Commissioners create county fair manager position; commit to Prop 123 housing support

The Oct. 31 meeting of the Phillips County Board of County Commissioners included the establishing of a new contracted position, adopting a resolution, conducting a public hearing, receiving information and updates, hiring part-time election officials and other miscellaneous actions needing board approval.

The board passed a motion to create a contracted position in 2024 for a Phillips County Fair Manager from the hire date through Aug. 31, 2024. For the past few months the board has been contemplating a paid county Fair Manager position due to the extensive volunteer time and effort required to plan for, implement and manage the county fair while in-progress. Influencing the decision was information gleaned from a recent meeting that Commissioners Tom Timm and Terry Hofmeister had with the County Fair Board to discuss the position.

The board adopted Resolution 2024-10-31 expressing intent to commit to the local jurisdictional requirements under Colorado Proposition 123 regarding state funding for affordable housing. Colorado voters passed Prop 123 in November 2022 that dedicates State income tax revenue to fund a State Affordable Housing Fund. A key commitment in Prop 123 is that local jurisdictions will make efforts to increase affordable housing units by three percent a year for the next three years. If a commitment isn’t filed by Nov. 1 to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, then a local government and any development project in its jurisdiction are ineligible to receive any funding established by Prop 123 during the 2024 calendar year.

The board held a public hearing to consider a subdivision exemption request from the Thomas J. Tuell Irrevocable Income-Only Trust to divide 5.7 acres from a 131.71 acres parcel of land. The matter was laid over until the Nov. 8 board meeting so that a surveyor could be contacted to check the original surveyor’s findings.

The board met with Cari-Jo Oestman, representing the Caring Pregnancy Resource Center, who provided information about clients served in 2023.

The following individuals provided updated information: CSU Extension Agent, Jessie Salyards, regrading 4-H and other activity carried out since her last update, and activity on behalf of Stephanie Starkebaum, the CSU Extension Family and Consumer Science Specialist; Road and Bridge Manager, Mike Salyards, regarding the BigIron Auction Settlements; and, Assistant County Administrator/Planner, Andrew Nygaard, regarding the courthouse sidewalk project.

The board passed motions to approve the following proposed actions:

• to discontinue allowing Homesteaders’ park to be rented for private activities;

• to allow Melissa Memorial Hospital to sell alcohol at their Christmas party at the Phillips County Event Center provided certain conditions were met;

• to accept the three-year ALSCO contract with Phillips County Landfill, as presented;

• to appoint Commissioner Timm as the Region One Translator Association Board alternate for Phillips County;

The board also approved the following requests:

• from Cari-Jo Oestman for a discounted rate to rent the stage and building for the Caring Pregnancy Resource Center function at the Phillips County Event Center on Jan. 27, 2024;

• from County Clerk Beth Zilla to hire three specified individuals as part-time election officials effective Oct. 30; and;

• from Road and Bridge Manager, Mike Salyards, to hire Jody Maupin as a full-time road worker effective Nov. 1.

The board also discussed possible in-kind support for the Holyoke Community Child Care Initiative.