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KSJD Newscast - October 19th, 2015

  • Montezuma County Commission restricts audience comment during meetings to 10-minute public comment period, and decides not to formally support the Dolores Water Conservancy District's ballot measure to fix it's mill levy rate.

The Montezuma County commissioners have decided to adopt a more formal approach to their meetings. Early during Monday’s meeting, Chairman Keenan Ertel announced that audience members will no longer be allowed to make remarks except during the designated public-comment period, which is usually set for 10 minutes near the start of each meeting. His announcement came without any prior discussion among the commissioners. Previously, the board had often allowed citizens to occasionally ask questions or make remarks, especially in periods between specific agenda items. During the comment period that followed Ertel’s statement, one regular meeting attendee, M.B. McAfee, acknowledged the new policy but suggested the board adopt work sessions at which they would listen to other views. She told the commissioners they do not represent everyone in the county, adding, “There are a lot of people who didn’t vote for you and I want that to be on the record.”

Also on Monday, the Montezuma County commissioners decided not to formally support the Dolores Water Conservancy District’s bid to fix its mill levy at the current rate. The district had written the commissioners asking their support for Issue 4A on the November ballot, which would authorize the district to make its levy permanent and then retain any additional income it receives. The commissioners said they felt uncomfortable weighing in on the question. The boards of five other government entities have passed resolutions supporting the measure, including Dolores County, the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company, the Dolores Fire Protection District, the Town of Dove Creek, and the City of Cortez. In a release, board president Bruce Smart said the district is spending more of its resources to protect Dolores water rights from court challenges, prevent a destructive mussel invasion into the reservoir, and prepare for emergencies such as a catastrophic wildfire or toxic spill.
 

Gail Binkly is a career journalist who has worked for the Colorado Springs Gazette and Cortez Journal, and was the editor of the Four Corners Free Press, based in Cortez.
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