Garfield County commissioners (BOCC) got an earful of fiery public comments at the beginning of Monday’s meeting. Citizens concerned about the appointment process for county library trustees responded to a call to action on Facebook over the weekend, urging the community to speak at the meeting.
Sixteen commenters talked about issues ranging from the current intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the BOCC and the library board and books on the shelves that may be inappropriate for children to the library director’s salary, a clash of values in the county, culture wars fomenting library discussions and more.
Robin Robinson of Silt commented about the current cultural divide plaguing the nation. “[It] started with the Equal Rights Amendment because it — back in the ‘60s — was about having sex with children,” she proclaimed. “It was about doing whatever you wanted with children way back then.” She added that this mindset has continued to grow.
The Equal Rights Amendment was introduced in 1923 and passed by Congress in 1972. It amends the U.S. Constitution to guarantee equal rights for all, regardless of sex. It has been ratified by the requisite 38 states but has not been codified.
Former library trustee Susan Use mentioned the IGA — still a burr under the saddle of both the county and the library district. On Oct. 8, commissioners considered an updated version of the IGA that prevents them from challenging the library board’s recommended trustee reappointments unless there is good cause. At that meeting, the BOCC decided to shelve the document. “There was not a vote on the IGA and it was kind of quietly tabled,” observed Use. “But yet there was not a vote on tabling it either.”
In an email to The Sopris Sun, library district director Jamie LaRue said that he considers this behavior a dereliction of the BOCC’s statutory responsibilities. “A revised IGA, submitted by the library to the BOCC, was tabled when [Commissioner] Mike Samson insisted that every position, even the people selected and appointed by [the trustees], would have to re-apply after each term,” he wrote. “At that time, Samson claimed that the delays were caused by the library’s failure to notify them of vacancies. That simply isn’t true.”
The library trustee position for the Rifle area has been vacant since former trustee Myrna Fletchall officially left the board on July 12. LaRue told The Sopris Sun that Fletchall announced her resignation on June 20 at which time he sent an email to the county along with Fletchall’s resignation letter.
LaRue said that, in August, he “prompted [county manager] Fred Jarman about the continued vacancy.” He added that this was when Jarman suggested to the BOCC that they “wait until the end of the year to advertise and interview for three positions.” (New Castle and Parachute/Battlement Mesa positions open up Dec. 31.)
The library board did not want to wait six months to fill the RIfle seat. So, according to LaRue, the library requested that commissioners move the timeline up for Rifle, which they did, but the interview meeting was cancelled.
He added that the county ran four advertisements in September and told him that they did not receive any direct applications. LaRue said, “[An applicant] submitted a letter of interest and resume to me in early August. I forwarded it to Jarman on Oct. 1, while the ad was running.” He added that “Jarman says he emailed her to ask if she was still interested.”
In an email to The Sopris Sun, Jarman confirmed “the library director forwarded an interested candidate to the county on Oct. 1.” Jarman said the county reached out to the applicant a week later and, “We heard nothing back.”
At Monday’s meeting, New Castle resident Carole O’Brien said, “I’m not sure exactly what happened; although I think there should have been more diligence on the part of the commissioners or commissioners’ staff to pursue this applicant.”
The applicant (name withheld) has not responded to a request for comment from The Sopris Sun.
Letter to Bennet and Hick, not Hurd
The BOCC got to the first agenda item around 9:20am. They unanimously approved a letter to U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, both Democrats, demanding they re-open the government “without delay.” As of Wednesday afternoon, the federal government has been shut down for 35 days.
Citing 4,000 Garfield County residents who stand to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and 1,400 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) recipients, the letter was supported by discussion with Sharon Longhurst-Pritt, county human services director, and Joshua Williams, county public health director. They emphasized problems some county residents would likely face if they did not receive their benefits.
Longhurst-Pritt said that SNAP benefits have not been loaded into accounts as of Nov. 1. Williams said WIC payments are good through November, thanks to the state’s recent $10 million subsidy. Both agreed that even though every bit helps, $10 million won’t go very far. Longhurst-Pritt predicted the county may have to pitch in.
The BOCC did not send a similar letter to Congressman Jeff Hurd (R-CD3). “Because the vote is in the Senate,” said Commissioner Perry WIll in an email. “And we have been in contact with Rep. Hurd. He supports getting the government back going [sic] and has said so publicly many times.”
South Bridge and Jackson Ranch
Glenwood Springs Mayor Marco Dehm, accompanied by the assistant city engineer and an attorney for the City, presented the new plans for the South Bridge Project, including how a portion of the Jackson Ranch could be condemned to make way for the infrastructure.
The Jackson Ranch has been held in conservation easements for three decades, put in place by the late rancher and veterinarian Carter Jackson. “For 17 years, [the Jackson family] has been operating under the shadow of [South Bridge] potentially bisecting their property and disrupting important and rapidly decreasing deer, elk, migratory bird and wetland habitat along the Roaring Fork River,” said Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT) director Suzanne Stephens in an email to The Sopris Sun.
She said that AVLT understands the need for emergency egress but it would isolate the northern portion of the ranch, sever irrigation systems and access to the manager’s home. She pointed to new access roads and driveways, increased noise, traffic and pollution that would also encroach upon the southern portion of the ranch. “These changes would significantly impair both the ranch’s operations and the ecological integrity of the area,” said Stephens. “Our local ranchers and producers already face mounting challenges and their numbers are declining without the added strain of imposed development fragmenting the lands they depend on.”