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Flags in front of the Kiowa County Courthouse in Eads, Colorado. The building is surrounded by trees.

Kiowa County Commissioners meeting minutes - December 30, 2021

Kiowa County Courthouse in Eads, Colorado. © Chris Sorensen

The regular meeting of the Kiowa County Commissioners was called to order on December 30, 2021; at

9:00 a.m. by Chairman Donald Oswald. Robertson opened the meeting with Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. Those in attendance:

  • Donald Oswald, Chairman
  • Howard "Butch" Robertson, Commissioner
  • Mike Lening, Commissioner
  • Delisa Weeks, County Clerk
  • Tina Adamson, County Administrator

Minutes: Robertson moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve the December 14, 2021

minutes as presented. Motion carried.

Vouchers: Oswald moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve the vouchers as presented.

Motion carried.

Agenda: Oswald moved, and Robertson seconded the motion to approve the agenda with three new

additions. New Business DSS Attorney, Indirect Cost Certification and the E.O.P. Motion carried.

Cindy McLoud, Kiowa County Economic Development Coordinator entered the meeting to announce she has been hired as the Official Coordinator for Kiowa County Economic Development. Mcloud will have further information posted at a later date.

OLD BUSINESS:

Grant Updates/ARP Updates: The SECOG Mini Grants will be coming up in March. Administrator Adamson will be applying for a grant for new lighting in the arena at the fairgrounds.

Landfill/Recycling Update: Landfill Manager, Jeff Scranton had reported that he has two truckloads of

cardboard to be processed and the plastics are overflowing.

SCEDD Housing Project Update: Betsy Barnett, Editor of the Kiowa Independent; entered the meeting as a member of the audience. Oswald said that there have been surveyors in this area surveying the selected properties for the project. Barnett said she felt the public does not understand the process for the housing project. The property owners who were interested have backed out due to funding and the lack of understanding how this could benefit them, the Town, and the County as a whole. It was agreed that there should be one point of contact who can help answer questions and reach out to prospective buyers. It made sense that the KCEDF Coordinator would be the best option for this contact.

Road & Bridge Equipment Review: The BOCC discussed #le 4 of the maintainers the County has, with the possibility of downsizing by trading the three oldest in on the three newer ones that they are currently

leasing as there are not enough employees to run them. No decisions were made.

UPCOMING MEETINGS: Reports and Meetings were reviewed and signed.

Oswald moved, and Robertson seconded the motion to recess the meeting for lunch at 12:00 p.m.

Motion carried. Barnett exited the meeting at this time.

The Regular meeting reconvened at 1:00 p.m.

NEW BUSINESS:

Time off Request Forms: Lening moved, and Robertson seconded the motion to approve the time off

request. Motion carried.

Leave Donation Requests: Lening moved, and Robertson seconded the motion to approve the 2 leave

donation requests. Motion carried.

DSS Door Estimate: Oswald moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve the request for an

automatic door opener for the Department of Social Service, in the amount of $2825.00. Motion carried.

The funding will come from the Department of Social Services.

Harris Pit Performance Warranty: Adamson said a performance certification required a signature. Chairman Oswald signed the certification.

CDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP): This is grant funding to improve county and state roadways that have a history of accidents. Some of the items that the county needs are signs and

paving. Administrator Adamson will gather more information and will apply for this program.

DSS Appointment of Attorney: Oswald moved, and Lening seconded the motion to reappoint Don Steerman as the Attorney for Social Services at $135.00 per hour. Motion carried.

Indirect Cost Certification Page: Robertson moved, and Oswald seconded the motion to sign the Indirect Cost Certification Form. Motion carried .

Emergency Manager E.O.P. Plan: The Emergency Operation Plan was reviewed, Oswald moved, and

Lening seconded the motion to approve the EOP Plan. Motion carried.

Gerald Deines and Joel Woelk entered the meeting at 1:45 p.m. to discuss the new 2022 fees at the landfill. Deines explained with the new fees in place DW Waste would loose about $12,000.00 per year 

Deines stated his concerns, with Administrator Adamson explaining that since a county sales tax did not

pass, the county had to find ways to increase revenue and decrease expenditures.

Deines asked if the County would allow his business a deferment in fees for the first half of the year. He

said he didn't know how much more his customers could afford before they would drop them and he has already billed for the first quarter of 2022. Robertson moved and Lening seconded the motion to allow DW Waste and the Town of Eads a deferment of a fee increase for the first six months of 2022. Motion carried .

With no other business to discuss the, Oswald moved and Lening seconded the motion to adjourn the

meeting at 2:23 p.m. Motion carried.

/s/ Donald Oswald

Chairman of the Board

/s/ Delisa L. Weeks

County Clerk