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It's wrong, I think.
>> Hopefully that's our official

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» This This one back here is closer, but
and there's a lot of feedback there.

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» Yeah, there is.
>> It's the volume of these speakers.

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» My computer actually says it's still
8:58.

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» Yeah, mine's
>> We have a lot of official times.

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» Yeah, that one went to 9.
>> Hey, Kevin, can you turn down all the

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speakers up here?
>> Yeah, I'm trying to master the sound.

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» Thank you.

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» [clears throat and cough]

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» Probably whenever you're ready, Kevin.
>> I'm ready.

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You guys flipped the switch.
>> On air?

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» I flipped the wrong switch. My bad.

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» Hey, it wouldn't have happened.
>> Good morning. I would like to call to

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order this meeting of your Fremont
County Board of County Commissioners.

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This is a special meeting today with a
single item of new business. I'm going

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to ask you all to please rise for the
Pledge of Allegiance at this time.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and

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justice for all.
>> [clears throat]

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» Roll call, please.
>> Commissioner Bell.

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» Present.
>> Commissioner McFall.

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» Present.
>> Commissioner Grantham. Here.

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» County Attorney Bellis.
>> Present.

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» County Administrator Croci.
>> Present.

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» Thank you, Mr. Clerk. We turn next to
the approval of today's agenda. As I

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mentioned, this is a single item
of business for today. This is the

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consideration of a resolution extending
the local disaster declaration for the

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Aspen Acres Wildland Fire.

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» Somebody going to make a motion?
>> Let's have a motion to approve today's

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agenda.
>> Madam Chair, I'll move to approve

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today's agenda.
>> Second.

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» All right, it has been moved and
seconded to approve today's agenda.

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» Second reading. Oh, it's Are we just
>> Let's do roll call.

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» Roll call, please.
>> Commissioner Granthan.

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» I just about said here.
I.

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» Commissioner McFall.
>> I.

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» Commissioner Bell.
>> I.

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» Motion carries.
>> We have no consent agenda today. We have

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no need for a motion there, gentlemen.
>> [laughter]

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» We're going to jump right into new
business. We all know what we're here

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for today. This is all about the Aspen
Acres Wildland fire that is currently

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burning at almost 100,000 acres due
south and somewhat to the east of us

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here in Fremont County. Fortunately,
this fire has not yet actually reached

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Fremont County, but it has gotten very
close. It's too close for comfort. Um

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because of that, the evacuations were
ordered Sunday evening by the incident

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management team. We have the special
team here from Alaska as I'm sure you're

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all aware.
We have no timeline yet for the return

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of all of those evacuees into the coal
towns,

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uh but we are meeting multiple times
daily with um

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folks from incident management, from
emergency management, from all of our

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partner agencies, and keeping us
up-to-date as we possibly can with

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what's going on for a fire that actually
is not burning in Fremont County. So, we

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felt that we haven't had
a lot of news to try to manage here in

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Fremont County simply because this fire
does not belong to us. It is burning in

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Custer County. It is burning in Pueblo
County. There's nothing we can add to

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the conversation other than now our own
evacuations

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that would add to the conversation
because the information does not belong

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to us. We simply can
um

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spout the same things that everyone else
is already talking about. We can repeat

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things, but we're not a big fan of um
repeating over and over and over again

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the same information that you can get
elsewhere. So, first thing I think this

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morning, we're going to turn to our
Fremont County Attorney, Eric Bellis,

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for an explanation of this resolution
number 15, which is extending the

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disaster declaration regarding the Aspen
Acres wildland fire to midnight on July

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29th of 2026. So, Eric, if you would
like to explain what we're doing with

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this action today, that'd be great.
>> Certainly. These resolutions that we do

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with respect to local disasters and the
local disaster declaration is simply the

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first step necessary to enable us access
to additional resources beyond those of

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Fremont County. When we declare a local
disaster, whether it be by declaration

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or in this case resolution extending
that 7-day declaration, um it does

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several things. It activates local
memorandums of understanding to make

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resources available from neighboring
counties and neighboring partners in the

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area. It also alerts the state and it
makes additional resources available

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from the state. It also, in this case,
makes resources available from the

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federal government. So, we have a number
of those resources that you all can see

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anytime you pass by the Fremont County
Airport and you see those large aircraft

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departing from the airport, the Black
Hawk helicap- helicopters, the Chinook

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helicopter, those are federal assets.
The red and white helicopters that you

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all are familiar with and have seen
before and in fact are stationed at our

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airport, those are state resources. Uh
this dis- disaster declaration makes all

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of those available and it just
formalizes what we need to do to access

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those resources that obviously allow us
to respond to disasters that exceed our

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local capacity to respond.
The reason that we chose the date that

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we chose, July 29th, uh to extend this,
that is the day after our next regularly

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scheduled Board of County Commissioners
meeting. Um

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these wildfires tend to burn for a
significant amount of time and whether

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this fire does or does not cross into
Fremont County, I suspect we will be

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reevaluating the need to further extend
this

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at our next regularly scheduled Board of
County Commissioners meeting.

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» All right, thank you, sir. Any questions
for Eric at this time?

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I would like to just note that our
Governor, Jared Polis, also has declared

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the Aspen Acres fire a state disaster as
well. And speaking of the ability to

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access resources, we asked our
Department of Human Services Director,

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Tanya Sutton, to come in this morning
and explain about some resources that

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are currently available to our citizens
simply because of this disaster

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declaration. Good morning, Tanya.
>> Good morning. Thank you so much for

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having me.
>> Thanks for coming.

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» Um so, I thought
that this was a great idea by

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Commissioner Bell to really explain what
the Department of Human Services has

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been able to do because of this
declaration. So, thank you again.

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I will jump into some specifics, but
just want to really quickly start with

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just a huge thank you to this board
because without issuing this,

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we wouldn't be able to do some of the
things I'm going to speak about as well

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as County Attorney Bellis because
not only did he help to solidify all of

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this and get all of this filed in the
right ways, but I've seen him in

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different ways this past week and a half
that I never did before, such as driving

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the
Red Cross truck to us so that we could

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help get the shelter set up. So, huge
thanks to everyone in this room as well

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as so many other county staff, my staff
specifically,

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not only showing up with I think right
now we have 11 staff just at DHS that

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have been evacuated, showing up to do
what they are asked to do every single

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day, taking care of other people, but
also volunteering in their time off. So,

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I am very honored to be part of this
community. Just want to start with that.

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So, with this declaration being a um
county declaration, we can now access a

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couple of different pots of funds we
were not able to previously. One of them

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is for our adult financial population.
So, those populations are specific to

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the aid and needy disabled, our adult
population, um old age pension

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population. These funds can be accessed
by those who have previously been

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approved for these grants. So, all of
the eligibility would have had to be

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completed and approved prior to this
disaster declaration.

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Um but now that that has happened for
those individuals, if they're in need of

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things like food, shelter, clothing,
transportation, personal care items, or

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medical care due to the disaster,
um we can now access an additional

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$2,000 for each of those individuals.
There is a process because that's what

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we do um in the government. We have
processes. We have to make sure that we

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have all of the uh correct paperwork
completed and our staff is ready and

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able to help with that. Um the state has
already clicked all the right buttons in

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our system to be able to process these
things, but we do still have to have

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paperwork and things like that. We are
not going to ask individuals to bring us

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any verification of anything. If they
have an address and we know that they're

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going to be in that evacuation area,
we're going to do what we need to do to

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access these funds.
The second pot is for our Colorado Works

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in um families. So, Colorado Works is
what other people can consider TANF

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funds.
Um to be able to be eligible for that um

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assistance, you have to have a family
with at least one child or a child on

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the way, a pregnancy, um and a family
income below $75,000 a year.

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Uh a little bit different than our adult
financial, we can still access

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eligibility um through this process, but
But it has to be those very specific

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needs that happened because of the
disaster.

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These um additional funds are not an
entitlement. So, if somebody is

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receiving aid to needy and disabled and
um now they have been evacuated, that

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does not automatically mean they get an
extra amount of money. What it does mean

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is our staff is going to really talk to
them about what needs do you have? How

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can we help overcome those? Um and then
potentially access these funds.

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One thing that I was surprised by, I
appreciated um Attorney Bellis really

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indicating it opens up additional um
resources. This does open up additional

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resources, however, it does not give us
additional money. So, all of these funds

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still come up out of our local budget.
Um that was something I was not aware of

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before we filed this with the state.
That does not mean that we will not help

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our citizens. We'll do whatever we need
to do to help those individuals in need.

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What it does mean is we may be asking
questions that others may think we

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shouldn't. We're going to ask, "Where
else can we find these, you know,

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resources? What else can we do to meet
these needs?" Because we still have to

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be responsible stewards of you know,
taxpayer dollars. Um so, I also just

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wanted to mention that this will be
through August of 2026 at this point. We

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can file um potentially I I will be
filing this extension with the state to

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see if that gives us more time. But, our
staff only have 5 days to process these.

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So, once we hear of a need, we have 5
days to get it in the system um and for

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them to do all of the verification they
have to do. Um our technicians have a

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lot of work um but they work very hard
and they will do whatever is needed. So,

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if anybody in the community um fits in
these specific areas and needs

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assistance, please just give us a call.
Our direct line is 719-275-2318

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and our office is open from 7:30 until
5:00 every day, Monday through Friday.

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So, we're here to help um we're here to
help just find resources, tap into

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funds, whatever we need to do. And if
anybody knows of anything else that is

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missing, please let us know and we'll
research that as well.

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» Tanya, thank you so much. That's a lot
of information. Um, it's very helpful

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00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:51,400
information. And please take back to
your staff our our very deep thanks and

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gratitude for all the hard work that
they're putting in. We have so many

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county people right now. This might be a
good segue real quickly. We have so many

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county people who are digging really
deep right now. Um, we have folks who

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have come in to volunteer their time
while they're on paid vacation, um, to

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be staying home, but instead they're
coming here and volunteering. We have

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people here in our buildings who have
been evacuated and are still coming.

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They're here, they're working every
single day, um, rather than staying in a

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hotel, in a B&B, at a friend's house,
wherever they happen to be located right

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now. They're still coming to work and
they're doing the job and, um, the

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volunteerism and the efforts that we've
seen not only from county employees, but

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from others throughout Fremont County.
So, I would just like to address real

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quickly, um, we put out a call early on
for donations. And that call was

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answered so fast and so hard by so many
people, we had to stop accepting

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donations because we no longer have
place a place to, um, actually store

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those until we can get them to the
appropriate recipients. And so, keep an

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eye out though, because we may be
opening that back up again. And if we

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do, we will put out the list of items
that are needed, as well as where, um,

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that you can take them in the locations
and different things.

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00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,353
» Great. So, okay.
>> Yes, thank you for that. We were able to

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00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,240
access some of those donations
[clears throat] through emergency

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00:13:06,839 --> 00:13:12,480
management yesterday to assist some of
our families. So, um, we will continue

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to support through that as well. So,
thank you again. Appreciate you having

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00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,400
me.
>> Thank you.

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00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:21,640
I also would like to mention, um, the
Red Cross shelter that's currently open

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00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:25,280
at Pathfinder Park. We have so many
others who are down there volunteering,

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00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:28,400
donating their time, taking care of
animals, taking care of people, taking

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care of meals, doing all of those
different things. Um again, the

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00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:36,560
community has just come together in a
truly incredible way here. So, we do

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00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:39,960
have someone from the public who showed
up this morning and would like to speak.

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00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:43,400
Pam Hardy, would you please come forward
and tell us what's on your mind. If you

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00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:47,960
want to turn on that microphone, push
that button right there. Right in the

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00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:51,360
front middle. Yes, you do. [laughter]
We can't hear you if you don't turn that

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00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,720
on.
>> There you go.

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00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:58,880
» All right. Thank you.
Thank you, commissioners, for allowing

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00:13:55,480 --> 00:14:05,280
me to stand. Um I'm a homeowner in the
Los Pinos subdivision south of Florence.

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00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:12,160
And I'm here to represent some of the
homeowners in Los Pinos.

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00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:15,560
My husband and I attended the meeting in
Pueblo

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00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:19,760
Monday night that was put on by the
Alaskan team for the firefighters. And

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00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:24,200
then afterwards, we got to talk to some
of the subject matter experts. So, we

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00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:28,480
totally
we understand the evacuation. You know,

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we respect it.
You know, I'm I I'm not here to

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about you know, talk to be concerned
about that. But, our concern is

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00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:43,360
the evacuation.
Um we had a mandatory evacuation Sunday

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night.
And

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00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:51,200
yesterday
um we have a homeowners association and

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we email [clears throat] each other. Uh
there's a few people that have decided

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00:14:53,839 --> 00:15:02,960
to stay. They did not evacuate. And
we've had a few vehicles come through,

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00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:08,440
sit in front of each of the houses,
taking I'm we're assuming taking

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00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:11,240
pictures, looking for cameras,
uh

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pickup truck. There was a pickup truck
at different hours. Um I know in the

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00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:22,240
Beulah Rye area, they've had a lot of
looting when the houses were evacuated,

220
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there was a lot of looting. So, our
concern is about that. We also have a

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neighbor
um

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uh
that has caused a lot of unrest in our

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community.
And

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um our
we've got some neighbors there that's

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been there 40 years. My husband and I,
we've been there 35 years. And, you

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00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:47,120
know,
the ones that's been there a long time,

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00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:51,080
we've got a real close knit. But, we've
got one neighbor that's been causing a

228
00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:55,600
lot of problems. We've had to call the
sheriff's office many times to come out.

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00:15:53,960 --> 00:16:00,520
One week, I think the sheriff's office
had to come out like seven times in in

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00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:05,160
less than a week. And nothing's being
done. She is still there.

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00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:11,280
And we already know that she has done
some destruction. So, here we're

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00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:16,280
evacuated, but yet she's in there. Our
concern is we've got the the fire we're

233
00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:20,880
concerned about.
I totally understand how the fire could

234
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:25,400
get to us. I have no questions about
that. Our concern is the fire. Our

235
00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:31,400
concern is the neighbor that's there
that could be causing damage.

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00:16:27,839 --> 00:16:37,520
You know, free reign. And then, lastly,
our concern is possible looting.

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00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:41,000
And um I know a couple neighbors have
been able to get in even as of

238
00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:45,160
yesterday.
When we leave here, my husband and I,

239
00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:48,440
when we leave here, we are hoping to get
in

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00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:53,760
because I got cameras that I want to set
up. If not, I will be contacting the

241
00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:57,760
sheriff. So, those are my concerns. So,
it's not just the fire, it's

242
00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:01,640
you know,
our lifelong possessions.

243
00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,720
» Okay, thank you so much for being here
and speaking this morning.

244
00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:07,051
» Thank you.
>> Is there anyone else who would like to

245
00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:10,880
rise and speak?
>> [clears throat]

246
00:17:08,199 --> 00:17:17,040
» Okay. I The The first thing I would say
um to you, Pam, is

247
00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:22,040
what an incredibly stressful time and
how heartbreaking this is for everyone

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00:17:18,959 --> 00:17:26,600
who has who has been involved. Um I have
not been evacuated and I can only

249
00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:30,160
imagine the stress that you're under
because as I just said a moment ago, we

250
00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:34,400
are dealing with a lot of those folks
here in the county buildings as well.

251
00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:39,000
And so we are able to see I mean just
the stress on faces and the lack of

252
00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:42,760
sleep um and the things that are going
through your minds. And so

253
00:17:41,120 --> 00:17:47,400
I think it's incredible that you know
your neighbors so well. Not everyone has

254
00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:50,920
that ability and that opportunity to
actually be part of a neighborhood

255
00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:55,520
instead of just having people that you
live next door to. So I think it's a

256
00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:58,360
wonderful thing that you're looking out
for each other, that you're all helping

257
00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:03,800
take care of each other. I would
encourage you to stay in touch with the

258
00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:09,240
sheriff's office um when when and if you
see any of those things continuing to

259
00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:12,400
happen. So thank you for being here.
Gentlemen.

260
00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,360
» I would just add on to that Madam Chair
that

261
00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:18,320
the I know the sheriff's office is
obviously very concerned about that and

262
00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:22,320
we're seeing the same information coming
from Pueblo and Custer about the

263
00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:27,400
possibility of that happening.
Um I'm not sure if there's any

264
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:32,000
confirmed cases on that yet,
but uh it's always a a

265
00:18:30,360 --> 00:18:35,080
a worry and a concern in these
situations, right? And you've expressed

266
00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,560
that.
Um but

267
00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:41,120
I would
not [clears throat] to speak for the

268
00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:45,680
sheriff's office or the sheriff's
department, but uh or the sheriff

269
00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:50,400
himself, but I know that they are
doing their best to make sure they're on

270
00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:54,960
top of that and uh they certainly don't
want that happening. Um I know they're

271
00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:59,000
stretched thin right now
um

272
00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:02,960
managing, but uh I staying as Chair
said, please stay in touch with them as

273
00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:08,840
much as you can and
any of those other folks that are out

274
00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:12,158
there uh still that you know that uh
feel free to take some pictures.

275
00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:13,960
» Absolutely.
>> [laughter]

276
00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:18,000
» Yes.
>> I thank [clears throat] you for your

277
00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:21,320
coming in today, though.
>> Would you like to speak? Come on up to

278
00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:24,880
the microphone and if you would identify
yourself, please.

279
00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:27,480
And then afterward, [clears throat]
if you would fill out one of these slips

280
00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:30,080
from over there and turn it into the
clerk.

281
00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:36,680
It's It's on already. Yes.
>> My name is Laura Bratz. I live

282
00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:43,080
on Highway 67 in the evacuation zone. I
was away on vacation July 1st to the

283
00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:47,720
7th. The house was
sort of evacuated by my daughter, but

284
00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:52,600
could not find medications.
I need medication. Clearly. Is there any

285
00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:57,520
way to
short I wasn't allowed to grab my own

286
00:19:55,240 --> 00:20:00,640
stuff. Is there any way that I can
access

287
00:19:59,318 --> 00:20:04,320
» [cough]
>> I have severe asthma and I'd like to

288
00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:10,360
know is there a short-term is there
windows where I can we can be given

289
00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:12,360
couple hours a day to go back to the
house

290
00:20:11,763 --> 00:20:16,520
» [cough]
>> and get medication cuz I was not home

291
00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:22,000
when this happened.
And my 27-year-old daughter did not have

292
00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:26,400
a clue where all this medication was.
She grabbed her own medications and the

293
00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:30,160
cat, three cats, and
our roommate.

294
00:20:28,120 --> 00:20:35,040
Plus we both lost we all lost our jobs
right before this happened in March. So

295
00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:39,440
we have no jobs, but all my medications
are and I can't afford to go buy it all.

296
00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:44,000
So I'm asking is there short-term
emergency access to my house?

297
00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:47,880
There There's other people out on the
land who are refu-

298
00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:52,880
who are refusing We We live on a
multitude of land, so it's divided up to

299
00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:56,600
three sections. Some of the one one of
the sections is staying occupied,

300
00:20:55,160 --> 00:21:00,800
but they can't bring it to me cuz they
won't let them back in. So I don't know

301
00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:05,120
what to do, but I need medication.
And I'm asking is there any chance for a

302
00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,040
couple of hours just to go get some
stuff?

303
00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,160
» Okay. [laughter]
Have you been in touch with the

304
00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,920
sheriff's department?
>> They said no.

305
00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,840
» Yeah, I don't think that's right. I
think for medication and stuff they're

306
00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:17,440
supposed to ask for
>> them I might need this. I mean, my eyes

307
00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:21,760
are watering all the time. I can't
breathe. I'm going to be in the hospital

308
00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:24,160
soon. People who don't have underlying
medical conditions are having a hard

309
00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:27,000
time with the smoke.
>> I know.

310
00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:31,240
» So, people who do have those those
issues already, it it has to be so much

311
00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:35,440
worse. So, I'm just I'm I'm terribly
sorry for what you're going through

312
00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:40,280
right now. We the three of us do not
have the power to say yes. We will grant

313
00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:45,040
this. We do have the power to have that
conversation with others. And so, we

314
00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:49,120
will have that conversation. We will see
what we can do for for you and for folks

315
00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:52,240
like you who have a desperate need to
get back in to retrieve something from

316
00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,520
your property.
>> fill out the little paper that Brandon's

317
00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,360
got right there,
leave your phone number and stuff so

318
00:21:56,560 --> 00:22:00,280
that they can contact you.
>> live in Fremont County, but I've

319
00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,920
definitely been evacuated.
>> Yeah, leave your information there so we

320
00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:04,480
can pass it on to the sheriff so they
can get in touch with you.

321
00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:05,720
» Okay.
>> Okay.

322
00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,355
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

323
00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,920
» All right.
>> [cough and clears throat]

324
00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,960
» Okay.
Dwayne?

325
00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:14,880
» Well, just a couple of things that I
want to say. You You mentioned about

326
00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:18,800
evacuated staff. We have some in this
building, some from Custer County and

327
00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:23,800
Fremont County. Um
Pathfinder Park is Yeah, one of them is

328
00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:27,520
sitting next to me. Um
Pathfinder Park is full. We have near

329
00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:32,440
500 animals in there that have been
evacuated from Custer and Fremont

330
00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:37,640
County. We've got a great bunch of uh
volunteers helping with those animals.

331
00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:40,000
And then we've also had an overwhelming
um

332
00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:45,040
display, whatever you want to call it,
of animal food. We have so much animal

333
00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:49,600
We have more chicken feed out there than
I think they'll ever feed in in a long

334
00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:54,520
time, but that's a great thing.
Um so, I appreciate everyone's help with

335
00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:57,160
that. And animals I understand She
mentioned cats a minute ago. I

336
00:22:55,560 --> 00:23:00,600
understand cats are hard to find a place
to go to stay with cuz people won't let

337
00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:03,360
cats stay cuz they want it to cost you a
fortune for cats for a deposit or

338
00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:06,600
whatever.
So that makes it tough too, but they do

339
00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:10,680
have some out there in cages
and um crates and um dogs as well, but

340
00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:13,520
there's every kind of animal out there I
think you can think of.

341
00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,760
» Somebody said, "What is Noah's Ark?"
>> Noah's Ark.

342
00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:20,440
» Yeah.
That's kind of true, but it's it's our

343
00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:24,880
our um extension agent and the
volunteers and our and Dwyane, the guy

344
00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:29,000
that runs Pathfinder Park for us and his
helper Bree, they've done an excellent

345
00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:31,520
job of setting up in under the pavilion
where those animals have room, but

346
00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:35,880
there's still room for some more cuz
they come in there's a bunch came in

347
00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:39,760
even yesterday. So um I want to reach
out to send this out to those guys,

348
00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:43,120
thank them, but also um we've talked
about a lot of information here and

349
00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:45,640
there's a lot of it's overwhelming.
There is an

350
00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:48,320
um
emergency management hotline in Fremont

351
00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:51,320
County and the phone number is
719-276-7421.

352
00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:58,640
That number can be called for
information um as to what's happening,

353
00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:02,600
the most current information they can
give you um

354
00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:07,800
they won't know when evacuations will be
lifted. I can repeat that number too if

355
00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,800
you need that. It's 719-276-7421.

356
00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,880
They won't have the time of when the
evacuations are going to be lifted or

357
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:20,160
anything like that, but they can tell
you the current um status of everything.

358
00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:23,120
Um and that again is some of our staff
and some other volunteer people that

359
00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:26,760
work for the OEM
the emergency manager's office.

360
00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:29,160
Um so we appreciate all of those
volunteers.

361
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,440
Thank you, Madam Chair.
>> All right, thank you.

362
00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:35,731
I think at this time we're probably
prepared to move forward unless anyone

363
00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,440
has further comments.
>> [clears throat]

364
00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,040
» Always.
>> Okay.

365
00:24:38,351 --> 00:24:41,200
» [laughter]
>> Commissioner Granthan.

366
00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:44,680
» have a question.
>> Uh come up to the microphone, please.

367
00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:51,840
And we need you to identify yourself.
>> I'm Mary Ann Komar. I live at literally

368
00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:55,000
at the end of CR 15.
>> Okay. Hi, Mary.

369
00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:58,657
» Next door to Florence Mountain Park.
You've met my partner. He done He like

370
00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:01,520
talked to you about the Bears.
>> [laughter]

371
00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:06,760
» And um
I'm concerned about um

372
00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:10,760
the what they were talking about online,
DAC.

373
00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:14,480
It's something about passes for people
to get back in, and

374
00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:18,520
is Fremont going to do that?
>> Not at this point. At this point, those

375
00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:21,560
are only available for Custer and Pueblo
County because of the

376
00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:26,400
fire that's went through and it's been
cleared. It's given them an opportunity

377
00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:28,800
to go back in whenever it's safe.
We don't have that in Fremont County

378
00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:32,720
because we actually don't have any fire
in Fremont County. We're just waiting

379
00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:36,240
for them to either lift the evacuations,
and God forbid fire ever get here, but

380
00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:39,360
» We're not waiting for fire, are we?
>> Yeah, we don't Yeah, we don't want fire

381
00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:43,960
to cause that. We want fire to go away,
but at this point there is not that for

382
00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:46,280
Fremont County because there's no
It's not over, I guess is the way to say

383
00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,160
it.
>> Okay.

384
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,160
» And that's why they're available for
Pueblo and Custer because some of those

385
00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:55,360
areas have been
deemed safe. Yeah, the fire's already

386
00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:56,840
went through. Unfortunately.
>> All right.

387
00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:00,080
» So, at this [clears throat] time there's
not for Fremont County, and hopefully

388
00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:03,040
there won't be cuz that means we had
fire. But eventually it'll just be

389
00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,640
lifted. I mean, that's what we're
hoping.

390
00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:08,200
» Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. All
right. Thank you.

391
00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:11,600
» Thank you.
>> Yes, sir.

392
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:13,320
» Um just to again pile on. It's what I
do.

393
00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:17,880
Um [clears throat]
I appreciate all the volunteers and

394
00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:22,840
everybody that's been helping out at
Pathfinder and our Red Cross and um

395
00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:30,600
just [clears throat] want to extend our
thanks to all of those folks. Um yeah.

396
00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:35,598
The the Noah's Ark of Fremont County. Um
it is quite the sight out there. Um

397
00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:38,800
but also very orderly and structured.
>> [laughter]

398
00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:44,040
» And very uh very very nice out there,
and we're we're fortunate we're lucky

399
00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:49,040
that we have uh such facility to to help
our uh community. Uh I just wanted to

400
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:53,560
um
repeat what the chair said earlier about

401
00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:58,680
uh just our thanks for our community.
How impressive it is watching

402
00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:04,160
folks come together. I was talking to
our

403
00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:09,280
Mr. Kroll yesterday about we got so much
an inundation of of supplies and

404
00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:13,760
donations [clears throat] that came in.
He felt bad for having to tell people

405
00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:17,280
that we can't take anymore.
I said, "Well, this is a good problem to

406
00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:22,040
have in Fremont County. Not every
community has this [clears throat]

407
00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:27,240
that kind of a problem." And so, it's
pretty awesome. I said, "I bet if for

408
00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:30,640
some reason our supplies run low, I bet
we could turn that spigot back on pretty

409
00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:34,720
good good and quick."
>> Very quickly as well.

410
00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:38,000
» And our community would respond. And so,
we're good right now, I think, on

411
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:41,480
supplies,
but pay attention.

412
00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:45,720
You never know when that might need to
be turned back on.

413
00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:49,480
And be ready to help some more. The only
other thing I would add, Madam Chair,

414
00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:52,880
just because we're given the opportunity
here this morning is

415
00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:58,200
for anybody that's paying attention,
anybody that's watching this whether

416
00:27:55,000 --> 00:28:02,200
live or recording, please beware of
false

417
00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,400
information.
Um

418
00:28:03,369 --> 00:28:08,840
» [clears throat]
>> the

419
00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:13,920
social media is fantastic for getting
information out quickly

420
00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:20,760
to a lot of people.
It's also

421
00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:25,960
a good way to spread false information
quickly.

422
00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:31,400
And so, if somebody is saying something
and it doesn't

423
00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:37,560
ring true, look to the actual sources
that have the information that we need.

424
00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:43,880
The The Aspen Acres Fire 2026
if you're on Facebook, the hotline that

425
00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:47,840
we have, these are the sources.
>> The sheriff's Facebook as well.

426
00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:53,640
» The sheriff's Facebook as well, who who
is actually reposting some of those

427
00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:58,800
other sites that are credible. So,
please pay attention to those credible

428
00:28:55,960 --> 00:29:02,760
sites like that and not any other
self-proclaimed

429
00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:02,760
um

430
00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:08,280
veritable
sources

431
00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:13,600
uh trustworthy sources.
Um the sheriff's office um all three of

432
00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:15,960
the sheriff's offices, Pueblo, Custer,
Fremont.

433
00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:19,600
Um
just an example

434
00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:24,680
and I hesitate to even bring this up cuz
I don't want to be adding to anything

435
00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:28,880
false, but I want to be very clear.
The federal facilities in Florence are

436
00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:35,760
not evacuating. They are not going to be
turning out prisoners onto the streets

437
00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:40,880
or anything ridiculous like that. Um
uh just utterly ridiculous things being

438
00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:46,520
said on Facebook that are on their very
face false.

439
00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:50,960
But, it's maddening for us that um
our

440
00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:54,680
emergency manager, our sheriff's office,
us, or anybody else is having to field

441
00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:59,000
questions about something that's utterly
ridiculous because somebody decided that

442
00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:03,440
they were going to
take their most uh

443
00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:07,280
uh weirdest thoughts in the back of
their head and post them on Facebook

444
00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:11,480
that that we're going to be turning out
El Chapo onto the street.

445
00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:16,600
That's simply not going to happen. Never
going to happen. They don't need to

446
00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:18,680
evacuate. They're not going to evacuate.
Thank you, Madam Chair.

447
00:30:18,300 --> 00:30:22,080
» [laughter]
>> I would add to that um Commissioner

448
00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:25,920
Grantham, what that actually does is it
takes

449
00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:32,360
these people's time away from what they
should be doing. When they have to

450
00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:36,600
defend against all of those untruths
and the accusations that are out there,

451
00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:40,160
every minute spent defending against
that is another minute that they are not

452
00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:44,560
able to spend doing the job that they
need to be out there doing. So,

453
00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:47,240
um good point. Thank you so much.
>> So.

454
00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,520
» What about Nextdoor?
>> Um

455
00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,640
» Same?
>> Uh

456
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:54,000
» All social media, same.
>> Yeah, all social media. The question is

457
00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:58,920
what about Nextdoor as opposed to
Facebook? So, it really is all social

458
00:30:55,720 --> 00:31:00,680
media. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, I am
prepared for a motion if we have our

459
00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:02,240
second.
>> Madam Chair.

460
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,480
» Yes, please.
>> Uh

461
00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:08,120
the I just want to note that this
resolution is available on our website

462
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:12,560
if anybody wants to read it in its
entirety. It does explain um what the

463
00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:15,920
local disaster declaration does in this
extension. With that, Madam Chair, I

464
00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:20,600
move to approve resolution number 15
series of 2026 extending the disaster

465
00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:24,800
declaration regarding Aspen Acres
wildfire

466
00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:27,120
to midnight on July 29th, 2026.
>> Second.

467
00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:32,720
» It has been moved and seconded to
approve resolution number 15 series of

468
00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:39,000
2026 extending the disaster declaration
regarding Aspen Acres wildland fire to

469
00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:42,920
midnight on July 29th of 2026.
Further discussion?

470
00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:45,160
All right, let's do roll call.
>> Commissioner McFall.

471
00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:48,080
» Aye.
Sorry, I got to do it again. My mic was

472
00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,680
off. Commissioner McFall.
>> Aye.

473
00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:50,680
» Commissioner Gantt.
>> Aye.

474
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,200
» Commissioner Bell.
>> Aye.

475
00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:57,080
» Commissioner Kairns.
>> All right, we are have no further

476
00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:59,480
business to come before us.
Uh thank you all so much for being here.

477
00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:05,440
Thanks for listening and paying
attention online. We are adjourned.

478
00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,440
» I was just going to say