't have to worry about that but we'll
we never know what might happen thank
you but I appreciate you being there for
congratulations on wedding too thank you
very much and the one good thing about
the line conference it's originally
designed as an Eastern counties but it's
25 or 30 small counties that get
together get a round T you get good good
discussion great learning experience out
there absolutely Metropolis yes thank
you
all Miss clerk Stephanie
there's not a lot going on in my
world um so we sent out we will be
mailed out October 11 we have a total of
almost I say 19,100 balls that will be
available to vote so we appreciate
everybody voting your ballot ballot Box
is open on October the 11th same time
that b are put now I we're not required
to have them open that o
I did one year open them on the day that
was required and I had a lot of people
because they want to drop about same
thing they got them so I was very
excited about that so those will open on
the 11 I want to appreciate the
invitation that I received um from
greater angels I had never to a meeting
like that before I was very impressed
how they um conduct their election and
they keep it on track and they keep it
on TR started when they said was ended
when it said going to and for the most
part it was really educational it's kind
of fun to relax and be in there have
group discussion so I appreciate that um
vote centers open October 21st like can
jumping around all over the place it's
election time so I'm along the
scatter so I'm just gonna end it right
there unless anybody has any
question we've seen the cou social media
questions
not
the what's the policy
procedure you want to become a cool
Watcher you have to be um endorsed so to
speak by either a candidate a balid
question or issue and or a
um a major party so they have to be in
contact with one of those they have to
complete the application they have to
complete hes they have to come to the
clerk's office to be credential and then
they are able to visit the v sers in
election Central to observe is there
some kind of or something that separates
them from some that
just so we we make them more
part so they will have distinguishable
um name badges and there are some that
can only um interact with the Le judge
that is out at the vote Center or the
designated person at election Central so
they are strictly there to
watch than
thank I think that's it for elected
officials so move off to kind minist Mr
Herzog thank you sir I've been busy last
couple days attending uh the
international County and city managers
association
meeting my takeway is our problems are
not unique to the rest of the country uh
but you know housing Staffing Capital
Improvement uh there was a big this year
a a big push on just some of the
technological advances that have come
through that are starting to see you're
starting to see in the you saw in the
private sector earlier but just the use
of AI and what policies and stuff
incorporate that and how you can utilize
some efficiencies
um but overall great conference U good
to have your roex to have those people
available phone calls when you're trying
to solve problems and U going through uh
this morning I know one of the biggest
questions was when is going to be our
fall Fage peak
time I think on the international model
it's going to be H Saturday at
[Music]
12:30 other than that just remind people
a lot of people are around the County
right now that don't live around here
how they don't know that their vehicle
is obstructing the road around the
corner when you come around so watch for
them and just give yourself through X
minut and being never
right I'll leave it at that yeah I was
going to say that you know Victor has
the art show here so they have painters
out there painting at all kinds of
places we love seeing in this's art
month like people come to me um do you
mind sharing what you sh with me I
called Ross on an issue yesterday said
hey how was the conference you know
because we all do these things and you
know it's to be value added you want to
bring something back to T can you might
talk about how collegial you think we
are compared to some of the inight that
you saw that a comant oh yeah it's it is
I will say there's some divisiveness in
the country right
now very honored to be working here in t
County reasonable approach and being
able to listen to all sides and just
that philosophy of once you get to the
table you're bringing every everybody's
opinion to that table to look at so we
appreciate working with everyone thank
you thank you sir I noticed yesterday
heading back on
67 was like 3 o' in the afternoon must
been 100 cars 67 and went around the
corner right where the rock bit is and
there was literally a car stopped in the
middle of the road you getting out of
the car and that has to be a point where
there's like 100 fet on both sides of
the road but they stop the car right
midd the road so when you're out there
driving please be careful watch for
those Leaf peers because some of those
cars have kids in them too and animals
and got be really careful on the roads
next couple weeks during the Le season
so thank
you department heads I don't know if we
have any additional directors or
department heads of the room see so now
we'll move on for time reserve for
public don't have appointments on the
agenda today people like to address this
you like to come up to
the welcome Holly sing your Praises in
the first part of the
meeting
sorry well um good morning and as you
know I'm H sample um I want to thank
Commissioners Williams and stone for
coming to our bre r meeting in for
Stephanie as well um the other night
um and uh I appreciate the opportunity
to speak to you today I brought my notes
just so I don't get all mixed up but um
I don't know if you know I live right
outside of CRI crean Highland Meadows
and so I consider this my community um
and I'm here to talk about the recent
news release regarding inter agency
cooperation to address crime and
homelessness
in Teller County in the city of per cre
and I'm encouraged by the
um the mention in that letter of
forthcoming shortterm and
long-term um efforts and policies to
address those
Solutions uh or those problems but um I
know that I and other members of the
community will be looking forward to
more specific information about those
Solutions and um more data about the
crime and homelessness and how they
interact um in the meantime I'm
concerned about statements that seem to
conflate crime and homelessness these
are both serious problems that I would
like to see more data about specific
times before attributing them all to the
homeless population and indeed as the
most vulnerable members of our community
I think the homeless are very likely to
also be victims of crime
um Southern terer County we're fortunate
to be growing and we're experiencing
both the benefits and the negative
impacts of that and so this is a great
time to get ahead of the negative
impacts in January um reporter Pat Hill
wrote a story in The Courier um where
she described the detrius around
campsites where people were living on
Mineral and carbonate Hills and the
stuffed animals and toys alongside the
other debris are what caught my
attention and hurt my heart as she said
um this is the Dark Side of C Creek and
in the last six months I've been
volunteering at the gaspen Mind center
community of caring where I've seen the
bright and beautiful
site as you know many individuals and
agencies come together there to see that
our citizens have food and clothing
receive Medical
care um find jobs and so much more and
many of the volunteers there are people
who have benefited from those programs
and are giving back to the community as
commissioner Stone said in that letter
that was released only by working
together as citizens law enforcement and
business can we begin to have a
deterrent on criminal elements in ker
County so I'm here this morning to ask
you to consider taking a wide view of
the problem and engaging more Community
stakeholders business people Property
Owners church members Educators social
service agencies as well as people who
are experiencing
homelessness me all these people and
work together to ensure that we have
prosperous and sustainable Safe
Community
Development so as I mentioned and as you
know I'm part of a local group called
braver angels and we conduct workshops
JS and Community meetings intended to
bring a wide array of people together to
develop skills to talk about important
issues
um with help from the braver Angels
organization we would be glad to help
organize a series of town hall meetings
designed to dig into the data that
further Define the problems of crime and
homelessness in tler County identify
root causes and brainstorm local
Solutions if you already have plans to
bring people together and you don't need
our help please just let me know how I
can
contribute thank
you see you if I could Mr sh again we
really were bragging about you foret so
we'll repeat a few of the things but I
can fill you in um thank you so much for
taking on probably the toughest thing
with election Integrity uh lot of
tension in the room tension uh Eric and
I had some conversations after the
meeting did we change any Minds though
but that wasn't the intent I think
people could go home and say I sat next
to a Republican or Democrat and was
really need to see the come now so thank
you so much um we had law enforcement
there I think that was nice as well P
sure and I think overall there are no
election deniers here today I'll just
tell you that and we had them before and
again I'm not picking on that you but
you've all heard the stories you did a
great job with regards to homelessness
and I'm really glad you're here uh as
here in person so that state stat was
designed to start a conversation it was
designed to answer part of what happened
that we still can't talk about that
horrific Prime that you as you know I
live four milare to Creek is my home too
and I grew up here um there is a lot of
empathy on this board for Hess there
before the grace of God go all of us a
bad divorce bad financial decisions all
up there as I mentioned for you got
Holly when I was a kid we called the
mountain b and a lot of them were
veterans they were I got buried when a
month and a half ago went cou years you
may recall a few years ago we buried a
veteran we found Ben car who Liv in cat
out all over and this is an issue as you
know much bigger than T County it's also
Federal so we work really close and so
there's no attempt in that letter um to
verify the homeless in fact I sit on the
as mind Center board uh Bob sits on
partnership Eric sits on senior
Coalition a lot of love lot of empathy I
have served Thanksgiving dinner here at
to homeless for years even before as a
commissioner so that is
Jason and I talked last night he would
be here today he's up right now working
with senator basley in Denver on some
legislation to tighten up on CRI he
wanted me to remind anybody who would
bring it up um we you have some
nefarious activity and you said it
exactly right there are Wars I'll just
use the Afghan term when I was in combat
that are amongst the homeless that are
taking advantage of the homeless that
are praying on them there are now a day
goes by where we don't get a call about
um un adult rated sewage going into a
stream that then goes down that then is
received by someone's well uh their
Public Safety we we have found felons we
have found methab we have found fentanyl
so none of that's directed at a homeless
person that truly has made some bad
decisions that we can pull out and give
them a hand up it's really designed to
say they're folks Among Us that fighting
push us on and then not to get political
but we do have some laxing of standards
and and Prim statistics and standards in
Colorado we can't keep in jail any the
other Jas want to me to remind folks is
that we have a mental health crisis I
mental health I think as well as you're
aware so we do have some people up here
in R for example Jerry and I come from
you it's no joke it minus 30 you know in
the winter time we have children I miss
my presentation on Costa that's this
coming Wednesday we have an obligation
to State under State statutes to to go
take care kids that we find out there to
and you're right dur knows the property
um we went to ER was with me one day
with code enforcement a couple months
ago and you can see the toys and as soon
as you see that it Chang M you this is
squaller call it whatever we want and
then there's people that don't want help
you know there's that so I welcome a
larger conversation uh and again that
wasn't a standalone it was really
designed to bring folks like you here to
say we got all us look at it but there
was an outcry after that last crime that
did involv some homeless folks we talked
to our Casino operators for example all
three of us and what they do is they
fire me they try to hire them where they
fire them but where do they go and the
truth is we don't have a home Shel TR we
do have faith-based communities we have
great people like you we all try to help
and donate our time but we don't have
capacity and so as winter gets closer as
we start to see fanol increase here
which it has here sits on the opio
account give a wonderful presentation
about how bad that really is what is
leading to we're so close to the springs
that's what we're starting to see so and
we've had bodies dumped up here you know
so I just again apologize to you if it
appeared that we were attacking all
people it wasn't it's an element within
that population that is different than I
was jry first it's not the mountain it's
not the veteran most of the veterans I
know that live like that when we left
alone these are people that are praying
just that's not
push by me Mr thank you very much for
coming today um as mentioned I serve
on
good for um but um you know one of the
big issues that we deal with down there
and lot and there some of our
stakeholders that take partner our
conversations is you know with springs
Rescue Mission and you know those who do
not only work with Hess but also work
with the CH addicted um and I think
that's the big change that we're seeing
talking about and it ties into them it
ties into
thees but it also ties into kids as well
and in our work uh on the board of Human
Services we get you know firsthand
knowledge of our own departments that
that's who's responsible for now having
to go out and figure out you know what
are the conditions that some of these
kids are in and sometimes they go in and
they're like you know what they have you
know ways to Bath they they're fed
getting educated it may not you know
they may not be living overall in
conditions that any of us would choose
and maybe even that they wouldn't choose
if they if they had that power but as
long as you know they're being well
cared for then uh you know that's that's
what I want to see and you know I've
always said that there's nothing
compassionate about seeing people living
in a homeless situation see fames living
in a homeless situation there's nothing
compassionate about helping them
maintain that I want I want more than
that for those people
uh and for some of them uh and
unfortunately we've experienced it uh
you know more recently where we have
seen violence uh and more significant
criminal activity and and it's not
rooted in homelessness but homelessness
is part of it and you're exactly right
in your comment where you said well not
all homeless are you're exactly right
not all homeless are but we cannot
ignore that uh there are people that are
living homeless uh that are simply here
because they're don't want to be seen
somewhere else um it's either because
they're they're living lifestyle they
just don't want anybody else to see them
but you know they've got a WRA sheet
they've got warrants they've got people
looking for them um they need you know
to be responsible for things that they
um you know that they're trying to
escape from and just like you know when
I first moved here was a Texas out you
were probably around in and it exists I
mean it's like they they come here and
like all of us they come here and they
feel safe right um they you know they
get to the mountains oh we're safe here
and we can hide in the forest and you
know and that Shields us and while we
all enjoy that level of peace that we
get from that we can't ignore that you
know there there is a problem which is
increasing homelessness is a part of
that but there's there's nothing
passionate about leaving people where
they are uh and not recognizing that
unfortunately you know elicit drugs
plays a huge role in it and as a
byproduct of elicit drugs you get human
traffic you get U the continued dealing
of drugs which is you know issue around
here because they don't have to deal a
lot of drugs to get enough money to
maintain a lifestyle of living you know
in a trailer they don't own on property
they don't know um so U you know having
those conversations I know that the
sheriff and uh the chief police in in
[ __ ] Creek AV just the other day uh
to talk about some of the things that that you talks about which is
getting the proper stakeholders together
to have these discussions about what is
this going to be we also recognize that
with the coming of fall means that we're
going to have cold nights coming up and
uh winter has a little bit of a
cleansing effect on our homeless
population because it's brutal you know
they come up here at 10,000 fet they
don't realize what that means and it
kind of flushes them out but that's have
a plan for what happens when winter goes
away and I think that's what a lot of
this is about what's that plan do both
from a law enforc also
Community if I could
Point speak for Jason but I did talk to
him ination talk to me um he is working
very closely with the PD here it's a
jurisdictional issue rather than going
after homeless folks out there trying to
sort it out because that's what ends up
happening the Jud might trailer my we
see everything and it's so much
worse tell you um they're coming in CRI
and so what what he's doing along with
PD is looking for over looking for list
sex and looking for all that stuff here
to address the crime whether they live
in a mansion or they live homeless that
may have an effect as well soing out the
Predators from the people truly trying
to stand up on them so just no I I I think it's something we're
very aware of and we understand that
there's distinct different
between some of those demographics
people have just fall on on a hard time
and people it's a way of life and it's
their way of life that promotes
illegalities in a lot of their life but
we have to distinguish the difference
help those that want be helped but not
also promote the idea that living out
there is the best answer in world
because it's not thank you I appreciate
that I and I do realize and and I
appreciate that you see what a compx
problem and
situation and um again if we can help if
I can help please let us thank you thank
you so much and thanks again for last
night or Tuesday all right other citizens that
would like to address the board yes
hi my name is gett Hall I'm here to
thank County Commissioners Bob Campbell
Dan Williams and er stone for coming and
supporting me and my brother at the T
County Livestock F an auction year um
with their help I'm able to donate 100
pound of G beef to the as M Center
tomorrow and thank you guys um I have a
few gift for you
offici
thank with you guys
family makes us cry every time
we
get look at me I'm three one
two good
job good job
proud of you
guys hey these kids go stay up here for
a minute these kids are Grandpa their
mom their dad was in here today uh you
guys make a St every time we see and you
hear a lot about our youth you hear a
lot about people that don't plug in
social media gaming you know whatever
these guys are grounded you're a great
example of gripple Creek and what we're
trying to be in Teller County you're who
we come to work for every day you know our commitment to Fairgrounds
what we're trying to do andal AG members
um it's still a rural County you know we
have a diverse County here with folks
that haven't been to this part of the
county that live at Wood Park that
commute but you're a reminder of why we
try so hard because you're about our
future so we love you guys and mom youi
your dad doing great grandpa's doing
good whatever you did you know keep it
up it's probably in our water
I now obviously I've been involved in
Bri for a lot time because all my kids
did
florage got to be close to 30 years ago
now and most of what they did was the
indoor projects where you guys obviously
do some lifesty projects and some other
things too but I'm a big supporter it
builds young Community it builds youth
that turn into great leaders and great
adults and you guys are off to a great
start and we really appreciate what you
guys do and how you represent the 4
groups how you represent other kids in
the community and farming and
agricultural community so thank you so
much guys I really appreciate
it yeah I guess I'll hold
this but no thank you for this and um
you know but even bigger than that you
know is thank you for thinking of other
people um and donating you know ground
beef to the ASP mind Center you know uh
one of the things that you guys are
already learning which a lot of people
don't learn until later in life is that
you know you work really hard and once
you work hard and you've seen the
benefit of your hard work is It's always
important to turn around and then get
back loow and you guys are doing that
you're starting very young doing it and
I can tell you that uh it's going to pay
off in Spades not directly but uh you
know as you get older you're going to
find that people will begin to look to
you guys for leadership I think they
already are even among your peers so uh
I just I just hope that when you guys
are growing up that you're still here in
County I know a lot of times our own
youth my own my own kids you know are no
longer in Teller County and I'd love to
have them back here but uh uh anyway as
you go out into the world whether it's
here or somewhere else I know both you
going to be great leaders and uh engage
for you I know you're the younger than
too but you remind me of me because I
passed my brother in height about the
same age as you're passing your brother
and you know so and for Garrett for you
is uh you know when you're you're seeing
your brother the good news is you're not
going to have to share clothes with him
for very long he's going to keep growing
that thank you guys and congratulations
on a great year apprciate what time you
go
the 9 a 9 A.M we'll be there at 8 to
start putting bags together and then
they'll start handing out at 9: and I've
got your picture with your animal ra
you put headquarters
here awesome thank you again for coming
again thank you so much for being here I
appreciate taking the time to come do
this this morning it's a great
presentation Jerry
you hard for you to follow
that I only have a few things one thing
I wanted to say you're talking about
live 67 so much as I love leaves I hate
this time of year um I don't know if
it's possible one idea I had that might
help at least with some of them so
County have any those flash ROP sign put
up7 enjoy the leaves don't stop in the
road
don't because I have also like you come
around corner most just scream people
stop Road take
picture we see big signs J yeah I don't
know if you get SE to do but I think
that would help at least in some
measure okay thanks and then two on my
last visit of course I irritated all you
guys and some of that some of that was a
little bit intentional um because I just
wanted you to see it through somebody
else's eyes you're coming in there you
know I know what you're doing you're
finding that's good some them are just
working people and have problems it's
just this is who they are and this is
how they are and they get very irritated
about that so my father used to have a
saying I didn't understand I was younger
but as I got older understood that
there's right wrong and legal and I
would just ask you to bear in mind when
you do your stuff just because you do
something that's legal doesn't make it
necessarily right doesn't necessarily
make them wrong and like said your job
is hard I don't discount that in any
shape form or fashion but like I told
you I would keep coming in telling you
this to remind you that um CU I talked
to a lot of people talked to a guy who
lived here for years and told something
was going on and his first comment said
well ioved out here to be left alone
well isn't the same place it used to be
but yeah I understand that and so I'm
going to keep coming and reminding you
that you know you know all the good
stuff you do there's still people are
not going to be happy with you I don't
really have a
complaint um other you
know I I don't like exess government but
like I said I moved here there was one
Sheriff that that was 4 years ago I can
drive from C Creek to day car and those
changes come with it and you have to
roll those but but that's just the
biggest thing just remember you know
some people that you think you're
helping you're just making their light
harder that's that's all I ask you and
I'll be back two weeks to tell you this
again good yeah if you can do the sign
thing I think that I think we've got it
working I almost B on a couple signs of
go just put out by slow
so any other public that doesn't have
items on the
agenda WEA move on to our Administration
consider resolution to amend 2024
Department fund budgets Administration
Mr
thank you on resolution 32
corre before you is resolution number
09-
26-22
24 32 and this is a resolution to amend
the 2024 General Road and Bridge and
jail Enterprise fund budget
whereas in the past the county has
recognized significant savings from
employment turnover that the board of
County Commissioners could consider for
use in other areas and whereas the board
of County Commissioners has directed
staff to make a monthly budget
adjustment by
transferring Personnel related funds
from Individual departments to holding
departments within each fund as
Personnel budget needs are reduced and
from holding departments to individual
departments as Personnel budget needs
increased within the county policy and
whereas funds budgeted in the above
reference holding departments which have
been added to each fund as Personnel
contingency
departments ending in the numbers
2190 are not
appropriated nor available for
expenditure and are only accessible AR R
by resolution of the board of County
Commissioners transferring them to other
departmental budget accounts and whereas
the board County Commissioners hereby
finds determines and
declares that adoption of this
resolution is necessary for the
preservation and protection of the
public health safety and
Welfare of the inhabitants of terer
County Colorado so again this is the
resolution to amend the 2024 General
Road and Bridge and jail Enterprise fund
budgets so now therefore be it hereby
resolved by the board of County
commissioners of Teller County Colorado
that the departmental budgets and
personnel conen Department accounts be
decreased as follows I'll summarize by
fund so the general fund is
9,534 Rod and Bridge
fund is $
6,582 jail Enterprise fund is
$13,516
and that the departmental budgets and
Personnel contingency Department
accounts be increased as follows and
again all summarized by fund the general
fund
$290,500
582 jail Enterprise fund
$3,522 and that the amounts appropriated
for expenditure be re be reduced and
increased
accordingly adopted at the regular
meeting of the board of County
commissioners of T County Colorado this
26th day of September
2024 thank you sir any questions for
Mr no questions only thing I'd like to
not is the trend goes out through the
year these numbers are much
smaller obvious see this rat to
Personnel dollars and we've got a few of
these departments that Holy staff are
getting close to it
so that I'll open this resolution up for
public comment is there any public
comment on this budget
resolution all right hearing none what's
your choice Gentleman on this resolution
yeah M chairman I would move to approve
resolution number 0926 224 number 32 a
resolution to amend the 2024 General
Road and Bridge and jail Enterprise fund
budgets and have it attached to the
written minutes to show the details of
the budget adjustments second the motion
Mr chair thank you gentlemen
other discussion roll call please Mr St
yes yes Mr Campbell
yes
yeah right we going to consider a
proclamation recognizing October 2024
as art in
County Mr St you yeah thank you Mr chair
this is something uh you know that get
copper out to us every year to raise
attention towards the Arts uh in tell
and Al Paso counties and as many of you
know I'm involved my family been
involved for many years and a lot of
different music activities whether it
was my children and the Colorado Springs
children uh col's children's Corral or
myself now with my activities now that
I'm not living vicariously through my
children um I've gotten back into the
Arts again and uh and actually wanted to
raise attention to on October 5th
there'll be a concert in Colorado
Springs called bachfest being put on by
a new uh local chamber group called
Coral song that was started by me Daniel
Price who's the now is hired head of
music for the United States Air Force he
started a chamber group and he will be
hosting uh and directing conducting a
boach Fest on October 5th uh which I
believe is Sunday and Cado strings at St
Stevens's Episcopal church if you're a
lover of Bach you're going to love this
full Orchestra as well as chamber local
group and group of uh soloists from
literally across the country are coming
in uh to do about 10 12 different Bo
pieces including box magnificant um the
rest of them are German I won't even
attempt their name but you know if
you're a lover of Bo Le cical music will
be great to go to but with that I'll go
ahead and read the
resolution back on so I can do that
um Proclamation recognizing October 2024
as Arts month in Teller County whereas
the month of October has been recognized
as National Arts and Humanities month by
thousands of Arts and Cultural
organizations communities and States
across the us as well as the White House
and Congress nearly 30 years and for 11
years here in the Pikes PE region
whereas the Arts and Humanities enhance
and enrich the lives of every American
including those of us living in and
visiting the Pik PE region and whereas
the Arts positively support mental
well-being Community cohesion education
healing economic Vitality tourism and
our quality of life whereas the Arts
culture for-profit and nonprofit sectors
represent an over1 trillion American
industry 4.4 4% of our national GDP 16.9
billion of which is in Colorado that
supports 4.85 million American jobs and
10
2,383 jobs in Colorado whereas the Arts
are a proven Civic engagement tool and
can bring people together across
different in challenging times whereas
cultural heritage creativity and
Innovation are an intrinsic part of the
history of Teller County and our shared
future now therefore the Teller County
Board County Commissioners here ride
proclaims October 2024 as Arts month in
Teller County Colorado and urges all s
citizens to recognize this money as Arts
money thank you sir
addition I had an opportunity say Angela
seals could still walk in and thiser
project is the region Cultural Arts
community and uh they actually interview
which is kind of neat so I was hoping
they were going to be here so you could
find them social media but keeping in
things with braver angels Eric and Bob
and I talk to me about the division has
to stop this country one of questions
they only ask you questions what art me
that kind of thing um and way I answer
that just you know art is unique and
personal it's the environment around you
get music get object that you're
creating it's your interpretation and
what's cool about it the second question
was how does that Comm
[Music]
best we something like that helps us
understand how someone else looks in the
world it helps us empathize helps us
realize that it's not just about us
we're not the S of the univers we're all
part of the same thing so it really
wonderful so she's got a series of
videos out there if you want to see
Liam's work through that you didn't see
it but uh they were very impressed that
Ral counties appreciate art she actually
told me that I said no we do that's why
everybody stand on side with one of
these right now because we're surrounded
by Art colies and this Nature's art the
best canas you'll see on plan so thank
you for we definitely support the Arts
again VI have art show to long
[Music]
for yeah obviously my family has been
involved in Arts and Music and once upon
a time I was quite involved in some jazz
things and I wasn't necessarily employed
once in my life when I was like 24 years
old I had a pain gig one one paying gig
got to record a music show for the TV
pilot that didn't get picked up actually
got paid to be there one time so with
that I'd be happy to make a motion to
accept the proclamation recognizing
October 2024 apartment in County second
motion right send discussion rooll call
please Mr St yes Mr yes Mr K yes thank
you gentlemen for important part of our
life in everyday
occurrences I think we
have
one one to
late thank you sir so before you there
are a couple items the first one is
consider approval of the commercial real
estate agreement with [ __ ] Creek
Victor School District re1 this is a
renewal uh it is backdating from July
1st
2024 um through June 30th
2025 and this is the space that the T
County Public Health and environment
occupies as the tenant it has a monthly
um 3on amount of $300 and each party
could terminate with 30 days notice if
desired but it works well gets us over
in to the school system for our health
department question
no
sir this agreement sure move that we
approve the commercial
estate Victor School District or1 as
presented second thank you gentlemen
call please Mr St yes Mr William yes Mr
yes second item so this was an
additional initiative matter that was
received after the agenda deadline uh it
is from the state of Colorado Department
Public Health and environment it's an
amendment
contract uh it's amendment number two to
the contract you actually saw this item
during our last hearing uh that was the
amendment one uh which changed the dates
this is also changing uh the termination
dates um to 10524 so it's just
recognizing the later date however there
was also um some other changes
internally with how the ation of the
funding was distributed between various
parts for the health or between the
nurses and director in spending um the
bottom line is that there is no indirect
change to the dollar amounts the
original contract was $ 53,486
3,47 they just went through and wanted
to get the best use of how that funding
was being spent between the line almost
like a rebalance so and the budget last
two pages that were added for specifics
for expenses but other than that no
concerns this
matter any questions gentl
sir trace on contract Amendment two yeah
Mr chairman I would move to approve
contract amendment number two between t
County state of Colorado Department of
Public Health and environment um I guess
I should say between no I say Oran
that's
um as present second motion thank you
gentlemen roll call please Mr yes
Mr
yes that's all I have in front of me
anything else matter sir great thank you
gentlemen if there's nothing else to be
in front of this board I have 10:33 we
shall adjourn today County meetings