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Image Link 12-18-2019

Board of County Commissioners’ Meeting
December 18 2019


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CONSENT AGENDA:
-CDS mylars, vouchers, variance reports, domain authorization letter, designation of proxy: Jerri Spear for CCI 2020 steering committee

ELECTED OFFICIALS/DEPARTMENT HEADS/STAFF REPORTS:

-proclamation for National Radon Action Month January 2020 - read by Assistant County Manager Eileen Krauth; CO is ranked #1 for radon presence in buildings; encouraged citizens to test homes for radon

-County Treasurer Sherry Hewlett reported on tax sale in November - 9% premium; working on collecting delinquent taxes; thanked her staff for help during her first year as treasurer

-County Clerk Dallas Schroeder reported on his office activities; Amanda Moore is now Clerk to the BOCC Board; Recording - over 9,000 documents recorded, approximately $600,000 in fees collected, working on cross-training between recording and DMV; Elections - one election in 2019, added over 800 active voters, over 21,000 voters in county; DMV - staff made an appearance, received top scores from citizens for their service, over 42,000 transactions handled.

-County Manager Sam Albrecht announced that county offices will close at noon on Christmas Eve

PUBLIC COMMENT

--Roger Burton, retired architect, expressed interest in being on Planning Commission

-Marlene Groves asked about conducting a study on county fees and the jail

-Susan Schick spoke about the “Elbert County Connection” insert in the Prairie Times - a free newspaper. The commissioners so far have spent almost $25,000 of taxpayer monies to publish their articles in this publication. She took issue with the December article by Commissioner Thayer about the Independence development; the county has waived $5 million in impact fees, but so far no repayment from Tim Kraft (which is the reasoning the commissioners have given for waiving the impact fees) due to no houses being built. She also spoke to Commissioner Richardson’s comments in the Prairie Times regarding the PID in Sun Country. Commissioner Richardson responded to her comments, stating that, “We have not waived fees tor Independence because no construction has taken place. There are no impacts until construction begins. Charging for an impact that has not occurred would not be proper.” Richardson is “confused” by calls for charging fees for land that has not yet been developed. “By this logic, we should be charging landowners for agricultural land that has not been developed,” Richardson said. He admitted that a no-interest loan by the county to Sun Country for $264,000 was made; for this, the county “received paved roads in Sun Country.” He told Ms. Schick that he is “irritated” by her continuing public comments that the county loaned $900,000 to Sun Country. Currently there are county resolutions (#18-20 and #18-28 authorizing up to $900,000 funds for the Sun Country PID). To date, the county has appropriated out of various county funds $744,811 of the $900,000 authorization.

-A citizen spoke about a fee the county charges for some agricultural issues.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

-second reading, Hemp Ordinance Update - Bart Greer, County Attorney: asked for this to be tabled until January 22, 2020.

ACTION ITEMS:

-annual merit system certification - Health and Human Services, Jerri Spear: approved

-resolution for impact fee and impact fund: county is tracking old numbers to clear up accounts and organize more efficiently; changed name to “Growth and Development Fund.” Ms. Shick asked county to adopt a resolution whenever county decides to abate funds and also asked why the county doesn’t continue to use the same name on the fund because it’s defined in statutes. Albrecht claims the county is not changing the name of the fund but is just putting everything under one umbrella and that impact fees will still be listed separately.

-resolution for cash in lieu of open space: Albrecht reported that these monies will now be tracked under newly formed “Growth and Development Fund.”

-resolution for growth and development fund for special fees: Albrecht stated that this “gives a home” to these fees in the newly formed “Growth and Development Fund.”

-resolution for 2020 budget adoption and appropriating funds: Albrecht presented. Significant additions: 5 year Public Works Capital Improvement Plan and projected revenue and expenditures to 2024; specific additions: FTE table, fund reserve policy, added grants fund, renamed impact assistance fund. Starting fund balance of $17,100,000 - with ending fund balance of $16,800,000. Total revenues projected of $32,175,000 with expenditures of $32,510,000 (so deficit spending of approximately $400,000 for 2020). Albrecht claims that this is a “balanced budget” (even though the county will be spending $400,000 more than is projected in revenues). Public comment on budget: Marlene Groves is “disappointed” that sheriff’s department is not receiving the assistance it needs; other counties don’t always include public safety in their sheriff’s budgets (which EC does), so that makes it look like the sheriff’s budget is a higher % of the budget than it actually is. Susan Shick complimented the accounting department on the improved financial presentation. Commissioner Richardson stated that the county needs $2.7 million in facilities improvements (per the recent study) which is why a capital improvement fund has been established. Budget approved.

(Editorial comment: Richardson was politely asked to speak into the microphone. He complied for about 30 seconds, then continued to visibly move the microphone further and further away from himself.....again resulting in muffled speaking to the public by Richardson.)

LAND USE HEARINGS scheduled for 1PM (I did not attend; following information is from board packet)
-1. Spring Valley Ranch Filing #5 (PP-18-0019 & FP-18-0039)

-2. Double Beam Hay EDZ Site Development Plan (SP-19-0050)--An EDZ Site Development Plan for a retail hay business on a parcel of land approximately 37.356 acres in size located at 37652 County Road 13, Elizabeth

-3. Peak Vistas Filing 2 Rezone (RZ-19-0095) and Final Plat (FP-19-0097)--A Rezone of approximately 76 acres from Agriculture (A) to Agriculture Residential (AR) and the creation of seven (7) lots

-4. County Initiated Rezone XX/NZ (RZ-19-0118)--A rezone of various properties throughout the County that currently have a designation of either XX or NZ (Not Zoned)

-5. Amendment #3c to the Elbert County Zoning Regulations

Link to Board Packet/Documents:

https://elbertcoco.civicclerk.com/Web/Player.aspx?id=91&key=-1&mod=-1&mk=-1&nov=0

-Jill Duvall