Meeting opened with call to order, roll call, invocation and pledge of allegiance.
Consent agenda amended and approved: CDS mylars, vouchers, acknowledgement of monthly variance reports, Douglas Co. jail contract moved to 3PM special meeting, added to action items: appointment of CCI legislative representative
(Pause 2 minutes into meeting for a battery change in the microphone)
Public hearing for consideration of 3.2% beer license for Murphy Oil USA, Inc:
-Kelly Elefon, attorney for Murphy Oil (based in Eldorado, Arkansas), briefed the audience on the company’s business model. Max Scott spoke about process of approving applicants for licensing. (At this point, commissioners allowed one citizen to speak from his seat in the audience without identifying himself or coming to the podium). Hearing suspended due to applicant/speaker in transit.
-Location of Murphy Oil store - 2336 Legacy Circle, Elizabeth
DEPARTMENT HEADS/STAFF REPORTS
-County clerk Dallas Schroeder reported that Sun Country Meadows PID (Public Improvement District) petition is sufficient. Will be hearing on August 30.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
PUBLIC COMMENT
Marlene Groves asked if info would be on website prior to meeting (which is only 1 day away). Per Commissioner Richardson, it won’t be online until after meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Christine Ware spoke in disagreement with this request - a “slap in the face” to the citizens who voted this down in the previous attempt.
Tony Baker spoke in favor of term limit extensions because we “turn out good eggs” if we have term limits.
Frank Reeves spoke in favor of “temporary” extension of term limits because there’s “no reason not to leave it to a vote of the people.” (Editorial comment: how many times have we had a “vote of the people” on this issue….6 so far).
Bob Lewis spoke in favor of this request because “Shayne Heap has continued to turn around what Bill Frangis started.”
The sheriff’s chaplain, Josiah Matthews, spoke in favor extending Heap’s and Pettit’s terms, but not “wholesale” removal of term limits.
Marlene Groves spoke against removing term limits because it infers that “we are afraid of change in Elbert County,” and we need not be afraid of change. The citizens have said “No” to this 6 times already.
Scott Wills spoke in favor of putting this on the ballot (noting that the sheriff and undersheriff are not at this BOCC meeting because their dept is understaffed) even though he supports term limits; he compared getting a new sheriff to getting a new doctor and “we wouldn’t want to have to get a new doctor every 8 years.”
Bill Harris is in favor of putting extension on ballot; claims that 80% of the counties in CO are in favor of waiving term limits; Harris is in favor of term limits “in certain instances.”
Don Draper spoke in favor or putting this on the ballot because “it’s a shame when we have good individuals that we have to fire them.”
Greg Hinds supports term limits in some instances, but not in this instance. It was “never intended that these people be term limited.”
In summary, most citizens in favor of voting to extend term limits for the sheriff and the treasurer are:
-the same citizens who have supported removing Heap’s term limits in the past, most of whom exited the meeting as soon as they finished extolling the sheriff’s virtues
-in favor of term limits, but just not right now…not in this instance…
Some information many cheerleaders have forgotton:
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/tomwinfrey/rocky-mountain-real-estate-news
Commissioner Richardson asked the county clerk for a ball park figure on the cost of an election. Estimated cost $30,000-$35,000. Dallas “has heard” that there may be some issues on the ballot already. We have the “money available” to hold an election.
Commissioner discussion on placing removal of term limits for sheriff and treasurer on the ballot:
Commissioner Richardson stated that he had led the campaign for the removal of term limits for the sheriff in the past election and that we “have an opportunity now for the citizens to determine whether 2 terms are appropriate for the sheriff and the treasurer…..and it ought to be on the ballot.” Commissioner Thayer is unwilling to vote until he sees the resolution; will support putting it on the ballot once he sees the resolution. Admitted that it had already been on the ballot 6 times. County clerk stated that it had to be decided by September 8 to get on the ballot. Commissioner Richardson asked that we “prepare language” for the ballot. Commissioner Willcox stated that voting on this is a “right that we have.” Commissioner Willcox directed the county attorney to prepare language for the ballot.
Public hearing on liquor license request resumed. Applicant went through training process for checking IDs and other details about their stores. Liquor license approved.
ACTION ITEMS
-approval of 8/9/17 and 8/10/17 minutes.
-Commissioner Richardson appointed as representative to CCI legislative committee
BOARD PLANNING
-agenda items for next BOCC meeting: pending hearings - Sun Country PID (8/30), land use Independence hearings (9/5, 9/6 and 9/7 as necessary), extension of term limits on ballot, update on road and bridge projects, update on county manager search.
Meeting adjourned then reconvened to approve written minutes from property protests (CBOE). (Audio tapes unavailable for all 4 days of hearings due to a “technical problem with the recorder.”)
-Jill Duvall