by Tara Walker.
Grand Gazette BOCC reporter Due to high traffic concerns in the vicinity of West Grand High School, Kremmling requested to have the unpaved portions of Jackson Avenue between 12th Street and 17th Street treated with Magnesium chloride during the spring of 2018. This work is usually done in late May or early June and was approved by the BOCC.
County Manager Lee Staab worked with departments to reduce expenditures and now recommends that the Grand County employee salary adjustments have a January 21st implementation date and a pay date of February 9th. This is a change from the previously discussed April implementation date that many employees and departments voiced concerns about last week. The budget will still have a projected surplus of $244,600 due to the efforts of the departments to reduce expenses to help improve employee salaries.
When asked to respond, EMS Chief Deputy Allen Pulliam said, “We did a lot of sacrificing to get the raises in the first place and we recognize the importance of it. Without a significant change in base salary, it was getting harder to recruit and retain employees. For recruiting, the increase in salary will make it easier. We see the value, but we have to make it balance.”
Short term rental licensing was also discussed. At this time, it is estimated that there are around 800 short term rentals in the county and around half are currently registered. As of December 20th, 373 owners were non-compliant. Short term rental permit fees are currently $150. Bear Cloud Software company is working with Grand County to make the short-term rental registration and complaints process more user-friendly and would be accessed through the Grand County website. Examples of possible complaints could be garbage, exceeding noise expectations, and parking. Emergency situations such as fire dangers or disorderly conduct would route through 911 and the police department.
One of the requirements of short-term rental registration is that a local property manager is available to resolve property issues within an hour of a complaint.
A marijuana ordinance workshop occurred on October 25 to get feedback from commissioners about the marijuana ordinance draft that is currently available to the public and make any changes prior to the final public hearing. The Grand County marijuana licensing moratorium is set to expire January 2018. Commissioners discussed the drafted language of the new ordinance with attendees. Nothing will be finalized until after the public hearing.
After some discussion, commissioners agreed that property owners living within 2 miles will get first opportunity to speak at the upcoming ordinance hearing although Commissioner Cimino questioned whether living within 5 miles would be a better requirement.
Commissioners also discussed removing language that wouldn’t allow marijuana businesses within 1000 feet of each other. Linke, “I don’t feel that undue concentration has any grounds for regulation. If a marijuana store is next to another store, there is peer monitoring that is beneficial. I don’t like the 1000 foot rule in there, and I don’t feel like it serves any purpose.” Commissioners Manguso and Cimino agreed that if a shop doesn’t meet the needs of a neighborhood, they can turn it down, but they didn’t like the language that didn’t allow stores to be within 1000 feet of each other. At this point, the marijuana ordinance is in draft form and is available online to the public.
