[0:03] Good morning everybody.
[0:05] Welcome to the Wednesday September 2nd regular meeting
[0:08] of the Board of County Commissioners.
[0:10] We are starting at 9:02 a.m.
[0:12] In the morning.
[0:14] We will start with the Pledge of Allegiance.
[0:16] Would you please lead us?
[0:20] I pledge Allegiance to the of the United States of
[0:22] and to the Republic for which it one nation under God,
[0:22] with Liberty and Justice for all.
[0:32] Kirstin Copeland: If you could remain standing.
[0:34] Pastor Carl will do our invocation.
[0:39] Karl Leuthauser: Thank you for having me.
[0:41] We had our first grandbaby and we are super excited about that.
[0:45] What I love about it is it's parenting without the pressure.
[0:48] That's a pretty good gig.
[0:50] I was talking to Kirsten about this.
[0:54] I wish I did other things where I am a grandparent.
[0:58] I am present and I do my job.
[1:01] I work hard but I'm not too worried and freaked out
[1:04] and I don't find my identity in it and all that pressure.
[1:07] Jesus said in John 836.
[1:10] When the son sets you are free indeed.
[1:16] My purview for everybody in the room.
[1:18] You can do your job in parenting and your work
[1:20] and your Grandparenting for a.
[1:23] Without all the pressure.
[1:24] In the end, there is one person and that is our creator
[1:28] that we answer to.
[1:29] Do the right thing, work well in whatever happens happens.
[1:34] Lord I thank you so much for our leaders.
[1:36] I thank you for all the servants in this room.
[1:39] And in our different spheres, I pray
[1:42] that we will do it in freedom that we would do in trust.
[1:45] We would be present and we would be dutiful
[1:48] and we would serve well.
[1:50] In the end what happens happens and I pray that we can trust you
[1:53] and that we can walk in the freedom you purchased for us.
[1:56] We can enjoy the service and opportunities that we have.
[2:00] Bless these leaders with wisdom and bless them with freedom.
[2:04] In Jesus name.
[2:05] Amen.
[2:08] Kirstin Copeland: Amen thank you.
[2:10] Melissa.
[2:10] Can you do the roll call please?
[2:16] >> Good morning commissioners.
[2:21] [Roll call].
[2:21] Kirstin Copeland: Public comment period.
[2:24] Any members of the public who would like to speak?
[2:26] If you can just give us your name and address please?
[2:32] >> Forgot the address parts.
[2:34] Holly speaks 2131 Bradford Drive.
[2:37] I'm here to alert the county commissioners to a problem
[2:40] we may have in Montrose County.
[2:42] I am a Concerned citizen worried we
[2:45] may have another teen problem in our county.
[2:48] I want the commissioners support that we
[2:51] will have a free and fair democratic election here
[2:53] in Montrose County in the midterm.
[2:56] November midterms.
[2:59] I'm disappointed in the lack of transparency and integrity
[3:02] shown by the Montreal City Council and city
[3:05] staff the Montrose County Elections Office
[3:08] and Attorney's Office.
[3:09] I know there was interaction going back and forth
[3:12] about that emailing.
[3:13] Everyone I mentioned has known about the discrepancies
[3:16] in the vote totals about the April municipal elections
[3:20] and contentions between the two offices.
[3:23] They kept it from the voters of Montrose County.
[3:28] That's not good integrity.
[3:29] I don't think they showed good integrity by doing that.
[3:32] Those who kept attending the city meetings who
[3:35] kept asking why there was a rush to bring the city charter
[3:38] amendments coming up and move control of the city clerk
[3:42] under the county elections office and we
[3:45] never got an answer.
[3:47] There's still some confusion as to why it was rushed.
[3:52] August 3rd, we finally found out why.
[3:56] They let the public in on what the rest of us already knew.
[4:01] She had concerns about the county elections office
[4:03] and people who worked there and their impartiality.
[4:06] I believe us county commissioners
[4:09] and I don't know if you have any, any influence or authority
[4:15] that you can I would appreciate you
[4:18] looking to what is going on with that statement.
[4:21] The City of Montrose has made two extremes in the last week.
[4:27] They want to investigate the election and now they don't.
[4:31] That was a very 25 minute dysfunctional video
[4:34] and it's not a good representation
[4:35] of what we want our community to look like.
[4:40] Why the sudden and abrupt change?
[4:42] As another fellow governing body,
[4:46] I think you should be concerned about what is going on.
[4:50] I'm sure you are aware we've lost Bill bill last night.
[4:54] We lost another governing partner .
[5:02] I'm worried because the big lie has been
[5:05] pushed by the EMR president.
[5:08] He's trying to block and and Mail-In voting
[5:14] and targeting registration drives in Ohio
[5:16] to name a few things.
[5:17] The way it's been handled has been disgraceful.
[5:23] I think that they chose comfort over transparency.
[5:27] They chose to practice dishonesty over honesty
[5:31] with the voters pyramids they allowed somebody
[5:35] in our community to come Mr. David Weiss who's
[5:38] been known to lead our community down a straight path
[5:41] to tell us his version of what happened.
[5:43] And I don't think that was the right thing to do.
[5:50] I would just hope he would help us as voters.
[5:54] My heart is personally broken because I feel like a vote is
[6:00] sacred .
[6:04] I always wanted to trust in our elected officials
[6:06] that they would take care of my votes.
[6:09] I ask the commissioners and anybody here
[6:14] to protect our voting this fall.
[6:18] Thank you.
[6:19] Kirstin Copeland: Thank you.
[6:23] Any other members of the public?
[6:25] All right.
[6:28] County Manager.
[6:29] Any removal or change of the items on the agenda?
[6:34] >> There are no changes this morning.
[6:36] Thank you.
[6:39] Kirstin Copeland: The consent agenda.
[6:40] All matters are considered routine
[6:42] by the Board of County Commissioners
[6:43] and will be enacted by a single vote.
[6:45] Looking at the consent agenda, any concerns or changes
[6:49] you would make?
[6:51] >> No.
[6:52] Kirstin Copeland: I would entertain a motion.
[6:56] >> I moved to approve the agenda to include amendments
[6:58] for 14-026.
[7:03] Kirstin Copeland: All those in favor?
[7:05] Consent agenda is adopted.
[7:07] We believe the regular Board of County Commissioners
[7:10] and enter into the Board of Health.
[7:12] And I will ask the county manager Joe Kirby.
[7:18] Joe Kerby: Good morning commissioners.
[7:20] Before you is item D one.
[7:23] Consideration and possible adoption of resolution B
[7:26] 02-2026.
[7:27] Appointing our new Director of Public Health, Jacqueline Davis.
[7:37] Jackie is in the audience this morning.
[7:40] As you are aware, the position has been vacant
[7:44] for several months.
[7:50] As a result of that interview process,
[7:55] we are excited to engage with her
[7:59] and have her be our new Public Health Director.
[8:01] That's the topic for you this morning Paramount
[8:10] Kirstin Copeland: Thank you.
[8:12] We will do a motion.
[8:14] >> I move to approve resolution B 02-2026 appointing a Director
[8:20] of Public Health.
[8:21] Kirstin Copeland: I second.
[8:24] And all those in favor?
[8:29] Aye.
[8:30] Welcome aboard.
[8:32] We're glad to have you.
[8:33] And I think we are going to do pictures.
[8:35] Do you want to do it now?
[8:38] The communications director runs the show.