Hinsdale County - The Silver World Newspaper

Town Passes OHV Ordinance for Hours of Operation, Spark Arrestors, Fines

Town of Lake City Board of Trustees and Mayor Dave Roberts met with Sheriff Denim Starnes and Deputy Jim Hunsicker during the March 19 regular workshop and meeting to discuss Town OHV regulations and the OHV year-end report. The annual report is generated through input collected from Hinsdale County Finance Director Lynn McNitt, Mayor Roberts, Sheriff Starnes, Captain James Saunders with Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Traffic and Safety Program Manager Zane Znamenacek and CDOT Regional Operator RE Hall.The report, which is required by CDOT’s Special Use Permit, is submitted at the end of each season to communicate concerns or issues that occurred.The report states: Following the end of the 2024 summer season, concerns were communicated to the County and Town that the new start date had adversely affected local business. The County Commissioners and Town Trustees discussed changing the start date for 2025, which would require a new request for an updated Special Use Permit from CDOT. Eventually it was determined to wait until the end of the current 2024-2025 permit. Both the Town and County boards will meet to discuss the possibility of requesting a new permit to continue the OHV Highway program in 2026 and beyond.Other than a few exceptions, each contributing participant named above had relatively the same sentiments to relate, summed up by Saunders as, “Everything else was usual. Nothing to report. That’s good news.”Sheriff Starnes stated that along with Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer Lucas Martin, reporting approximately 150 total contacts were made with OHV drivers on Highway 149. Of those 150 contacts, approximately seven percent resulted in citations.At the March 19 meeting, Mayor Roberts reiterated that in the end of year report, he had “nothing new to add following the 2024 season.” His biggest complaint, within the report, he said, was that the program timeline was shortened and that “a lot of businesses didn’t like that. A lot of people in town would like to see the program go back to the original start date (Memorial Day).”Trustee Bruce said, “So we haven’t had any incidents. Again.” Bruce referenced the data that Lucas Martin contributed to the report, saying, “so when he says 150 total contacts, with seven percent being issued citations – I would be curious to know what the contacts were for. Moving violations, equipment issue – or whatever – I think that could help us.”Mayor Roberts said, “as we all know, we have been working with the town in regards to the OHV program, to make it as palatable as we can for the town citizenry. The Commissioners discussed it this morning, we’ve discussed it a couple of times, we were working on that ordinance to see what we can do, and the three major factors that came up: the amount of the fines; the county wants to raise the helmet fine to $300 for 18 and under. Then, mufflers and spark arrestors – so, noise, and hours of operation.”Bruce said, “they (Hinsdale County) were going to follow us on the hours of operation and we were going to follow them on the fines.”Roberts, speaking to Starnes, said, “I requested that the Sheriff be here because he’s part of this and as we do what we do, I’m interested in your feedback.” Starnes replied, “happy to give it. What are the proposed hours of operation?”Roberts replied, “we’ve been discussing 6 a.m. until 9 p.m.”“What if someone comes off the loop at midnight, or if they have a flat tire?” asked Starnes.Trustee Bruce said, “well, you have discretion, and that would be an exception.”Town Manager Lex Mulhall stated that the other timeframe being considered was 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., and Starnes replied that he felt those times would be more reasonable.Trustee Bruce said she had spoken with some homeowners who lived along the highway, who were not necessarily in favor of OHVs, proposing a 6 a.m. start time until a 10 p.m. end time, and she reported that this idea was favorable, as it gives the noise an eight-hour break. Mayor Roberts agreed, saying, “[we know] not everyone is going to comply. What we’re doing is asking the citizens what they prefer, then we can publish that for all the visitors and guests, saying this is what the town wants. But also, let me back up a step – the newspaper kind of put me out of context – in one of our meetings, I made a comment and I was talking about the stereos [not mufflers, as reported] and how I heard them coming down Crooke’s Hill, and as I read our existing ordinance, that’s in there already. I don’t see you guys [Sheriff’s Office] chasing down every loud stereo.”Starnes interjected to say, “I’ve chased down a few.”Further, Starnes said he would like to share an example from last summer,..(continued) Missing the Whole Story? Click the button below to subscribe! You can receive the weekly publication of The Lake City Silver World to your inbox or front door!

March 28, 2025 No Comments

Town Manager Reports Lake City Directly Affected by Frozen FEMA Program

Town Manager Lex Mulhall attended a Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) funding freeze meeting last month, where questions were answered about all federal funding freezes mandated by Trump’s executive orders. On this call were over six hundred attendees from town and county governments, schools, special districts and non-profit organizations, all of whom were being affected by the freezing of federal funds.Mulhall asked about the state revolving loan fund that will be used to fund the construction of Lake City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), set to begin this spring. He was told that funds that have already been rewarded are in possession of the state, but that no new funding is available and it is unknown when additional funding might become available.Further, Mulhall was informed that 35 lawsuits have been filed against Trump’s executive orders, and two judges have ruled frozen funds are to be released immediately until the matter is settled in court. Despite this, most federal funds are still frozen and intended recipients of those funds are unable to submit reimbursement requests. In his Town Manager report submitted at the March 5 Board of Trustees meeting, Mulhall informed Trustees, “The Trump administration is ignoring the court rulings” at this time. Mulhall went on to say in his report, “we have been directly affected, having received notice on February 25 that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program has been frozen and is currently undergoing review, and that they will not be able to help us until the program is up and running again.”According to Mulhall, supporting documents that DOLA was assisting the Town with for the FEMA BRIC WWTP generator sub-application have been received, along with some of the documents for a FEMA BRIC Ball Flats Slope Flood and Debris Flow scoping project.The state deadline for the FEMA BRIC applications has been pushed back from March 1 to March 12, and Mulhall and staff will be submitting both sub- applications in case the program does wind up being funded.For the $900,000 supplemental loan for the WWTP from Colorado Water Resource and Power Development Authority, Mulhall was asked by Audit Firm Butler Snow to calculate how much the new sewer rates would have brought in if they had been in place in 2024. The firm requested this information because they need to verify that the Town will be capable of repaying the additional debt service for the loan.In January/February of 2024, the Town generated $61,242 in water revenue and $65,129 in sewer revenue. In January/February of this year, $64,091 was generated in water revenue and $92,478 was generated in sewer revenue. That places water revenue 4.6% higher in 2025 compared to 2024, the percentage amount which the water rate has been raised. The sewer revenue generated is 42% higher than in 2024. Using that percentage, Mulhall calculated the estimated 2025 revenue by multiplying the total revenue from 2024 by the percentage change from January and February of 2025.If total 2024 water revenue of $402,405 is multiplied by 4.6%, then 2025 estimated water revenue would equal $420,405. If total 2024 sewer revenue of $407,052 is multiplied by 42%, then 2025 estimated sewer revenue would equal $578,013. Therefore, total estimated 2025 water and sewer revenue with the new rates will equal $998,418.Mulhall added that this calculation does not include the expected additional revenue that will come from changing the excess usage calculation rates, which is expected to generate an additional $10,000 – $20,000.“This is looking good in terms of what we need to pay the additional debt service and to fund the water and sewer capital improvements fund sufficiently,” Mulhall said. “We budgeted $410,000 for water and $575,000 for sewer to ensure we could cover it.”Mulhall’s calculations have been sent to Butler Snow, and according to Mulhall, they should now have everything needed to generate and execute the loan documents.“Hopefully,” said Mulhall, “these funds have not been affected by the federal funding freeze.”

March 14, 2025 No Comments

Klondike Snowslide Blocks Henson Creek, Briefly Strands Capitol City Residents

An annual rite of high country spring, the once or occasionally twice-per-season running of the Klondike Snowslide, occurred late last week.This year’s slide once again blocked a narrow section of Henson Creek midway between Nellie Creek and the Capitol City Townsite, depositing heavily compacted snow an estimated 25’ deep cross both County Road 20 and the blockaded creekbed.The blocked road, including impounded Henson Creek water 3” to 4” deep above the slide, temporarily inconvenienced one Capitol City resident, Ron Hefty, who rode his side-by-side OHV down to the upper side of the slide on a reconnaissance mission. The OHV promptly became bogged and then frozen overnight in the water and snow slush and was later retrieved. In addition to Hefty, also briefly snowbound as a result of the snowslide was Capitol City homeowner Bill Matlack.As a safety precaution with snowslide danger in mind, Hinsdale County Road and Bridge seasonally closes County Road 20 to Capitol City and beyond with a locked gate at Nellie Creek. Recreationists and up valley landowners are, however, allowed to park at the gate and at their own risk traverse the unplowed portion of CR20 beyond the gate on foot or via snowmobile.After learning of the Klondike Slide last Wednesday, and trapped Capitol City residents above the slide, Hinsdale Road & Bridge Supervisor Don Menzies says he walked to the slide to assess the situation. After allowing the snow to settle and ascertaining no further slide activity was imminent, Menzies instructed Senior Foreman Gavin McNitt and road dept. workers Tom Hamel and Travis de Christino to begin clearing the slide on Monday this week utilizing the county road crew’s backhoe, front end loader, and Komatzu bulldozer.Menzies said he expects the snowslide to be cleared after a full day’s work on Monday, although upper Henson Creek road access will remain closed at the Nellie Creek gate. The Klondike Snowslide has been known in the past to have occasionally run twice in a season and several traditional snowslide routes — the Big and Little Casino Slides — have yet to run this year.Despite occasional suggestions for year-round plowing of CR20 to Capitol City, Road Supervisor Menzies is adamant that the county “will never keep the road open” in winter and early spring beyond Nellie Creek owing to extreme snowslide danger.County Administrator Sandy Hines emphasizes that despite increasing Capitol City development, the county has historically not plowed upper portions of CR 20 beyond its intersection with Nellie Creek owing to snowslide health and safety concerns. She adds that in the future, Commissioners may revisit and clarify exemptions which have allowed snowmobilers to utilize unplowed portions of the road at their own risk.Informal discussions between the county and Capitol City landowners took place in September and October last year in relation to County Road 20 traffic, first requests for highway surface improvement and later a request for increased signage in terms of speed limits.Commissioners were also requested to work with Hinsdale Road & Bridge to ensure that private vehicles parked at the Nellie Creek Road closure were not plowed in.In separate road & bridge news, and now interrupted by work clearing the Klondike Snowslide, Hinsdale Road & Bridge Supervisor Don Menzies reports that on Henson Creek, and above the locked gate at Nellie Creek, road worker Zairick Waddington had used the county’s D7 bulldozer clearing snow as far as Whitmore Falls near the base of Engineer Pass.Until Wednesday last week on the Upper Lake Fork, Tom Hamel was at work on the Komatzu bulldozer opening County Road 30 on the approach to Cinnamon Pass as far as Grizzly Gulch at the start of Burrows Park.Last Wednesday’s Henson Creek snowslide, together with intermitant early spring snowfall last week, may delay further high-country road openings until mid-April.

March 13, 2025 No Comments

Dear Grant and Silver World crew—

I continue to enjoy reading of Lake City from (very) far afield, here in Virginia. I noticed a reference to OHV decibel levels in the February 28 Silver World. While I have no dog in the OHV issue, my wife Liz and I were surprised at how many of them passed us as we trudged on foot up to Carson and back the last time we were in the area, in 2023. The article this week stated that OHVs made after 1 January 1998 must “register at 96dB(A).” Just for some context, using an app on my iPhone, down at my nearest NASCAR track in Richmond, when the green flag drops and forty race cars roar by at full throttle, it comes in at 109 decibels (see below). Very Respectfully,Steve StigallMcLean, Virginia

March 7, 2025 No Comments

Snowshoe racers at Saturday morning’s starting gate and the line of both 5K and 1K racers and walkers disappearing across Lake San Cristobal…

Top right and left: snowshoe racers at Saturday morning’s starting gate and the line of both 5K and 1K racers and walkers disappearing across Lake San Cristobal; center right, first place 5K snowshoer Doug Eby on the final leg of the race and, left to right, first and second place 1K winners Tracey Henson, from Colorado Springs, and Tickfaw, Louisiana, snowshoer Trey Tycer and, in second place, Jim and Staci Brown from South Fork; Lake Citians Rick and Allison Wetzel raised arms in victory after completing the 1K. Above, left to right, Monte Vista racer Landon Crowder — with multi-generation Howard family Powderhorn ancestry — was directed across the finish line by Greg Olson; victorious Lake Citians in Saturday’s snowshoe race were Becky Daniels and Melanie Merrell, and Campo Caceres, all barely out of breath as they completed the snowy trek. Below, clockwise from right: top place 5K women, Amy Crowder (38 minutes, 23 seconds), Faith Crowder (40.20), and Geri Howard (42.47) and top flight men, Darren Hardy (40.51), first place Dan Eby (31.03), and Landon Crowder (38.07); notable outfits were snugly attired Tony Rackham from Pagosa Springs, Jess Howard with first place 5K canine, the 2-year-old Argentinian dog Otto, and first place cannibal-inspired costume to Linda Drain, from South Fork, who works in Doc Howard’s vet clinic at Creede; door prize winners Monica Irons, Marcia Carl, and Jackilyn Gleason; Hannibal Lecter-inspired Blue Mesa cannibals Monica Irons, Reiley Jones, and Kim Jones; 4th and 5th generation Powderhorn ancestors, snowshoe athletes Amy Crowder, Landon Crowder, and Faith Crowder.

February 28, 2025 No Comments

Squires Leaving as Lake City Postmaster, Corie Godwin Named Officer in Charge

Changes are afoot at Lake City Post Office as the revered local institution prepares to celebrate 150 years since it was established in June, 1875.Shannon Squires, who took the place of retiring Lake City Postmaster Darlene Fry-Holst, is preparing to move to Bend, Oregon, and her final official day on the job in Lake City is Friday, February 21.Squires has been employed by the U.S. Postal Service for five years during time which she has worked at 14 different postal facilities, including three different postal facilities — Friday Harbor, Eastsound and Orcas Landing — on San Juan and Orcas Islands off the coast of Washington State.Most recently prior to Lake City and being named Supervisor here effective June 3, 2023, Squires, worked as a post office clerk in Franktown, Colorado, between Denver and Colorado Springs.“Leaving Lake City is not an easy thing to do,” she says, noting that in her new home of Bend she has a new romantic interest and will continue U.S. Post Office work at a sort station and distribution center.Squires has acquired property in Lake City — the historic Evangeline Lode overlooking Henson Creek which she bought from Gene Brown — and says, it is a given that she and family members including her mother and children will return on a frequent basis and plan, eventually, to build a cabin on the lode claim.As for Lake City Post Office, Squires says she has “absolutely no concerns” and feels she is leaving it in excellent hands with its two tenured clerks, Emily Dozier, who is a nine-year Lake City Post Office clerk, and former Kansas resident Corie Godwin who was hired as clerk two years ago. With Squires’ departure effective Friday this week, Corie Godwin is now Officer in Charge until a replacement supervisor is named.The process for searching for a qualified new Lake City Postmaster starts as the supervisor vacancy is internally listed for existing U.S. Post Office Supervisors who may wish to change location. A criteria for being hired as new Lake City Postmaster is that the individual live in or around Lake City and has local housing.After two cycles being internally advertised to post office supervisors, and if there are no applications, the local office vacancy is then opened for application from all post office employees.Realistically, Squires feels it will be at least three months before a permanent replacement is named for the Lake City Post Office, and for the interim Corie Godwin will continue as Officer in Charge.In terms of how appealing the Lake City Post Office may be for future applicants, Squires foresees it as attractive for both new post office employees or long-time supervisors who may be on the verge of retirement.“The metrics of the Lake City Post Office have changed,” says Squires, noting that it has now expanded to offer passport services. During her two-year tenure, she says, she has concentrated on increasing revenue and favorable survey results.As a result of those shifting metrics, “I think Lake City will be extremely attractive and I anticipate lively interest in the supervisor position.”In addition to her supervisory work at Lake City, during her residence in Lake City, Squires assisted at neighboring post offices, including Crested Butte and Gunnison, at the latter working management detail during the Christmas, 2023, season.She assisted part-time at several local restaurants while living here and will be recalled by WORLD readers for several articles which she researched and wrote for this newspaper, including a geologic-themed features on rare agates to be found north of Lake City.As historical footnote on the 150-year-old Lake City Post Office, it opened June 18, 1875, and its first Postmaster was Stephen A. Dole whose family is best known for its connection to Hawaiian pineapples.The now departing Shannon Squires was the local post office’s 23rd postmaster; in its lengthy history the longest tenured Lake City Postmaster in the local office’s 150-year history is present-day Lake City resident Beth Hurd whose tenure as Postmaster spanned 36 years, two months, and 25 days starting 1979 and continuing through retirement in August, 2010.

February 22, 2025 No Comments

23 Years After Public Health Start, Hardy Seeks New Health Horizons

It is with pride and a clear sense of satisfaction that Silver Thread Public Health Director Tara Branch Hardy reflects on her remarkable multi-decade career with public health in Hinsdale County.Then Tara Branch and predating her marriage to Darren Hardy, she was first employed as Build a Generation Coordinator in 2002 by county health department founder Helen Brown.With several brief intermissions when she worked elsewhere, Tara Hardy has overseen the amalgamation of both the Hinsdale and Mineral County public health departments and the creation in 2016 of the two-county Silver Thread Public Health District with offices and staffing in both Lake City and Creede.As the first and only Director of Silver Thread Public Health District since the district’s creation, her announced resignation effective next Friday, January 31, creates a void which will be challenging to fill.In her resignation letter dated January 2 and addressed to the Silver Thread Public Health District oversight board — full text page 2 this week’s issue — Hardy expresses gratitude to the eight-member board for its “support and dedication,” thanking board members for their “commitment to our communities and for allowing me to grow personally and professionally.” Hardy is also effusive in her praise for staff in both the Lake City and Creede public health offices who she describes as “amazing.” Common traits of each member of the public health team, she says, are “dedication, passion, and professionalism… they go above and beyond to serve our communities.”Hardy’s plans for the future are to remain in Lake City, working remotely from home as she accepts the position of Senior Director of Programs for Denver-based Trailhead Institute. As explained by Hardy, Trailhead works to support local public health departments and assists with public health initiatives statewide.Examples of the Trailhead programs which Hardy will oversee include Administrative Partnerships, Regional Health Connectors, Workforce Programs and Initiatives, Youth Sexual Health, Firearm-Related Harm Prevention, and Colorado Cancer Coalition.Hardy’s husband is Darren Hardy who has worked as Facilities Manager for Hinsdale County School District since 2019; they are the parents of two children, Lake City Community School Freshman Morgan Hardy, 15, and 12-year-old Caleb Hardy who is a 7th Grade student in the local school. In addition to her work with Silver Thread Public Health District, Hardy is presently vice-chair and has at different times held the position of chairman and secretary/treasurer during her 18-year tenure as a member of Hinsdale County School Board.Silver Thread Public Health’s 2025 budget stands at $918,574, the majority of which — 76.3 percent or $701,264 — is derived from grants and contracts, with 4.3 percent ($39,400) from donations and fees, and taxpayers contributing just 19.4 percent ($177,910) which in new year 2025 is based on $107,025 from Mineral County and $70,885 from Hinsdale County.Public health staff in Lake City consists of Public Health Nurse Shawna Shidler who doubles as Administrative Assistant to Hardy, Tara Anderson as Youth & Community Engagement Specialist, Kristen Hartje Carson heads Emergency Preparedness, and Brooke Jones, newest member of the Lake City team, is Senior Coordinator/Health Educator. The story continues on page 2 of the Lake City Silver World……… Missing the whole story? Click below to subscribe to our weekly publication!

January 10, 2025 No Comments

2024, A Year in Review

At his death in January, 1874, pioneer Pueblo, Colorado, attorney, journalist, and past territorial lieutenant governor George Aaron Hinsdale, 1), had no intimation his memory would be revived in 2024 as Hinsdale County celebrated its sesquicentennial marking 150 years since its creation with neighboring LaPlata and Rio Grande Counties. As part of the ongoing celebration, Assessor Sherri Boyce and her deputy, Sarah Tubbs, 2), presided over refreshments in their courthouse office on August 1.In addition to the county’s formation, 2024 was also notable as 150th anniversary of Town Founder Enos Hotchkiss building Lake City’s first cabin, August 16, 1874, and — less savory — Alferd Packer consuming fellow prospectors in late winter/early spring 1874.On an upcoming note, notable anniversaries continue in 1875 with 150 since creation of Town of Lake City’s predecessor, the Lake City Town Company, and — on a journalistic note — 150 years since first issue of the original SILVER WORLD Newspaper, June 19, 1875.Also notable in 2025 is 50th anniversary of Phillip Virden’s Mountaineer Movie Theatre.Superlatives in Lake City Recreation Department’s February 3 Ice Climb were repeat wife-and-husband winning team from Golden, Colorado, Kristin Felix, 3), with rapid vertical ice ascent two minutes, 16.39 seconds in the Top Rope competition, and her husband, Todd Felix, 4), who was once again first among men in Lead Rope, inspiring 54.82-second ascent. Denver ice climber Jaren Summer, 5), was among the women contenders in this year’s event (photo by J.T. Stratton). Local climbers in the annual ice event were Sam Fyler and J.T. Stratton.Supervised by Rec. Dept, Leader Ben Hake, climbable ice on Henson Creek continues to expand, Hake with assistants including Danny File and Christian Hartman dousing an added section of challenging vertical cliff across from the Devil’s Kitchen cave with 1,350 additional feet of water pipe this fall for added ice climb challenge.Local girl Buffy Hurd Witt, 6), achieved notable success and was responsible for significant advances during her four-years as Hinsdale Emergency Medical Service Director starting December, 2019, and continuing through December, 2023, when she announced her intent to resign. Witt received a state-wide honor in December 2023, with Best EMS Director Award.Witt’s replacement as EMS Director effective March 25 was eight-year Lake City resident Katherine Heidt, 7) a familiar face among local emergency medical responders who was accredited as EMT in 2020 and worked closely with Witt as EMS Coordinator, Heidt was also certified as Wilderness EMT in 2023.Simultaneous with Heidt’s appointment as EMS Director, Amanda Hartman and Dan Humphreys were named EMS Captains charged with ambulance staffing, ensuring ambulance response is sufficiently staffed with responders on a 24/7, year-round basis, and overseeing ambulance supply restocking and vehicle maintenance. Also continuing as an immense asset to Hinsdale EMS was the return of Brad Jones on a part-time basis as Chief Paramedic.Seth Withrow once again headed up Hinsdale Search & Rescue’s February 19 Ice Fishing Derby at Lake San Cristobal, 8), this year’s lunkers plucked from beneath the ice 22-1/8” lake trout by John Warren, first place, second and third place honors respectively Nicole Schulties, 19-7/8”, and Sam Pankratz, 19-1/2”.Seven Lake City area students commenced an intense five-month Emergency Medical Technician class, 9), on January 9, four of the students — Kelly Elkins, Sarah DeCristino, Grant Loper, and Danny Oge’ — completed certification for an awards ceremony which was held on June 13.Lifesaver Awards signifying teamwork, professionalism, and excellence of care were bestowed by Hinsdale Commissioners to local emergency responders in March, recipients posed with Ann McCord, 10), including Amanda Hartman, Buffy Witt, Richard Williams, Jordan Kaminski, Kelly Elkins, Katherine Heidt, Melody Crump, and Rachel Moore.11), Greg Olson received his oath of office as newest board member of Lake Fork Health Services District from board chairman Lynn McNitt on February 16, joins fellow board members McNitt and Katie Elkins, together with Jordan Kaminski and Hector Gomez, the latter two resigning near year’s end creating two vacancies on the health board.Dr. Ann Treisman, 12), was named Medical Director at Lake City Area Medical Center on January 1, Treisman taking the place of Gunnison physician Dr. Bill Gattis who had served in that capacity — and who was credited as a “stabilizing force” during a significant period of change — since 2020.Dr. Treisman’s tenure at Lake City Area Medical Center dates back to summer, 2014, when she worked at the center when she was a medical student. She interned at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Denver, and was awarded her Doctorate of Medicine Degree from University of Colorado School of Medicine in 2017.Lake City’s Fourteeners middle school girls’ basketball team enjoyed a tremendous season, ending play after advancing to Consolation League Tournament in Alamosa, Colorado, in February where teammates, 13), Carson Shepherd, Aven Humphreys, Morgan Hardy, Brylee Elkins, Cora Kaminski, Nadya Kaminski, and Blake Tubbs walloped their Ortega Middle School counterparts in a down-to-the-wire nailbiter.In addition to a fine season by Lake City middle school girls, also ending successful seasons in February, 2024, were Fourteeners’ middle school boys’ team coached by Doug Eby and Kelly Elkins, 14), Brantley Votruba, Rhys Phillimore, Quan Lemon, Henry Shepherd, Dax Elkins, Daniel Hays, Elliott Hartman, and Joseph Tubbs; older high school basketball team, Mace Elkins, Dean Brown, Silas Hartman, Levi Hartman, Micah Humphreys, and Peter Loper, 15), and Fourteeners’ high school girls, Rowan McNeese, Lucy Hays, Kadance Simmons, Mackenzie Phillimore, Priya Hartman, Eva Wingard, Ingrid Piltinsgrud, and coach Sarah Eby, 16).HUB networking office sponsored by DIRT and Visionary Broadband upstairs in the bank building was enlivened in January with artwork by Lake City school alum Sophie Borchers and Nick Arbogast, 17).Hinsdale Ski Team coached by Henry Woods had a successful showing against counterpart downhill skiers from Pagosa Springs and Silverton, Colorado, during the annual Matt Milski Memorial Ski Race at Lake City Ski Hill on March 2, superlatives with hands raised in victory, 18), first and second place finishers Henry Shepherd, completing the slalom 35.21 seconds, and Elijah Wuest, 37.21 seconds; competing for Lake City on the hometown team and dressed for the

January 3, 2025 No Comments

Museum Overseeing Vibrant Restoration of 140-Year-Old Rail Car

A multi-year project dating back to the train relic’s acquisition by Hinsdale County Historical Society in 2017 is nearing its close, thanks to a multitude of donors and institutional funders, and skills of carpentry staff at Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge (D&SNG) Railroad in Durango, Colorado. Combined passenger and freight Car 211 is shown in deteriorated condition in storage in Monte Vista, Colorado, in 2016 and as viewed last month with new mahogany exterior siding and reconstructed platform in the narrow-gauge train workshop yard in Durango. Precise carpentry work includes restoration of the car’s c. 1882 paneled and arched rear doorway, details on the door’s restoration explained by D&SNG Railroad’s Randy Babcock to the historical society’s Karen McClatchie and Glenn Heumann, center below.

December 19, 2024 No Comments

Town Trustees Direct Staff to Draft New Water, Sewer Rate Ordinance

During the December 11 special meeting of the Town of Lake City Board of Trustees, Mayor Dave Roberts and fellow trustees agreed to approve budget adoption Resolution 2024-14; budget appropriation Resolution 2024-15; Resolution 2024-16 for the 2025 Mill Levy; as well as a 2025 Rural Community Advocacy Corporation (RCAC) recommended sewer rate structure, directing Town staff to draft a water and sewer rate ordinance. The ordinance, 2024-7, was subsequently approved at the December 18 regular meeting of the Town Board of Trustees. RCAC is a non-profit organization that partners with underserved rural communities of less than 50,000 to assist with environmental infrastructure projects. This organization has been working with town staff to update existing water and sewer rate structures. The budget appropriation resolution is a formality allowing town staff to appropriate town revenues towards the town’s operating expenses. The mill levy is a property tax on all property within town boundaries. It is a 4.265 millionth of a dollar valuation of all property in town. According to Town Manager Lex Mulhall, the proposed sewer rate structure recommended by RCAC will bring Lake City up to industry standards and practices. When the town initially applied for the loan for the renovation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), the State of Colorado informed staff that the sewer rate structure the town had been operating under was insufficient. “That’s why we had to have the rate study done,” said Mulhall. “The new rate structure will also off-set additional debt service, as well as adequately fund capital reserves. You have to be charging your water and sewer customers correctly in order to get grants and loans for these infrastructure projects, and you have to be in compliance with the state, or the state will take over and they can charge whatever they want. This sewer rate structure that we are proposing,” Mulhall went on, “is actually far lower than what RCAC recommended.” Mulhall referenced the chart shown on page 3, saying sewer rates will be going up 14.5 percent for residential commercial low-strength waste customers (for full details on strength of waste, reference December 13 SILVER WORLD); for medium-strength commercial customers, rates will be going up approximately 50 percent, and for high-strength commercial customers, nearly 85 percent. Customers in the county outside of town limits can expect their charges to increase an additional 20 percent above and beyond those percentages. The highest-in-strength wastewater customers are considered to be industrial strength, and this includes businesses such as breweries and RV parks. Present at the December 11 meeting in the audience were local realtors Danielle Worthen and Michael Murphy. A public hearing was opened shortly after the meeting was called to order. Mayor Roberts turned the floor over to the audience for comments, and Michael Murphy addressed the board, saying, “[considering] the hardship for the three RV parks [in town], have you come up with a contingency plan if we lose those RV parks? You’ve got a huge amount of revenue coming in from those three. If that for some reason changed, and they decided to sell off those lots individually because they’re no longer viable, do you have a plan to fund the water and sewer enterprise fund? You’ve got 11 lots over here [gesturing toward Elkhorn RV Park on Bluff Street], [if they] put in a house on those lots, your gross revenue is going to plummet. Do you have a contingency plan if that takes place?” Trustee Linsey responding, “What they’re [going to be] paying for is the strength of the wastewater that they’re producing. If they are not producing that wastewater, then we are not eating that cost, and it will be paid for just like every other single-family house.” Trustee Landon Whinnery replied, “If I’m not mistaken, there’s tap fees included, just the tap fees alone would cover the year’s cost and an adjustment to that would need to be made at some point. I would say that the contingency is if they do divide up lots, there is initial fees that do offset the cost of a year’s revenue.” “It’s the other 23 years on the note you’re going to have an issue with,” said Murphy. Trustee Diane Bruce spoke up, noting, “the bottom line is, we were going to have to do this – update the rate structure and renovate the [WWTP] facility -either way.” Hearing no further comments, Mayor Roberts closed the public hearing at 5:12 p.m. Before Mayor Roberts turned the matter over to the Trustees to vote, Danielle Worthen asked to make additional comments regarding the sewer rate structure. Worthen read a prepared statement, saying, “While the current Board of Trustees makes the extremely difficult decision to restructure the sewer rate, I’m asking you to please consider the following: please keep in mind that it is not the residential or commercial customer’s fault that the Town of Lake City failed to be proactive to fund depreciation for the now-needed upgrades at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. In my opinion, gradual sewer rate increases over the past 10 years would have been more equitable and affordable for sewer customers within the rate structure. However, that did not occur and is the reason we are all now facing today’s situation. With the proposed 2025 sewer rate structure for the industrial RV parks classification, resulting in the highest rate increase due to strength of waste being produced by those properties, I personally don’t believe those owners will be able to financially sustain their RV park tourist-based businesses and may be forced to either change to an alternate use for their properties or even list their properties for sale, marketing to a potential investor as an alternate use rather than an RV park. The current three RV parks are within the Town of Lake City Ordinance section 2311 MHR, Mobile Home Residential zone. As stated in the ordinance, the MHR district is intended to provide a suitable environment for conventional residences, mobile homes and travel home parks. It is designed to allow variable

December 19, 2024 No Comments

Tag: Hinsdale County