231 N. Silver St. Ste 2,
Lake City, CO 81235

Tag: Hinsdale County

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!

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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

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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. 

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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

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Boat Slip Lottery Applications

Hinsdale County will accept applications during December to participate in the lottery to rent a motorized boat slip at Lake San Cristobal for the 2025 season. Motorized boat slips are chosen through two separate lotteries, one for non-commercial use and one for commercial use.Five non-commercial boat slips and three commercial slips are available for rent. Drawings for both the non-commercial and commercial boat slips will take place during the January 8, 2025, Board of County Commissioners’ meeting. Those who are chosen to rent a slip will be notified that afternoon.Non-commercial motorized boat slips are $600 per season. Commercial boat slips are $1,200 per season. Slips are available for the entire season, mid-May to October 15, weather dependent.Those wishing to participate in either of the boat slip lotteries may contact the Hinsdale County Administration office at 970-944-2225 or [email protected] for an application.Only one application will be accepted per person/per boat, and only one boat slip per business.Those chosen for a slip must pay the corresponding fees within 30 days of the lottery or the reservation will be forfeited.If the County receives less applications than slips available in either lottery, the remaining spots may be filled with either commercial or non-commercial applicants at the County’s discretion. Thank you,Davee MenziesAdministrative AssistantHinsdale County

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 Monday, November 18, marked a somber anniversary in Lake City as local residents quietly observed the 30th anniversary of the death of Hinsdale County Sheriff Roger Coursey.

Sheriff Coursey, 44, and his Undersheriff, Ray Blaum, were on Highway 149 near the Packer Massacre Site at the base of Slumgullion Pass early Friday morning, November 18, 1994, when they halted a pickup with a man and woman suspected in a series of burglaries which had occurred hours before in Creede.    After stopping the pickup, Sheriff Coursey was standing beside the vehicle when he was fatally shot with a .44-caliber Regur pistol. The vehicle’s occupants, driver Mark Allen Vredenburg, and his companion, Ruth N. Slater, then fled the scene, Undersheriff Blaum firing several bullets through the tailgate of the pickup.    An intense search for the suspects followed the Sheriff’s murder, although it wasn’t until several weeks later, December 17, 1994, that the bodies of Slater  and Vredenburg — an apparent murder/suicide — were found beneath a tree overlooking Lake City Heights Subdivision.    Among those with heartfelt memories of Sheriff Coursey’s death is Ray Blaum, now a resident of Norfolk, Virginia, who was in Lake City with his son, Tim Blaum, for Monday’s anniversary. Jerry Gray shares the above photo of father and son Blaum who are posed beside a memorial near where Sheriff Coursey died. In addition to flowers, attached to the white cross memorial is an enclosed sign-in sheet for those visiting the site, signers including law enforcement officers from throughout the U.S. who leave their names with badge numbers.

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Town Awarded Energy Impact Fund Grant for Affordable Housing Project

Town of Lake City has been awarded a Tier Two Energy Impact Fund Grant in the amount of $315,000.00 that will be used to forward progress of the Town’s affordable housing project.     Town Manager Lex Mulhall traveled in October to Wray, Colorado where he gave a presentation to the State Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund Advisory Committee, detailing Lake City’s desperate need for affordable housing. Earlier this week, Mulhall reports to WORLD, he received word from the Committee that the grant was approved with a $35,000 match from Town of Lake City.     This money will be used for design, engineering and architecture of a 28-unit structure to be erected on the lots adjacent to the Medical Center. A Request for Proposals for completion of this work will go public in January 2025. 

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Valor, Sacrifices of Veterans Cited at Armory Ceremony…  

Patriotic emotions ran high during the 90-minute-long Veterans’ Day service hosted by Hinsdale County which was held in the Armory on Monday morning, November 11.    Unlike previous Veterans’ Day ceremonies which are held before a standing crowd in Veterans’ Park adjacent to Hinsdale County Courthouse, last week’s 8” heavy snow accumulation prompted a welcome move to the seated and warm comfort of the Armory with Presentation of the Colors led by Russ Brown and sharply suited Flag Bearers Ben Redler, Dennis Cavit, and Doug Franz, and both opening and closing remarks by the county’s new Veterans’ Service Officer, Mike Harrington.    Before an attentive and applauding seated audience, Harrington recited the fact that approximately two percent of the U.S. population served in the U.S. Armed Services. Harrington asking those attending “to look to your left and right” and express thanks to fellow residents in the audience who are Veterans. Harrington repeated the request at the ceremony’s conclusion, asking everyone to express thanks to Veterans “for the freedoms they provided us.”    Harrington, himself retired Army/SFC, drew applause in presenting a commemorative plaque, congratulatory card from Hinsdale County, and bouquet of fresh roses from the county’s Veterans to retired Hinsdale County Veterans Service Office Erin Cavit who served as the county’s Veterans’ Service Officer from 2015 to 2024.     Emotional high points during Monday morning’s ceremony were a keynote address by retired Hinsdale County Judge Al Lutz, a U.S. Army Veteran of the Vietnam War, U.S. Air Force Veteran Don Farmer leading the audience in singing the National Anthem, and Russ Brown reciting his poem, “Veterans’ Day Remembrance”.    Brown, Vietnam Combat Veteran, recalled multi-generational patriotism by his family starting with his father, Lt. Col. Russ Brown, Sr., who was a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot who survived after being shot down in Germany during World War II; Brown family patriotism is also evident with eldest son, Lake City resident Russ Brown who completed two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Army as helicopter pilot, and Russ’ two brothers, Charles Brown, C-5 Galaxy Pilot, and Jeff Brown, an Air Force F-15 pilot.    In his address — and with Lake City Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts standing at attention before the audience — Army Veteran Al Lutz began his remarks by quoting From George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and the author Claudia Pemberton.    Lutz also quoted from the songwriters Lee Greenwood and Bob Dylan in expressing his sincere appreciation and requesting ongoing compassion and recognition for fellow Veterans and their families. The importance of support, he said, “is immeasurable, including “families, medical folks, caregivers, and organizations that support Vets.”    Audience members in the Armory sat straight in their chair, some obviously misty-eyed, as Lutz recounted challenges faced by the nation’s Veterans including unemployment. PTSD, homelessness, drug addiction and other debilitating mental and physical health issues.    Lutz ended his remarks to applause, quoting from an unknown author, “Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it… it flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”    Equally moving was a concluding prayer by Rev. Jason Santos of Community Presbyterian Church for Veterans “still living with lingering memories of their service” and their families, ending with a plea to “uplift their spirits.”    Also concluding at Monday’s ceremony was a salute to the late songwriter Toby Keith for patriotism which included 18 USO tours and songs including the memorable “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue, “ together with syncopated audience foot tapping to a taped recording of Keith singing “Angry American”.    As a final recognition to Veterans attending the ceremony, Lake City Girl Scouts under the direction of Eliza Loper and Holly Shepherd mingled among the departing audience distributing personalized thank-you letters.

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Veterans Day -Observance Nov. 11

Hinsdale County’s annual Veterans’ Day observance takes place in the Town of Lake City Armory starting 11 a.m. next Monday, November 11.    Presentation of Colors by flagbearers Ben Redler, Dennis Cavit and Doug Franz begins the ceremony, after which Veterans Service Officer Mike Harrington will make opening remarks and Air Force Veteran Don Farmer will sing the National Anthem.    Guest speaker of the day will be U.S. Army Veteran and former Hinsdale County Judge Al Lutz, whose speech is titled “Reflections of a Vietnam Veteran.”     U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer, Retired, Russ Brown will recite his poem, “Veterans’ Day Remembrance”.    Concluding elements of Monday morning’s service are a prayer for Veterans and their families by Rev. Jason Santos of Community Presbyterian Church.     New this year will be a salute to  singer Toby Keith, and his song ‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue’ will be played, after which the Color Guard will retire.    Harrington tells WORLD that a free meal will be provided to every veteran at either Sportsman’s BBQ, Beny’s Mexican Cafe or Packer Saloon and Grill, for either lunch or dinner, and anyone accompanying dining veterans will enjoy half-off pricing for their meal.  

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Undersheriff Starnes, Commissioner Levine Elected Amid Heavy 88% Voter Turnout…

 Hinsdale County voters in record droves maintained the status quo on Tuesday as they handily returned two incumbent County Commissioners to successive four-year terms, and affirmed Undersheriff Denim Starnes who was elected to a four-year term as Hinsdale County Sheriff, the 38th sheriff in the county’s 150-year history. Again, indicating voter satisfaction with the current slate of the county’s elected officers, Hinsdale County Coroner Lori Lawrence, running unopposed, received 479 votes, the highest vote tally of any candidate in this year’s General Election.    Hinsdale County Clerk & Recorder Joan Roberts credited “smooth and efficient” work on the part of her staff, Deputy County Clerk Allison Athey and election judges, for a speedy turn around which allowed election results to be checked and double checked, with formal announcement of election results prior to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday.    At poll closing at 7 p.m. on a cold and snowing election evening Tuesday, the clerk’s office reported a tremendous 88 percent return of the 692 ballots which were mailed to registered voters last month.    Of the 692 ballots sent to the county’s voters, 608 ballots were returned either by mail, hand delivery to the clerk’s office, or drop off in the county courthouse outside ballot box prior to Tuesday evening’s deadline.    Election judges Alice Attaway, Karen McClatchie, Peggy Bales, Lorie Stewart, and Kathleen Whinnery Murphy smoothly processed this year’s ballots, reporting no provisional ballots which were left uncounted.    In the county’s two tightest, contested election races, Unaffiliated incumbent District 1 Commissioner Greg Levine garnered a total of 343 votes county-wide compared to his Republican rival, Steve Ryals, who received 245 votes.    Incumbent District 3 County Commissioner Robert Hurd, a Republican, was unopposed in his quest for re-election and received 443 votes, second highest vote tally among local candidates in Tuesday’s election.     A second contested local election was for Hinsdale County Sheriff with an unprecedented three candidates who were vying to fill the vacancy resulting from last summer’s resignation of Chris Kambish.    Since Kambish’s June, 2024, departure, the role of Hinsdale County Sheriff has been filled by former Sheriff Ron Bruce who was drafted to fill the position with the stated intent of once again retiring from office after the new sheriff is sworn into office on January 8 next year.    Top vote recipient in the sheriff’s election was Unaffiliated candidate Denim Starnes, with 343 votes, who is currently Hinsdale County Undersheriff.    Starnes was challenged by two candidates, Republican Jordan Kaminski, a former Hinsdale County Undersheriff, who received 186 votes, and a total of 42 votes were tallied for write-In candidate John Thomas Stratton.    In other regional election results, traditionally GOP-leaning Hinsdale County awarded a near-identical number of votes to Gunnison County Democrat Kathleen Curry who was vying for the District 58 State Representative seat against Republican Larry Don Suckla. Within the county, Suckla was slightly ahead in Tuesday evening’s tally with 288 votes compared to Curry’s 262; district-wide and according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s cumulative tally Wednesday morning, Suckla was declared the winner with a 52.90 percent vote tally, 26,730, compared to 47.10 percent, 23,795, for Curry.    Montrose Republican Marc Catlin was similarly triumphant in the district-wide vote tally for District 5 State Senator, Catlin receiving a total of 41,977 votes, 52.02 percent, compared to 38,718, 47.98 percent, for his Democratic challenger, Cole Buerger.    In Hinsdale County in the District 5 State Senate race, Catlin received 336 votes, 216 votes going to Buerger.    Predictably Republican leanings were also evident among Hinsdale County voters in the U.S. Presidential race, the Lake City tally after close of polls on Tuesday awarding 329 votes to Donald J. Trump and 252 votes Democratic challenger Kamala Harris. State-wide, as was heavily reported, Colorado voters on whole favored Democrat Harris, 51 percent with 1,374,175, compared to 1,084,812 votes — 43.1 percent — which were awarded to Trump.    Other elections of interest include 7th Judicial District Attorney Seth Ryan, an incumbent, who was the sole candidate, receiving 342 Hinsdale County votes. The rub, however, is that Ryan resigned on September 24; state-wide, the 37,727 votes cast for Ryan now go to his replacement, Anna Cooling, who was named by the vacancy committee.       The results for state ballot questions are as follows: Amendment G  – “shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning the expansion of eligibility for the property tax exemption for veteran’s with a disability to include a veteran who does not have a service- connected disability rated as a one hundred percent permanent disability but does have individual employment status?” State-wide, this measure passed, with 72.45% of voters voting “yes” and 27.55% of voters voting “no.” In Hinsdale County the Amendment G vote was 396 yes, 163 no.    Amendment H – shall there be an Amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning judicial discipline, and in connection therewith, establishing an Independent judicial discipline adjudicative board, setting standards for judicial review of a discipline case, and clarifying when discipline proceedings become public? This measure passed, with 72.74% of Colorado voters voting “yes” and 27.26% of voters voting “no.” Hinsdale County voters: 378 yes, 162 no.    Amendment I – shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning creating an exception to the right to bail for cases of murder in the first degree when proof is evident or presumption is great? This measure passed, with 69.39% of voters voting “yes” and 30.61% of voters voting “no”. Hinsdale County: 384 yes, 173 no.    Amendment J – shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution removing the ban on same-sex marriage? This measure passed, with 63.78% of voters voting “yes” and 36.22% of voters voting “no.” Hinsdale County: 300 yes, 269 no.     Amendment K – shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning the modification of certain deadlines in connection with specified elections? This measure did not pass, with 55.31% of voters voting

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