Gilpin County end of year business
by Staci McBrayer
The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met on Tuesday, December 16th, 2014 at the Gilpin County Courthouse. Commissioner Buddy Schmalz, Commissioner Connie McLain, and Commissioner Gail Watson were in attendance along with County Manager Roger Baker and County Attorney Jim Petrock.
Approval of the 2015 Budget
Commissioners approved the 2015 budget. The budget is organized into funds, the General and Special Funds. Special Funds include Public Works, Library, Department of Human Services, Public Health Agency, Solid Waste, and Conservation Trust.
The County has no bonded debt since paying off the paying off the library bond in 2005. It does, however, have three lease purchase agreements signed from previous years totaling $3.3 million.
The County’s main sources of revenue are property taxes and gaming tax funds. Both sources of revenue are expected to be flat for 2015. The County is anticipating $3.3 million in property tax revenue and $9.3 million in gaming tax funds.
Certification of Mill Levies
The BOCC also approved the certification of levies and revenues for 2015. The levies include those for the County itself as well as all special districts, cities, towns and school districts in the County.
The County’s total levies (mills) and revenues include:
General Fund: 8.046 ($2,726,335)
Road and Bridge Fund: 0.847 (287,000)
Public Welfare Fund: 0.441 ($149,430)
Library Fund: 0.239 ($80,984)
Solid Waste Disposal Fund: 0.282 ($95,554)
Other entities certified include:
City of Central: 9.631 ($305,454)
City of Black Hawk: 0.039 ($8,499)
Gilpin County RE-1: 7.951 ($2,321,207)
Boulder Valley RE-2: 47.569 ($2,231,204)
Coal Creek Fire Protection District: 10.000 ($38,617)
Timberline Fire Protection District: 8.342 ($546,939)
Black Hawk/Central City Sanitation District: 0.168 ($41,742)
Black Hawk Improvement District: 0.714 ($145,395)
Miners Mesa Metro District: 50.000 ($104,102)
Silver Dollar Metro District: 7.952 ($1,645,362)
Central City Business Improvement District: 85.000 ($1,980,589)
Employee Pay Plan
A 2% pay increase for employees was approved by the Board as part of the County’s 2015 compensation plan. Regular county employee pay is categorized by a salary grade ranking ranging from 45 to 130 in increments of 5. Each of the grades have a minimum, midpoint, and maximum pay range. In 2014, the lowest ranking salary grade of 45 has a pay range of $19,800, $23,300, and $26,700 as its minimum, midpoint, and maximum. The highest paid salary grade of 130 has a pay range of $87,000 minimum, $113,700 midpoint, and $139,900 maximum. The 2015 adjustment would increase only the minimum and maximum pay for each grade, and does not apply to contractual employees.
Rollinsville Shop Lease with Timberline Fire Protection District
Commissioners approved a building lease with Timberline Fire Protection District for two bays, office, and restroom in the Public Works Shop in Rollinsville. The one-year lease has a $300 per month rate.
Liquor Licenses
Acting as the Local Liquor Licensing Authority, the BOCC approved two liquor related items. The first was a tasting permit application for Xtract, LLC DBA Mid County Liquors. Owners Jan Petersen and John Dunham received approval for two tastings a month for 2015. The second item was for a liquor license renewal application for Last Shot and applicants Roy and Barbara Stewart.
Memorandum of Chafee Services with Jefferson County
The BOCC approved a memorandum of Understanding for Chafee Services between Jefferson County Department of Human Services and Gilpin County Department of Human Services. Chafee provides independent living services to the County’s older youth through out of home placement by providing independent and transitional living skills and interventions until the age of 21. Gilpin currently has three youth participants in the program. There is no cost to the County. Jefferson, Gilpin and Clear Creek collaboratively participate in the service and Jefferson County acts as the fiscal agent.
Veterans Service Officer Salary Adjustment
Human Services Director Betty Donovan requested that the BOCC reduce the Veterans Services Officer Todd Kumro’s hours by 15 to 30 minutes per week so that he does not exceed the budget of $12,500 per year for his salary. Commissioners approved a 2% pay raise, however, Kumro’s salary had not been adjusted in the proposed budget to reflect the increase. The difference in salary at 14 hours per week is $376.75 a year.
Commissioners decided to follow through with the 2% increase consistent with what all other county employees would receive and not reduce Kumro’s hours.
Child Welfare Allocation Committee and CCI Survey
Donovan also brought a Colorado Counties, Inc. survey request to the Commissioners to seek their input. CCI is requesting counties’ views on the Colorado Department of Health Services request to fund an additional 130 caseworkers in the state. The state could potentially fund 80% of the new caseworkers with the counties picking up the rest of the cost.
The questionnaire asked if the 80% funding were approved, would Gilpin take advantage of it? The consensus between commissioners was, yes, the County would be willing to pay the additional 20% for another caseworker’s salary. Donovan stated in her cover letter to the Commissioners that she believes her department is understaffed by at least one caseworker and the 20% cost would be equivalent to an additional $14,000-15,000 per year.
County Manager Contract
Commissioners also approved County Manager Roger Baker’s contract for 2015. The contract was for the amount of $105,000. It includes eight months severance pay and the monetary equivalent of eight months COBRA coverage should the County choose to terminate the contract at anytime in 2015. If the County chooses not to renew Baker’s contract in 2016, the contract entitles Baker to six months severance pay and six months monetary equivalent of COBRA coverage.
Recognition of Service of Commissioner Connie McLain
Gilpin’s elected officials and department heads joined the Commissioners in recognizing outgoing Commissioner Connie McLain for her efforts over the last four years. After a standing ovation for McLain, Schmalz presented McLain with a plaque for her services and commitment to the County. “I think Gilpin County is a better place than it was four years ago because of your service,” Schmalz said to McLain. Donovan said that McLain has been very active in multiple facets of Health and Human Services and thanked her for her efforts. “I really appreciate your commitment to all the different services we have in our department and we appreciate your insight.”
Baker added, “I think what made Connie different was that when she was making decisions she wasn’t looking at demographics and statistics, she was looking at what she could do for her friends and her neighbors. Connie saw things personally.”
Peak to Peak Parks & Recreation District Work Session
Commissioners discussed the possible creation of the Peak to Peak Parks & Recreation District in a work session with Recreation Director Kathi Lambert and Andrew McGregor of the citizen group Mountain Recreation Voters. The idea the group is touting is to expand the recreational opportunities along the Hwy 119 corridor under an umbrella organization with multiple facilities that have organized activities for youth and adults that would allow provision for universal access to any of the facilities. Other interested entities include the City of Nederland, Coal Creek Canyon Recreation District, and Nederland Ice and Racquet Park. Potential amenities McGregor spoke of was additional ball fields, an ice rink, and possibly shooting facilities.
The discussion revolved around the need to create a special taxing district to fund the endeavor. Creating a special district requires multiple steps be followed, including the preparation of a service plan for the district with documentation showing the plan is financially feasible. After review hearings, a petition process would be initiated to bring the issue to the ballot.
Individuals and businesses can request to be excluded from the District. If more than 50% of the property owners request to be excluded, the measure would immediately fail. Municipalities, such as Black Hawk or Central City, could also exclude themselves from the measure resulting in significant underfunding.
Next Meeting
The next scheduled meeting for the BOCC is on January 13th, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. on the 2nd floor of the Gilpin County Courthouse, 203 Eureka Street, Central City, Colorado.