The Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) Monday approved the county’s first Chevron natural gas well permit request to drill two wells from an existing pad northwest of De Beque. The pad is remote. No human-inhabited structures are within a mile of it, although it is in the middle of high priority habitat (HPH) for elk winter […]
GarCo report
Posted inLocal Government
BOT and BOCC talk rodeo, housing, energy and more
Carbondale’s Board of Trustees (BOT) met with the three Garfield Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on June 18 for their annual check-in. All Carbondale trustees were present with the exception of Erica Sparhawk.The meeting began with a review of the first two rodeos at the Carbondale-owned Gus Darien Arena. Carbondale Parks and Rec director Eric […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Eagles are fine, ballots in the mail, Holy Cross Energy gains on goals
The morning session kept the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) very busy. “The June 25 primary election is here,” announced Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon. She said 36,000 ballots will be in the mail Tuesday, June 4. On Wednesday, June 5, ballot drop-off locations will open at town halls in Carbondale, New Castle, Silt, […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: County human service needs on the rise
Steven Kuschner, member of the Elk Springs Home Owners Association, expressed his disapproval during the open public comment period for the proposed Spring Valley Ranch Planned Unit Development (PUD) amendment. He cited roads, the projected 5,703 vehicle trips per day at full build-out and stress on the land, wildlife corridors and aquifer as reasons for […]
Posted inLocal Government
New library trustee announcement prompts backlash against the process
It wasn’t the “who” of the Garfield County library board appointment, it was the “how” that prompted several people to air their grievances against the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) on Monday, May 6. Library board president Adrian Rippy-Sheehy spoke up after the BOCC announced Myrna Fletchall as the new library trustee. Rippy-Sheehy said her remarks […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Voces Unidas, county updates and questions about the library trustee meeting
“Your non-sanctuary county resolution does not align with the values of our communities,” declared Alan Muñoz Valenciano, regional organizing manager for Voces Unidas de las Montañas, during the open public comment portion of Monday’s Garfield County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting. “Referring, in that resolution, to immigrants arriving in Garfield County as a significant public health risk […]
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Garco Report: County finance department wins national award, landfill hours change
Monday’s Garfield County commissioners’ (BOCC) meeting lasted all of an hour, including an executive session looking at legal issues involving two cases: the U.S. District Court case of the Estate of Oscar Canas v. Garfield County and the Garfield County District Court Case of Madrid v. BOCC. Dustin Moyer, the new CEO of Mountain Family […]
Posted inNews
GarCo Report: Changes to library trustee appointment process, gray wolf update and more
“Shame on you Commissioner Martin and Commissioner Samson for changing, without public notice or input from either the library trustees or the residents of Garfield County, the practice of allowing our library trustees to nominate candidates to serve on the library board of trustees.” Glenwood Springs resident Ellen Dole on Monday ripped into the Garfield […]
Posted inNews
GarCo Report: No new cars for sheriff, library malcontent more content
Silt resident and library malcontent John Lepkowski was the first to speak at Monday’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting, as has been his practice for months. But this time he was full of praise for the BOCC’s recent decisions, including last week’s resolution that Garfield County is not a sanctuary county. “I just picked […]
Posted inNews
GarCo Report: Commissioners intend to take control of library board appointments
The Garfield County Public Library District (GCPLD) was the topic of the open public comment period at Monday’s commissioner meeting. Library board president Adrian Rippy-Sheehy presented the commissioners (BOCC) with several updates, including an overview of the recent library-sponsored housing forum at the Ute Theater in Rifle, which the BOCC did not attend. Rippy-Sheehy said […]