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ROLL CALL

MINUTES

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA

READ ORDINANCE BY AUDIO

CERTIFICATION OF HEARINGS

ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA

CONSENT AGENDA

PRESENTATIONS: 1) RECOGNITION OF SERVICES, SHERIFF’S OFFICE – LEE “JEFFREY” FALCONBURG

PROCLAMATIONS: 1) REUNIFICATION MONTH – JUNE 2023

WARRANTS: 1) GENERAL WARRANTS – JUNE 6, 2023

BIDS: 1) APPROVE BID #B2300107, CHASE BUILDING RENOVATION (822 7TH STREET, GREELEY) – FACILITIES DEPARTMENT

2) PRESENT BID #B2300119, COURTHOUSE ANNEX ROOF REPLACEMENT – FACILITIES DEPARTMENT

NEW BUSINESS: 1) CONSIDER CONTRACT ID #7057 2023 PAUL COVERDELL FORENSIC SCIENCE IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATION CHANGES FORM, AND AUTHORIZE DIRECTOR OF NORTHERN COLORADO REGIONAL FORENSIC LABORATORY TO SIGN AND SUBMIT ELECTRONICALLY

2) CONSIDER RENEWAL APPLICATION FOR A FERMENTED MALT BEVERAGE ON- PREMISES (COUNTY) LICENSE AND AUTHORIZE CHAIR TO SIGN – ANA M. LUCERO, DBA POLLO FELIZ

3) CONSIDER RENEWAL APPLICATION FOR A HOTEL AND RESTAURANT (COUNTY) LIQUOR LICENSE, AND AUTHORIZE CHAIR TO SIGN – REA’S DINER AT DILLARDS, LLC, DBA REA’S DINER AT DILLARDS

PLANNING: 1) CONSIDER CONTRACT ID #6978 PARTIAL RELEASE OF COLLATERAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF WARRANTY COLLATERAL FOR USE BY SPECIAL REVIEW PERMIT, USR18-0065 – WASTE MANAGEMENT DISPOSAL SERVICES OF COLORADO, INC.

2) SECOND READING OF CODE ORDINANCE #2023-07, IN THE MATTER OF REPEALING AND REENACTING, WITH AMENDMENTS, CHAPTER 17 PUBLIC PLACES OF THE WELD COUNTY CODE (CAMPING ON PUBLIC PROPERTIES)

3) EMERGENCY CODE ORDINANCE #2023-08, IN THE MATTER OF AMENDING CHAPTER 21, AREAS AND ACTIVITIES OF STATE INTEREST, OF THE WELD COUNTY CODE (MORATORIUM OF 1041 SEF’S)

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PUBLIC COMMENT

CONT'D

CONT'D
To the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with 00:02:47
liberty and justice for all. 00:02:53
Ohh, good morning. It's Wednesday, June 7th call with the Board of County Commissioners. Roll call please. 00:03:01
Scott King? Kevin Ross, are you saying payback? 00:03:16
Mike Crimmins reflect all five county commissioners are present. 00:03:21
Minutes Approval of Minutes of May 24th, 2023. Thank you Mr. Chair. And then to move the Minutes to the back of the new business. 00:03:25
I have not had a chance to read those out because my computer's been down. 00:03:34
OK. We'll continue minutes till next meeting. I'm sorry, until Monday. 00:03:40
OK, there's a motion to. 00:03:46
Continue the Minutes until the next second. 00:03:48
Another discussion. 00:03:53
No. 00:03:56
Mineral cobalt. 00:03:58
No, no, no. All in favor. Aye. Opposed motion. Mr. Chair, I would like to make another motion to remove Code Ordinance 202308. 00:04:00
From the agenda today, I believe that we can solve this without the heavy-handed government and I believe that more discussion is 00:04:10
needed on this topic. We can solve that with our current department heads. We have some very smart attorneys. 00:04:17
Yes, and very excellent people in this room that can help us out with this. I do not believe a moratorium on energy development is 00:04:24
needed at this time. 00:04:27
OK, so second. 00:04:34
I'll second for purposes of discussion. 00:04:37
Pulling discussion Well, I don't think it should be removed. I think the purpose of having it on there is to have the discussion 00:04:43
about it in particular so. 00:04:48
I don't get how. 00:04:52
Removing an item from agenda promotes discussion. 00:04:54
So discussion is had and you bring things to awareness by having one in agenda so we can have it in a formal setting. 00:04:58
As we say in the legislature, this is not ready for prime time. 00:05:05
We've got a lot of folks who want to speak on this today. I understand that they speak during. 00:05:09
When we discuss the ordinance, they can also speak during public comment. 00:05:13
So we can have plenty of public discussion today without putting this on the agenda. 00:05:17
Arranging my motion. 00:05:20
You know, it's something we've been talking about for quite a while. I think it's been some recommendations that we need to take a 00:05:27
time out and take a look at this for a very short period of time. There's some things that need to be looked at as far as 00:05:32
objective. We've talked about objective compatibility. 00:05:36
And this is not trying to end, so it's not doing anything with the majority of the solar things that we have seen come through. 00:05:41
This was for only the 1041, which is the areas of state interest. And I think that it makes sense that we take a time out and have 00:05:46
a conversation to make sure that we're all on the same page because it has a tremendous impact of what's going on across Weld 00:05:51
County so. 00:05:55
The Submergence Ordinance did not go through the proper procedure of Director to the Commissioner coordinator. I would. 00:06:01
Opposed this on the on the principle that. 00:06:06
If we say we don't have accounting manager. 00:06:09
And we directly. 00:06:11
Coordinate departments. 00:06:13
It should follow that process. This does not follow this process. 00:06:14
I think we can take some time out. 00:06:18
And do this in another work session or two like we have done in the past. And stakeholder. We just had that conversation at UNC 00:06:20
yesterday. 00:06:23
And we've heard a lot about business owners and other entities not having a stakeholder in process, and I do not want to repeat 00:06:27
the state mistakes of the session. 00:06:31
So go ahead. 00:06:36
I disagree with Commissioner saying on this we have a lot of people here. 00:06:38
Prepared to speak. I don't know which way they want to speak and to take this off the agenda, to not hear them speak. I think it's 00:06:42
a disservice to everybody sitting here because I can't tell you how everyone in this room feels about this issue, right? So the 00:06:48
fact that it's on here, people taking time away from work, time, willing to speak on this, positive or negative or indifferent, I 00:06:54
don't know what the feeling is from people and to get further information. So I know how I'm going to vote on this. 00:07:00
Some other things we've done along the way. And so I think that I agree with Mr. Ross, if we need to let people speak today. So 00:07:37
it's on the agenda, doesn't mean it's going to pass today, but it's on the agenda and we need to have the conversation about it 00:07:43
once we pass that through. Let me just make an objection, Mr. Chair, but that's why the stakeholders before you make legislation. 00:07:50
And not substantial changes legislation either. You do that before you come to the table, so I will budget my objections to that. 00:07:57
And I do wish there be Commission agenda and ask for a vote. 00:08:04
Anybody else anything? OK, roll call vote. Did did you have a second? 00:08:09
Yeah, I see that second. So it's been moving trying to remove this, so roll call vote. 00:08:13
Skype changes. 00:08:19
Telling us what you think is payback, No. 00:08:20
Mike Freeman, No. 00:08:24
OK. We'll stay on the agenda and we'll talk about it today. 00:08:27
Next item Sir. Ohh, next item Certification pairings. Alright. 00:08:32
Motion to read like code Ordinance to read ordinance. 00:08:39
Move to rebound you second. 00:08:45
OK. 00:08:49
Do we need a roll call roll on reading it by ordinance? 00:08:50
Broke over to read code ordinance by audio. 00:08:54
Sorry, Scott King. Yes. Kevin Ross, yes. What are you saying? 00:09:01
OK, back. Yes, Mike Freeman, yes. 00:09:06
OK, motion carries 4 to 1 amendments to the agenda. Do we have any amendments to the agenda? 00:09:08
OK, Google the consent agenda. 00:09:15
Certification of hearings Ohh I'm sorry. Certification of hearings conducted on May 24th, 2023 Sr. 23-001. 00:09:17
Burchard LLC. Second move by Commissioner. Second second by commissioner. James certify hearings. All in favor. 00:09:25
Curious #2 gender. 00:09:34
Amendment Approval of the consent agenda. 00:09:37
Move to approve the consent agenda second. 00:09:43
Been moved, like in Mr. James, second by Commissioner Ross, to approve the consent agenda. All in favor, Aye. Opposed. 00:09:45
Motion carried presentations, Recognition of Services, Sheriff's Office, Sheriff's Office lead Jeffrey Falkenberg. 00:09:51
OK, whereas Lee Jeffrey Falkenberg has served well County Sheriff's Office from April 3rd, 1989 to August 3rd, 20 August 2nd, 00:10:04
2023. And whereas the Board, County Commissioners wishes to recognize your dedicated service to Weld County and its citizens, Now 00:10:10
therefore be it known that the Board of Weld County Commissioners wishes to express its gratitude to lead Jeffrey Falkenberg for 00:10:16
your outstanding dedication to Weld County and its citizens. 00:10:22
It's actually just Jeff talking Oberg. As we all know, there's a few guys that are institutions in the agency. Jeff is one of 00:10:38
those guys. 00:10:41
Anybody who's worked in law enforcement or been around law enforcement career knows that this job can be difficult. 00:10:46
In any setting now, it's exponentially harder If you're working in a jail setting, which Jeff did for 34 years, wow, 34 years as a 00:10:51
deputy in jail. 00:10:56
In dog years, which is how we age people in law enforcement, 287 years. 00:11:01
Looking great demo. 00:11:08
That being said, Jeff was one of those guys that he predates me at the Sheriff's Office by several years. He was an institution 00:11:10
there already when I started. 00:11:14
Just just been one of those guys that's a rock solid performer. Shows up every day, puts in an honest day's work for an honest 00:11:19
day's pay. 00:11:22
He's very well respected within the law enforcement community, especially in our jail, not just by the officers but also by the 00:11:26
inmates. And that's something that that said something because he was earning a respect. 00:11:30
By treating them fair, firm and consistent, which Jeff is just the he's a model of what a correction deputy should be. We're going 00:11:35
to miss you, but you earned it. Thanks, Jeff. Congratulations. 00:11:40
Of course you couldn't. That's why. No being without my family being, you know, being blessed with the understood. 00:11:53
We doing this. 00:12:00
You know in it's been a blessing for 34 years to do this with some of the greatest people in the world and working for some of the 00:12:02
greatest bosses, working for three of the greatest sheriffs. 00:12:07
Ohh. 00:12:13
I mean it's it's been fantastic. It's. 00:12:14
Little wonderful sign for 30-4 years and I'm getting. 00:12:18
Broken up talking about it. 00:12:22
It's happy to be at this point. It's also bittersweet because this is what I've known for 34 years. 00:12:25
You know, it's been an honor. It's been my honor to serve the. 00:12:31
Citizens of Weld County in this capacity. 00:12:34
Thank you everybody for everything. 00:12:38
Mr. James. 00:12:56
Jeff, thank you so much for your service to the citizens of of of Weld County. Obviously your your commitment is is unparalleled. 00:12:58
I've been in my chosen profession for 41 years and I'm at the point where I hate it. So for you to be 34 years in the in in your 00:13:05
career is, is is outstanding. Thank you for your service Sir. We appreciate it. 00:13:13
Mr. Falkenberg, I just want to thank you all so, so much for your years of service. You have apparently have become the legend of 00:13:21
what it is to to do what you do. So I just want to thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. 00:13:27
Mr. Ross, congratulations. I mean, as a staunch supporter of law enforcement, you guys are put. 00:13:35
In a barrage of gunfire every day, whether that's live bullets or not, and the fact that you did this career in the jail, my hat 00:13:40
goes off to you. Knowing the struggles that law enforcement officers across the state faced on a daily basis. You must be a St. 00:13:46
because it's not an easy job and and I couldn't do it. I'm not strong enough. But but you are. So thank you. Thank you. Appreciate 00:13:52
it. 00:13:58
Achieved. Strengthen as you're leaving. 00:14:05
And I can poorly add to a lifetime of service. And thank you so much for. 00:14:08
Doing what you do and you help with the law and order our community so the rest of us can do jobs like these. 00:14:13
Or we can go be bakers. Or we can be lawyers and do all these other things. So thank you so much for protecting us and protecting 00:14:21
us honorable and society and. 00:14:25
Treating those that are incarcerated with dignity and respect. 00:14:29
You know, I would say, Commissioner James, as I understand, where you are hating your job after 41 years. 00:15:02
And I'm only 10 1/2, so with that we'll come down and take a picture. 00:15:08
It's a 2:00 AM alarm. 00:15:17
Yeah, absolutely. 00:15:23
Yeah. 00:15:25
You're on the other side. 00:15:31
The first. 00:15:38
OK, we're all smiling. We're happy. Awesome, 123. Thank you, guys. 00:15:40
Quantity. 00:15:46
Nice. 00:15:49
Thank you. Thank you so much. 00:15:50
Thank you. Appreciate you. 00:15:55
Thanks for your help. 00:16:04
I just need for everything. 00:16:08
Yes, my brother, it's awesome. 00:16:11
It's good to see you. 00:16:14
OK, let's start on the other proclamations. Reunification Month, June 2023. 00:16:28
Come up, Jamie, and whoever you've got. 00:16:34
Um, whereas the families the primary source of love, identity, self-esteem and support for children and adults and provides the 00:16:36
foundation of our communities. 00:16:40
Reunified with their children those families currently working through the process and many support staff who help these families 00:17:15
now therefore be it proclaimed by the Board of Weld County Commissioners the June 2023 be known as Reunification Month in Weld 00:17:21
County and urges all residents to join us in this special observation, observance and supportive families and signed by. 00:17:28
Having a mic change right now. Thank you so much Commissioners, junior with Department of Human Services Director, really 00:17:39
appreciate the recognition on reunification Month. And today we have a lot of folks here from our shop and I'm going to introduce 00:17:46
to you in a little bit. But first I want to talk a little bit about Reunification Month. So every June we celebrate National 00:17:53
Reunification Month in an effort to recognize the health. 00:17:59
That we do to help keep families together. This first thing is we believe in the resiliency and strength of families and that 00:18:06
focuses on three primary areas. The 1st is when children cannot remain safely with their parents and need to enter foster care. 00:18:12
Reunifying them with family remains the primary goal. 00:18:19
The second is authentic equitable family engagement and integrating the voice of the children, youth and families into the case 00:18:25
planning and court processes. And the third is enhancing both parent and foster parent partnerships to improve the foster care 00:18:32
experience for children, youth and parents when the child's removal from the home is necessary, and to support reunification. 00:18:39
Our official day for celebrations in Weld County this year is June 23rd, 2023. That will be held at the courthouse and we'll be 00:18:46
able to share stories regarding successful reunification. 00:18:53
Ohh stories with our child welfare staff of the judges, service providers, attorneys and GL. And just for give a couple of 00:19:01
thoughts on on reunification. In twenty 2261% of the closed child growth welfare cases resulted in the unification and so far this 00:19:08
year we've had 51% of our child welfare cases that have resulted in reunification. I would like to recognize the staff that are 00:19:16
here today and then after we recognize them. 00:19:24
Do you have a family here today that were successfully reunified based on their hard work and dedication? And I'd also like to 00:19:31
recognize them. 00:19:36
So if I call your name, please stand up. And if you would stay standing so we can kind of recognize you all together. We have 00:19:41
Tammy Grant. She's our deputy Director of Human Services. 00:19:46
Heather Rocker, child Welfare director. 00:19:51
Robin Overmyer, Child welfare deputy director. 00:19:54
So we regulate child welfare resource manager. 00:19:57
Jeremy Irons, Health Offer Permanency Manager. 00:20:00
Servant from Timothy Ferris, Child Walker Permanency Supervisor. Annie Jade, Child Welfare Permanency Supervisor. Jackie 00:20:03
Underwood, Child Welfare Permanency Supervisor Lauren Hayes, Child Welfare Permanency Supervisor. 00:20:11
Brandy Puckett Adoptions caseworker Travis Denning Child welfare permanency supervisor Kate Moneymaker Child welfare permanency 00:20:19
worker Jackie Rivas, Child Walker permanency worker boy Pampa Child welfare permanency worker. Alba Chavez child welfare 00:20:27
permanency worker Lucy Ruiz, child welfare permanency worker Alex Moran, Illinois child welfare foster care Coordinator. 00:20:36
We're calling Morocco Child Welfare Foster Care Coordinator and Michelle Cervantes, Child Welfare Permanency Worker. These are the 00:20:45
folks that work every single day, year round, really helping to provide supports to families so that they can have those children 00:20:51
remain in safe environments. The dedication of the the folks standing before you today is just amazing and we just really want to 00:20:57
recognize their hard work. 00:21:04
Thank you all. You may be seated. 00:21:16
We're going to recognize as Cesar Varela Martinez, who is here with us today. 00:21:19
Naruto standout for us, please. 00:21:24
Do you have the hard work of Mr. Martinez? He was able to reunify with his little young son there and we're just so pleased that 00:21:28
he was committed to everything that needed to happen in order to reunify and wish him all the best of luck in the future so they 00:21:34
can for Mr. Morrison. 00:21:40
That's it. 00:21:53
Comments. 00:21:55
What is your messy? I know that's from from certainly personal experience. 00:21:57
And we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. 00:22:01
Second chances are to 0. 00:22:08
Thank you for providing those. 00:22:12
Fillmore, Klein, Mr. Bush, Ohh. Thanks James. 00:22:15
So I am first opportunity I had when I get to be coordinator for Human Services and I got to do a ride along for a foster 00:22:21
situation. And I'll never ever forget just my little small glimpse of what you do. My heart goes out and. 00:22:30
With so much gratitude and thank you so much for caring so much about the family and or how does involved a lot with. 00:22:39
Foster kids and Rob and I always see you here all the time when we're. 00:22:46
Honoring Human Services in in Jamie and and Tammy. I can't say all of your names, but really you truly make well. Accounting. So 00:22:50
very special, so very proud. 00:22:55
Thank you. 00:23:02
Dry rose. 00:23:03
None. 00:23:04
I'm gonna give him the tires. 00:23:06
But I am extremely excited for all of you. I hear these statistics, Jamie, that you you you spell out 62%, I believe you said last 00:23:10
year we're on pace for 51% this year for unification. 00:23:15
That's hard work that doesn't come easily, and that's a true testament. 00:23:20
To your guys's. 00:23:27
Not only efforts but your expertise and and your big hearts in this arena. So I truly commend you because. 00:23:28
That's that's awesome. It's doing the right thing for the right reason. 00:23:36
In an extremely difficult position and and my hats off to you. So great job and keep up the great work. Thank you. 00:23:40
Saying. 00:23:49
Doug created institutional family and that is that's where a child thrives but in. 00:23:50
Case where we humans fails, Commissioner James said. 00:23:55
That that second chance, the mercy grace, the the, the working through. 00:23:59
Those processes to reunite that child with that family. I hope that is the highest score of any. 00:24:03
Department of Human Services, regardless of where the artist in the state or in the nation that. 00:24:08
I just want to commend everybody who's. 00:24:13
That is your goal too. 00:24:16
Do you like children that they are #1 as far as consideration of safety and Wellness? 00:24:18
And thank you so much for committing to families. Thank you. 00:24:24
And I would agree with everything that's been said, you know. 00:24:28
Getting kids back with their parents is the ultimate goal, and it's such a success when it actually happens. 00:24:32
So and and that's a huge percentage that you're able to get that done with. So that that just that just goes to show the 00:24:38
dedication that you that you and your staff have in in helping people get to that spot because sometimes there's some real big 00:24:44
hurdles to get there. And so thank you for what you guys do every day for the kids, for the kids of rural county. 00:24:49
That. 00:24:56
Why don't we take a picture? 00:24:58
We'll see you guys. 00:25:02
They've been. They know how to get ready for a picture. 00:25:06
We practiced this, right? 00:25:09
Alright. 00:25:16
Hello. 00:25:24
You wanna take a selfie? We got this other. 00:25:26
Student type posting. 00:25:29
Ohh. 00:25:33
All. They're overloading the side, Jamie. I thought you said they were pros. 00:25:35
Watch out into the east there. 00:25:41
Are we all in? Do we have a few more people kind of squeeze in or maybe do a second row? It's kind of. 00:25:46
So. 00:25:53
We get you guys to come in. I can't get everybody in the frame here. 00:25:56
OK, 123. 00:26:05
123. 00:26:10
Thank you, Thank you. Congratulations you very much. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. Have a wonderful day. 00:26:13
OK. 00:26:21
Father. 00:26:24
Thank you everyone. 00:26:28
OK, Now we move on to Williams General Warrants of June 6, 2023. 00:26:46
YouTube. 00:26:51
Multiple second moved by Mr. James, second by Mr. Buck to approve. All in favor. Aye. Opposed. Motion carries bids. 00:26:53
Number one could there be 2300107 Chase Building Renovation, 822 Seven St. Facilities Department. 00:27:00
Good morning, Carolyn Geiser, purchasing. 00:27:09
As advertised, this bid is for the renovation of the first, second, 6th and 7th floors of the Chase Building. Low bid is from TCC 00:27:12
Corporation and read specifications. Therefore, the Facility Facilities Department is recommending the award to TCC Corporation in 00:27:19
the amount of five million, 598 dollars, $1000 and fives. 00:27:27
Let me start over again there 5,000,000. 00:27:36
$1,598,005. 00:27:39
Good question. 00:27:45
Mr. Chair moved to approve bid number B 2300107. 00:27:46
Second moved by Commissioner Ross, Second by Commissioner James to approve all in favor opposed motion carries. 00:27:52
#2 00:27:58
Present there be 2300119 Courthouse annex roof replacement facilities department. 00:27:59
Purchasing department has received one bid. 00:28:06
It has been forwarded to the facilities department for review. We will be back on April 8th, feedback for approval on June. 00:28:09
21st. 00:28:17
Take any questions. OK, That's includes bids. Thank you. Move on to new business #1. Consider contract ID 770572023. Paul 00:28:18
Coverdell, Forensic Science improvement grant application and acceptance of application changes form and authorized Director of 00:28:25
Northern Colorado Regional, Colorado Regional Forensic Laboratory assignments and electronically. Good morning, commissioners. 00:28:32
Alan Caldwell for the Sheriff's Office. I'm here on behalf. 00:28:39
Over the Lab director Darren Ford, who cannot be here today. 00:28:46
The Regional Crime Lab has been awarded $28,375 in training funds. 00:28:51
From incorporated all formula grant. 00:28:58
The lab has utilized this brand for the past several years. 00:29:01
To train and certify analysts from all partnered agencies. This grant does not require matching funds. 00:29:06
The grant funding will be provided as SCUSE ME. The grant funding will provide funds to cover both tuition and travel for seven 00:29:14
courses. 00:29:18
The identified training includes one staff member to attend the American Society of Crime Lab Directors and Leadership course. 00:29:23
3 Certification courses for the digital forensic examiners, 3 courses for the latent print examiners and funding for one firearms 00:29:33
examiner to attend the Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiner Conference Shares Office recommends the Board accept the 00:29:40
grant award of $28,375. 00:29:48
Options move to approve a contract ID 70572023 Second move by Mr. Ross, Second by Mr. Buck to approve. All in favor Opposed motion 00:29:57
carries. 00:30:02
Thank you #2. Consider renewal application for fermented bulk milk beverage on premise county license and authorized chair sign 00:30:09
and DBA Prolia fleets. 00:30:15
Chairman, this is a renewal. 00:30:21
This is one of those that is located in the county, even though it's surrounded by Garden City, Evans and Greeley. 00:30:24
Um, we have just a few of those. 00:30:32
So I've reviewed the application and also the referrals. 00:30:35
No one's got any concerns recommend approval. 00:30:41
OK. 00:30:44
And back to the board. Approved. Second, I'm not like Mr. Buck. Second like Mr. Ross to approve. All in favor. Opposed motion 00:30:45
carries #3. Consider renewal application for a hotel and restaurant county liquor license and authorized to sign Reese Diner at 00:30:51
Dillard's LLC. Doing business as these diner at Dillard's chairman. This is located in Galeton. We have no concerns for 00:30:57
recommending approval. 00:31:03
OK, Mr. I apologize. Mr. Chair moved to approve the license. Moved by Commissioner Ross. Second by Commissioner James. Approve All 00:31:10
in favor. Opposed motion carries. 00:31:15
From Continent business, we're going to planning number one consider contract ID 6978, partial release of collateral and 00:31:21
acceptance of warranty warranty collateral for use by special review from the USSR 18-0065 Waste Management Disposal Services 00:31:27
Colorado, Inc. 00:31:32
Good morning, Commissioners Jasmine Trio Martinez with the Department of Planning Services. In regard to the Improvements in Rd. 00:31:38
Maintenance Agreement for Waste Management Disposal Services of Colorado, Incorporated, I submitted a pass around for your review 00:31:45
dated May 9th, 2023, which was signed by all 5 County Commissioners. We respectfully request the Board accept the reduction of 00:31:52
project project collateral in the amount of $623,247.39. 00:32:00
To the warranty collateral amount of $93,487.11 provided in the form of a bond rider to the original performance bond number LICX 00:32:07
1197283 issued by the Lexon Insurance Company and to be retained for the duration of the two year warranty period. Waste 00:32:15
Management has completed the required improvements and the Development Review Inspector and Public Works inspectors have inspected 00:32:23
and signed off on all improvements. 00:32:31
We are only requesting the reduction of the collateral and the terms of the road meat into agreement. 00:32:39
Will remain in effect for the life of the USSR. Thank you for your consideration on this item. 00:32:44
OK, what have any questions? 00:32:50
Move to Approve and move by Commissioner Buck. Second by Commissioner James to approve All in favor opposed motion carries. Thank 00:32:53
you #2 Second reason. Code Ordinance 2023-07. In the night of repealing and reenacting with amendments. Chapter 17 Public Places 00:33:00
of the world County Code Camping on public properties Agreed by title only. Second like Mr. James Second by Commissioner. Roster 00:33:07
read by title only. All in favor. Opposed motion carries Ordinance 2023-07 in the Meadow. 00:33:15
In acting. 00:33:23
With the members Chapter 17, Public Places of the World can code camping on public properties. We have no changes since the first 00:33:24
reading. 00:33:29
Questions of staff OK, this is a public hearing. Is there anybody in the public that wishes to come forward and discuss Code 00:33:35
Ordinance 2023-07? 00:33:38
Good morning, commissioners. My name is Steve Chiefs. I'm greedy. I just got a question or two of them. Actually one of them is. 00:34:00
Could you give me a little more insight about this? 00:34:12
Code Ordinance #1 and #2 where the people gonna go? 00:34:18
So go ahead. Well, I'll start off Steve and Bruce, if I just speak, please correct me. 00:34:28
This is saying you can't do overnight camping in public spaces inside unincorporated Weld County. So right now we don't have any 00:34:37
enforcement tools for our law enforcement officers should they come across somebody that's really camping where they shouldn't be 00:34:44
camping. And so this gives our law enforcement officers that enforcement tool that they can use to do it. There's multiple 00:34:51
homeless shelters here in Greeley that. 00:34:59
We can refer them to should we come across those individuals. So yeah, like the Guadalupe Center, you have various others where 00:35:07
individuals can go. So that's that's some of the knowledge I know about it. If anybody else would like to speak, feel free. 00:35:15
I think that pretty much covers. 00:35:23
Well, what I know, Gary, passenger doesn't have much room. They're very limited and then we got the cold weather shelter closed as 00:35:28
well and we need that. So year round, not just during the winter time. 00:35:35
So does that include people sleeping in their cars? 00:35:45
It's a good like it does. It does. OK. Thank you. 00:35:51
OK, any other public input? 00:35:56
On this code ordinance. 00:35:59
Techie Normal. Closer number it back to the board. 00:36:02
I should move to approve on second reading Code Ordinance 2023 Dash 07 second. 00:36:07
It's been moved like Mr. James, second like Mr. Ross to approve. 00:36:12
Any further discussion all in favor, aye, opposed motion carries. 00:36:16
#3 Emergency Code Ordinance 2023-08 in the matter. 00:36:21
In Chapter 21 Areas and Activities of State Interest of the Weld County Code Moratorium of 1041 s s. 00:36:27
Chairman, I was asked to put together this emergency code ordinance. 00:36:34
For the purposes of doing a moratorium. 00:36:39
On 1041 solar energy facilities. 00:36:42
And this would go until December 1st of 2023. 00:36:46
I do have a suggestion that would be. 00:36:51
To modify that so that you could. 00:36:54
How that if? 00:36:58
The after. 00:36:59
Working on this, having some stakeholder meetings. 00:37:01
You get it done before, then it would make it so that on. 00:37:05
On first reading of any changes. 00:37:09
The moratorium would go away. 00:37:12
So that modification would be. 00:37:16
At the end of the paragraph talks about the moratorium. 00:37:19
Umm. 00:37:24
Right. I was asked put this together and I did so and I fully support the the, your, your changes in that. The intention of this 00:37:25
was not made long term. The intention of this was not to make it go forever. It was, it was simply to have the opportunity to have 00:37:32
some stakeholder meetings, put some things in place and and hopefully have first reading within the next 30 to 60 days. 00:37:39
So I fully support that change in the and I worked on that language late yesterday and I will send it to all of you and to the 00:37:46
clerk. 00:37:50
So we probably need a motion to make that amendment to the to the resolution. Yes. Give me a minute. Sure. 00:37:56
OK. You want to open it up If you'd like to, you could do that or if there's anyone else. 00:38:05
Who would speak on the subject? 00:38:10
I'm fine with. Go ahead and and. 00:38:13
And open it up to the public law and then everybody will have a chance to see it, says the rest of the board. Comfortable with 00:38:16
that? I am. Yeah, I appreciate that. We did not take it off the agenda that. 00:38:21
We have the people here to speak on this and so I'm glad they're here. Good with that, we'll open it up for public input. 00:38:26
Everybody can have up to 3 minutes to come up and and discuss this code ordinance, so anybody would like to come and speak. 00:38:33
Yeah, please. 00:38:42
Please just state your name and address for the record, Troy. Thank you. OK, Yeah. 00:38:44
Please. 00:38:51
Good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the Board of Commission. My name is Troy Whitmore. I'm Vice President of Public Affairs for 00:38:54
United Power Electric Cooperative that's based in Brighton, Co. 00:39:00
Serves about 40% of our 107,000 meters. 00:39:06
In Rogue County. 00:39:10
With perhaps 50 to 60% of our load in your county due to the thriving economy and the multiple users of of our commodity here in 00:39:12
Weld County. 00:39:19
We're here today just to to speak a little bit on clarifying on on the. 00:39:27
More time certainly we're we're not in in favor of any delays. 00:39:32
Um, because of some situations that I'd like to to brief you on. 00:39:36
In May of next year, we would be leaving our power supplier Tri-state Generation and Sam and the transmission. And the reason 00:39:40
we're leaving is to better able to meet our goals of affordability. 00:39:46
For our members, along with reliability and sustainability. 00:39:53
And with that comes the need to cite solar along with battery storage and natural gas generation within your county. Because of 00:39:57
the low within well county some of these locations, many of these locations especially for battery storage and even some of the 00:40:04
solar will be in or near our already created substations and others and and oil and gas. 00:40:12
Basins nearby, the facilities that are already cited. 00:40:20
By our friends in the oil and gas industry. 00:40:24
Now personally, I line up with you all. 00:40:27
On my frustrations with our ever changing regulations and the game changing. 00:40:31
Almost surely in our industry. 00:40:37
But. 00:40:40
We have to play within the rules that are given to us, whether it comes from. 00:40:41
Three weeks or whatever comes from Brighton. 00:40:46
Or comes from Denver. Yikes. And Washington, DC. 00:40:49
Because of our Certificate of Public convenience and necessity granted to us by the Colorado PUC. 00:40:55
We have an obligation to serve all comers. Anybody that's in our service territory, we have to serve. 00:41:02
With electric power. And by golly, it better be safe, it better be reliable, and it better be affordable. 00:41:08
With the continuous growth in in world and Adams County, we will be seeing probably a 600 MW peak load this summer and it won't be 00:41:16
long before there'll be 700 megawatts and maybe even within my career 1000 megawatts because of the need for electrification. 00:41:25
And oil and gas areas with our electric vehicles and the move to electrify a lot of the necessities in our homes, we will need 00:41:34
small, medium and large solar applications in our toolbox to meet these needs. But I emphasize coupled with battery storage and 00:41:42
with fossil fuels, we will have coal in our portfolio for the foreseeable future. But it is going away as you all know and we 00:41:49
certainly will be needing the product that is produced so well. 00:41:57
And so viciously here in rural County, that being natural gas to meet our needs when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't 00:42:04
blowing. 00:42:09
Our facilities in in this area will provide homegrown Well County electric power to Weld County members of the United Power and 00:42:15
besides providing reliable, affordable power to Weld County farms and businesses. 00:42:22
Well sites, municipal and county facilities, schools and churches, and the list goes on and on. These will provide tax revenue to 00:42:30
well county government and the citizens that use so diligently serve. 00:42:36
This morning at 7:30 I had a few moments to visit with our our CEO, Mark Gabriel. Most of you know him and he sends regrets that 00:42:44
he can't be here today due to other obligations. But here's 5 Boris that kind of reiterates what I said. 00:42:51
Certainly more succinctly. That's why he's the boss and I apologize on a hard deadline for power supply needs to support its 00:42:58
members by May 1, 2024. It's critical that we have local resources of all kinds, gas, storage and solar. To meet the needs of oil 00:43:05
and gas industry and agriculture industry in your county, it's critical that we keep tax revenues local. 00:43:12
To support our communities health. 00:43:20
Work cooperative. So we are very committed to our local communities. 00:43:22
We're concerned that the expansion of the grid and other resources will not happen in time. 00:43:26
That's why I'm here. 00:43:31
Our goal is to provide lower cost resources for our members immediately. 00:43:32
And for the long term. 00:43:36
So with that being said, if the moratorium passes, we ask you to be expeditious and working with us. 00:43:39
To to lift the moratorium. 00:43:46
We would prefer and great respect to. 00:43:49
Mr. Baker and Mr. Parco, it sounds like that's already been taken care of, that we could shorten that deadline maybe 90 days 00:43:52
instead of six months. 00:43:56
You are lost very well and we pledge that we will be here to work with you. 00:44:01
And thanks to the wonderful, crazy Rd. it only takes me 41 minutes to get here and the sheriff's behind me. And that's what they 00:44:06
did. 00:44:10
So you know, you can count on us. We'll be here. So thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Have a question for, for Troy. 00:44:16
Troy, do you have any projects currently in the works? This is specifically related to projects of 160 acres or greater. So this 00:44:24
doesn't touch or or or even have any change whatsoever on any projects smaller than 160 acres. It's those larger than 160 acres 00:44:31
that go through our 1041 process. 00:44:38
You currently have any in the works on that because right now from what I'm under the understanding, none have been submitted to 00:44:45
our planning department. At this point. I do not believe that we have anything over 160 acres submitted. We are in pre planning on 00:44:51
several battery locations at our substations and this is a time about that, a little bit earlier today, but it will not be long 00:44:57
when you will see us for some bigger projects. There's several in the works. So we're just concerned that if we kick the can down 00:45:04
the road. 00:45:10
Too far, too long. 00:45:16
And this moratorium goes 14 months, 18 months to have a real detrimental effect on us doing these kind of projects in this county. 00:45:17
And so is our members that come to us wanting to do these kind of projects somewhere in AG, yes. And and we understand the 00:45:25
complications there, but also some are in industrial areas right now right next to. 00:45:33
Well field facilities. 00:45:41
And one of our solar power solar farms is right in the mix. 00:45:43
And you can almost see it from Crossy Rd. but you can't quite see it from Kersey Rd. Wonderful facility serves oil and gas. So 00:45:47
we're just concerned about. 00:45:51
Delight. 00:45:56
Because when this hits, it's going to hit in a big way, and it's to be critical to our members that we move rapidly to make sure 00:45:57
that we have what we need to to serve them affordably. 00:46:02
Conveniently and to reap the benefits for the whole county. 00:46:08
Government World County citizens appreciate that. Yes. Do you guys serve other counties besides, well, county? Yes we do and I I 00:46:12
neglected in my notes we we're in six counties. 00:46:17
The bulk of our of our load is in atoms and wealth. 00:46:22
But we also are seeing a a bit of growth in Bloomfield if you know the Highway 7, Broomfield. 00:46:26
UM area, it's growing quite rapidly as well. So we have a lot of industrial tilt up buildings in Adams well in Broomfield going up 00:46:31
right and left and we know that there will be a lot of of low need there. So we really do envision the same kind of ask and 00:46:38
welfare and Adams County has enrolled county because of the growth just across the border and as you know there's some 00:46:46
opportunities around the International Airport. We'll be looking at those but the other ones as well. 00:46:54
And I can see probably more community solar type projects in the more suburban areas than here. 00:47:01
But we're open to those as well. 00:47:08
Thank you. 00:47:11
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. And I want to just say thank you so much for serving your members. So I'm. I represent a lot of United 00:47:12
Power members in my district as you well know and. 00:47:17
Um so I just, I just want to thank you that for for that and and then speaking yesterday about energy choice and and how that's 00:47:22
important not only to United Power but also to your members as well and. 00:47:27
The possibility of having some economies of scale actually driving some of those consumer prices down. 00:47:34
Which is of interest to me as well, because I hear a lot of people suffering. Taxes are going up, their energy rates are going up, 00:47:41
everything's going up, food's going up and it's it's really the wrong time to put doubt. 00:47:46
Into any processes that might increase cost for consumers and often. 00:47:52
My concern is more trends often have a joint effect on business and private property owners. So I just want to thank you so much 00:47:58
for coming forward. And and I do want to restate for the audience and because there's a statement that was made earlier, but had 00:48:04
this been taken off the agenda, public comment would afford you the same amount of time to speak on the topic. So I just want to 00:48:09
make sure you knew that you would still have an opportunity to speak on this policy regardless. 00:48:14
Rates are at our forefront because of the times that we are going through. 00:48:21
We've not had a rate increase of any significance in three years. 00:48:25
We thought we may have to do that this year, but because of growth and economies of scale, I think we're going to be able to go 00:48:29
another year, our goal in departing. 00:48:34
The power supply that we were one of seven entities that fund is that we think that we're out of market on the pricing that we're 00:48:39
receiving and we can do better and we can do better by creating. 00:48:45
The jobs and the infrastructure in our Home Counties. So we prefer to do it in a big way. And Adams and Roll County first, we will 00:48:52
be buying from elsewhere. You know, the wind map is not good in the United Power and Weld County, but you don't have to go very 00:49:00
far north as Commissioner Freeman well knows. And the wind map is terrific. So you know, this county is. 00:49:07
A wealth of resources and we want to make sure that. 00:49:16
Our partnership continues to be strong with Weld County in the future. 00:49:19
Absolutely. OK. Thanks. Correct. Thank you. 00:49:24
Not a public input. Yes, Chairman, can I? Two things. One is I. 00:49:28
Sent that language to you. OK, the second thing is, and this is highly important for an emergency ordinance. 00:49:32
You need to state what the emergency is and so you know I I sort of teed that up and I think that'd be something that you should 00:49:40
articulate. So I think I think really there's there's only there's only one there's only one real emergency we have that we kind 00:49:47
of have that in place with transmission temporary and stuff and that is is when we talk about compatibility is completely 00:49:55
subjective subjective compatibility and I think the emergency is we would like in place on the objective. 00:50:02
Some things that are objective to for us as a board to be able to determine compatibility based on where these are at. It's all 00:50:10
about location. It's always been all about location. If we're out in the middle of wherever it is, let's do the transmission line 00:50:17
with no rules and no impact to the to moving to moving people that makes it much more easier to be able to say that's absolutely 00:50:24
compatible there. If we're talking about a huge solar facility that has. 00:50:31
25 homes surrounding it or 100 homes surrounding it. It makes it more difficult to determine if that's compatible if it's 00:50:38
compatible though, because. 00:50:43
Let's not mistake the fact that a solar facility, a huge full solar facility, looks industrial. It looks like an industrial site 00:50:48
and sort of be able to put some objective compatibility in place I think is important. 00:50:54
Is that state that fairly, fairly does OK? 00:51:02
Fairly, fairly, fairly fairly. OK Go ahead, state your name. 00:51:06
I'm not taking my head up, absolutely not of disrespect for you. I can't see with the solar lights or the. 00:51:10
Besides the reflection off in my head you wouldn't be able to see me. 00:51:19
Yeah. 00:51:23
I don't 46576 Road County Road 18465081 County Road 18. 00:51:24
My grandkids on both sides and Southeast 12 are 6 generations. I'm proud to be a residential a resident of Weld County. I am a 00:51:32
conservative Republican. 00:51:37
Ohh, I will never drive an electric car. I will break the horse out before I do that. 00:51:43
But I'm here to state today, honestly, how many of you ever been to Southeast Well? 00:51:48
OK, so 18 and 93, There's not a lot out there. I tell people my neighbors are carrots, spray dogs and rattlesnakes. I'm fine with 00:51:54
that. 00:51:58
I also think that I'm I'm in a service. 00:52:03
I was in Washington DC in the 70s with American Act. 00:52:08
One of the big concerns back then was as we see. 00:52:12
Agricultural ground taken up by urban sprawl. 00:52:16
Roads. 00:52:20
I understand that concern, but when I look at our area then I find time down the Southeast well that produced phenomenal heat. 00:52:22
That's not my place. 00:52:31
But these places back in COPD, I'm labeled by another gentleman that has 1100 acres of CRP. 00:52:33
There's 900 acres of pasture and there's 160 acres by a cousin that's owned. 00:52:40
That is flammable. 00:52:46
But in the year like last year, I think God daily at my place was in CRP because we're strong chosen N to me that are now covered 00:52:48
in sand. 00:52:53
So in negotiations with the solar company that I negotiated with, that was something that was. 00:52:59
Dog. 00:53:07
Immensely. And I I will go a lot to my children. I have two sons that are called school mines grads. 00:53:08
We send the four year high performance diesel mechanic in our life is. 00:53:16
And my wife, my daughter, is the director of. 00:53:20
Karina Development Hospital in Grand Junction. 00:53:25
All of that said, I struggled to graduate from high school. 00:53:27
I put the power in our decision in this project to them. 00:53:31
Because we are interested in how the land is used. 00:53:34
Marlin, Chunk and Radish were the energy company that I signed with. 00:53:39
You couldn't do. Better use than put server panels on it. 00:53:44
You couldn't. My dad tried to find it in strips. 00:53:48
Ohh, it was a train wreck. You can still see out there where during the 50s and 60s the rows in between the strips group you know 00:53:52
blew up like this. 00:53:56
So. 00:54:01
Umm. 00:54:02
It was also positive to those of you who remember the Side Buster book. 00:54:05
That type of ground work on project more so show. 00:54:09
Just on the edge, but then there should have been broke. 00:54:12
I would be opposed to solar plans panels going on some of the other fine ground South of lagging. We own that, we farm it. 00:54:16
It's very good Kingdom if you talk about land use. 00:54:25
This is a prime location. Morgan County did the same thing. Because I my island, another business in Morgan County, they put a 00:54:30
moratorium on it. 00:54:34
I think it's responsible. 00:54:39
They've got 75,000 acres is my understanding out. The old would be an oil field that's gone in with panels and. 00:54:41
Wind turbines. Some type of soil is mine. 00:54:48
So I guess any other question I have for you. You talked about a committee. I would like to serve on that committee. 00:54:52
Absolutely. We'll have stakeholder meetings on this. And and what you're talking about is exactly, is exactly was exactly what I 00:54:59
was talking about. Yeah, there's a compatible place for these and there's a place that's not. And we just need to be able to get 00:55:03
to that spot you get even. 00:55:08
The cousin that I referred to his 160 you get South of there and serve the topographical maps where my place, the best my dad ever 00:55:13
raised, was 30 bushel wheat, and I was on an exceptional year in the 70s. 00:55:19
You get salsa. There's 50 and 60 bushel plus sweet bro. 00:55:25
But I guess my encouragement as you spoke, I think it's something we have to look at. I don't like it. I spent 28 years, you know, 00:55:29
own gas on my lease on my phone I subject I. 00:55:35
Set up an additional 50 acres so that we can do a horizontal drill. 00:55:41
If we get an early start, comes in. 00:55:45
So. 00:55:49
I thank you for hearing me, but. 00:55:50
I think this is one. It's very fragile. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Sir. 00:55:53
OK, other public input. 00:55:57
Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Mark Wyland and I live in Cleveland, and I would like to speak on the proposed moratorium 00:56:08
for 1041. 00:56:14
Future of energy in the nation and State Wild County. 00:56:22
Umm. 00:56:27
It will have to take a combination of sources, of course. Oil, gas will continue to be. 00:56:29
Employment in the future, but will also continue to diminish in availability as an energy source. 00:56:34
Resources are needed. 00:56:44
And this includes large server farms which will have a big impact on energy in the future. 00:56:47
And so it's very important. 00:56:54
And I also believe that there's an organization that does solar farming. 00:56:59
And that could be. 00:57:04
Put potentially used in the large. 00:57:06
Sort of formulas, but I. 00:57:11
I think it's really important. 00:57:13
The solar farms, large ones are needed. 00:57:16
As a as a part of our energy portfolio in the county. So thank you very much. Thank you. 00:57:20
OK, other public input. 00:57:29
Good morning, commissioners and staff. My name is Sharon Johnson and I live in Evans and thank you for this opportunity. 00:57:38
To speak, I am here in support of diversifying energy production. 00:57:45
Alright, sorry. 00:57:50
We already have a strong presence of oil and gas, but right now is the time to encourage the development of renewables like solar. 00:57:52
And wind. 00:58:01
And I don't think we have the luxury of putting robots. 00:58:03
In the way of such development. 00:58:06
And I feel like the moratorium on 1041 is a step backwards. 00:58:09
And I strongly oppose such an action. 00:58:15
And I expect, I expect our commissioners, you commissioners to provide both, both leadership during this time. 00:58:18
And I don't want Weld County to look like coal country. 00:58:26
In West Virginia, Wyoming. 00:58:31
In Kentucky, we we need a vital forward-looking county. 00:58:34
The leadership is crucial. 00:58:39
So Rd. residents and workers are not left behind. 00:58:41
From this inevitable transition. 00:58:46
Turntable energy. 00:58:49
So the message out that. 00:59:20
Um, you're not welcome, you know. 00:59:23
Solar solar maker, solar phones are not welcome. And I feel like that's a real detriment to the county. OK, thank you. 00:59:26
Other public comment. 00:59:34
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Commissioners, My name is Steve Gable. 00:59:36
I own and operate with my family, a commercial cattle feeding company. 00:59:40
On the Morgan and Weld County border southwest of Wiggins Co. 00:59:46
We also run about 600 mother cows and farm close to 5000 acres. 00:59:51
Of both irrigated and dry land. 00:59:56
I'm a 65 year old resident of Weld County. 00:59:59
I've been here my entire life. 01:00:03
And I'm here to support. 01:00:06
Our energy development partners. 01:00:09
And although I respect. 01:00:13
The approach that this Commission has taken with respect. 01:00:16
Not only to legacy and to energy production. 01:00:21
But also alternative sources of energy production. 01:00:26
I am sorry, Genova wrote on a moratorium. 01:00:32
Only because of the message that it sends. 01:00:36
I understand. And conversations. 01:00:40
But my families had with members of this Commission. 01:00:43
That it's only 60 days, maybe 90 at the most. 01:00:47
And while I respect that, I know that the development. 01:00:52
Partners that are involved in these projects. 01:00:56
Have considerable investments. 01:01:00
And any potential delay? 01:01:02
In their ability to permit and go forward. 01:01:06
Becomes cost prohibitive. 01:01:10
I agree with the comments that have been made about. 01:01:14
Put it for supposed to be. 01:01:18
I agree with Mr. Neil, but there are. 01:01:21
Parts of. 01:01:24
Southeastern Weld County, northeastern Weld County. 01:01:26
That are appropriate for these size operations. 01:01:30
We are currently. 01:01:36
Our contracted. 01:01:37
With the development company that is working on a 400. 01:01:40
To 650 MW project. 01:01:44
Given our locations as a family, we'll own about 15,000 acres of land. 01:01:48
Mostly in Weld County, but some in Morgan. 01:01:55
They're very close to to Mr. Neil's properties. 01:01:59
Uh, we've got property in northeastern Colorado, but in northeastern Weld County that would be ideal for this kind of facility. 01:02:03
And although I respect. 01:02:13
Your willingness to put brakes on and put some parameters around this kind of development. 01:02:18
I still encourage a no vote, mostly because of the message. 01:02:24
That it sends to the end users, to the power companies. 01:02:29
And to the development partners that are involved. 01:02:33
Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Steve. OK, further public input, Yeah. 01:02:37
Good morning, commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Matt Mooney. I work for Balanced Rock Power. I'm a 01:02:46
resident of Denver. 01:02:50
Working with the Cable family and Magnum feed lot, that's the location of our our project. 01:02:55
We submitted a PRE application. 01:03:02
A 12 county planning and October of last year we received favorable feedback. Also things we could do to improve our layout in our 01:03:05
site. 01:03:09
As you can probably guess, we're involved in the Excel procurement processes underway right now and this is a sensitive time for 01:03:16
us where it's, it's big stakes as as Mr. Gable mentioned. 01:03:22
Um, you know the, the, the sizes that we're talking about are pretty large, close to a billion dollars in CapEx. 01:03:30
When we reach. 01:03:40
The phase two process decision with Excel, there will be negotiations that occur around November and we're going to be asked to 01:03:42
pose significant amounts of security. 01:03:48
To solidify with Excel that we will be online when we say we will be and. 01:03:54
For the size of the projects we're talking about. 01:04:00
Those security announcer Well north of $50 million. 01:04:02
And for us? 01:04:06
Just in terms of our schedule. 01:04:08
We're preparing our application now for the the county to review. 01:04:10
Return submitted in August, early August and we would like to have you know. 01:04:15
At least, Scott, you completed the process, reached the decision. 01:04:22
Before we're faced in asking the investment community to close that security. 01:04:26
So that's window into what? 01:04:31
The blanket moratorium on the county and on the site that. 01:04:35
You know, to to date we understand this largely in one of the, you know, the appropriate areas. 01:04:39
Um would would be impact. We would be impacted by that. 01:04:45
So thank you for your time. Thank you. 01:04:50
Other public input. 01:04:54
Can I ask him how many acres did he say? 01:04:56
How many acres? 01:05:00
So our site straddles the county line, it's 8500 acres, 8500 approximately 4000 in Wells County. 01:05:02
4000 acres. 01:05:12
OK. 01:05:15
Hi, my name is Melissa Taylor. I'm with Ng North America actually flowing here for you with my address. I flew in here from Salt 01:05:20
Lake. I'm in very early development on some several different locations in Weld County and have ongoing relationships with our 01:05:27
project partners who are the land owners here. Wonderful people, always love coming to visit the county. They were unable, at 01:05:34
least a few ones I spoke to today were unable to make it today. 01:05:41
Assured that might come and kind of represents what is important to them, what's important to us. I can tell you from I hadn't 01:05:48
planned on making a comment on this, but when it comes to, you know whether these projects are cited, we are Angie is one of the 01:05:56
largest developers in North America. We actually got our start with building the Suez Canal. So we're always trying to look for 01:06:04
different solutions that serve everybody one of our earliest criterias for siding projects. 01:06:11
Is to. 01:06:19
Aggressively avoid but any residential areas or anything that might be construed in any way as being densely populated and have an 01:06:21
impact on the residences that are nearby. There was a lot of great arguments made today for the case of solar. I didn't come so 01:06:28
much to address that today. More of the moratorium and the message it sends. 01:06:36
I know private property is, I mean professionally and also personally. And I've discussed this with you know, the land owners with 01:06:44
partner with a very near and dear issue. I wanted to give you guys a quote from Russell Kirk is one of my original heroes and he 01:06:52
says that if you separate private property from private possession, Leviathan becomes master of all. So swapping governmental 01:06:59
heavy-handed, one-size-fits-all across everyone's land, even if it's temporary, it sends a message. 01:07:07
That. 01:07:14
There is going to be an abrupt stop of process and robust conversation. 01:07:15
It can lead to. 01:07:22
It's antithetical to healthy community and it's antithetical to the moral development of a community and society which must hold 01:07:24
an extremely high regard, the self governance and possession of private property. 01:07:30
And while Torium that might impact the project is going to detrimentally affect specifically some of the ranchers that I know. 01:07:37
Um, they're not super large ranchers. Their land isn't producing a lot. It's dry land. And this is enabling them to diversify 01:07:48
their land use so that they can actually expand their ranch. 01:07:55
I don't know of anyone that we are dealing with right now that is planning on using agricultural land. So I think it perhaps might 01:08:04
be a little bit of a straw man to say that you know we're just saying this to protect the farmland this this is land. We we very 01:08:11
carefully along with land owners always analyze where land is best for what use. And I think leaving that decision up to the 01:08:18
individual landowner and what they want to do with that is is just really. 01:08:25
Essential to the foundation of private property. Then they would those their feelings as well. 01:08:33
So. 01:08:39
That's it. OK. Thank you. 01:08:41
Other public comment. 01:08:44
Good morning, Commissioners. 01:08:54
My name is Craig Rasmussen. I'm a resident here of Greeley, 6600 W 20th St. Also have an office here in Greeley, fortunately. 01:08:56
And I will share with you. I'm standing here a little bit more. I'm tired because I didn't sleep at all last night because I heard 01:09:07
about this at 6:30 last night. 01:09:11
That upsets me personally because I brought business back to Weld County. 01:09:15
After living in Denver with my own gas company that this is deja vu, I feel like I'm back at the state capital Titan for. 01:09:20
An industry? 01:09:31
And to me it's it's not necessary. I'm gonna layout some some points and talking points for you guys to consider. Again, there was 01:09:34
zero time for us to prepare. I have four or five land owners. 01:09:39
But I love Charlie Dry Land land owners. 01:09:45
Crazy woman that wanted to be here, but because of the timing of this, they weren't able to be here. 01:09:49
I will share with you the one more time is fatal. It was fatal Durham gas in our state the investment opportunity. 01:09:56
God who is a pure company of ours with Balance Rock, we computed for the same leases that he's standing here talking about. We 01:10:05
fortunately picked up 20,000 acres of leased from all reputation of being an oil and gas company that did as they said they were 01:10:12
going to do and we're pouring our residents and folks who have to work with us. 01:10:18
About 6000 of those five of those 20,000 acres are in one county. There's no water. There is no active dry land farming happening. 01:10:25
This is Ross land that has water use that is extremely impactful for the families. 01:10:34
That we're going ahead and preparing to pay them hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of dollars an acre. 01:10:43
Throughout the right to develop on their property. These are gentlemen that unfortunately for them, we're just outside of your own 01:10:50
gas window that's on the I-76 corridor. It's eastern Weld County and they could not go ahead and get their minerals developed and 01:10:58
this is an opportunity for them to have a windfall financially for their family and their 456 generation farmers and ranchers. 01:11:06
Not sure why this is necessary. The things you're talking about for them understanding this is not my business, but you all know 01:11:15
you have pre applications in. 01:11:20
Do you business? 01:11:26
Grab stakeholders. 01:11:28
Grab your planners and put the processes you need in place to objectively go ahead. 01:11:30
And so you'll know to each location. 01:11:35
It's rather like what we did with with oil and gas all the way through. 01:11:38
I was very proud of our own gas days. We drove the nine different municipalities. 01:11:42
I don't want to go for the 1041 one time in Orland Gas, Weld County, but I had to go in front of Birth and Longmont in Johnstown 01:11:47
multiple times and crazy. 01:11:52
And eaten and really multiple times and we're always deals with said we were going to do and sometimes it flip and sometimes it 01:11:57
didn't and when it didn't. 01:12:01
It has to move on. If we as developers of Solar are not smart enough to know that you shouldn't be putting something under a set 01:12:06
of pivot and take an ad. 01:12:11
Well done. That's the least you wanna take. 01:12:16
Sure, my room. You probably just wasted money because it's probably not going to get through. 01:12:19
We share with you and we're doing our lease in the last eight months chasing the power pathway of XLS they're trying to turn on 6 01:12:25
gigawatts of power in the next five years. 01:12:30
Hold that one goes through Washington County. 01:12:35
As we were doing our leasing. 01:12:38
The last year of time we did not reach out to 1 land owner in Washington County. 01:12:41
Because we didn't want to deal with the moratorium that Washington County had on renewables during that time. 01:12:47
Too bad for those land owners that could have gotten some revenue for land that is a good fit. 01:12:54
And there's good foot land here in Weld County. You guys can figure that out through your planning process? 01:13:01
So two more points for you. 01:13:16
Well, have you ever choose to really bring this business here because really in Weld County have always been to me home and the 01:13:22
opportunity to go ahead and be pro business? 01:13:28
And they were. 01:13:35
Sensible about everything we did if I had to go come September, October, November and look to get investors in on one of my 2 to 01:13:37
$400 million projects. 01:13:44
This. 01:13:52
And. 01:13:53
Those investors know that there was a moratorium. 01:13:54
Within the county, then working to get investment on. 01:13:58
Actually, the capital. 01:14:01
It's the same thing that I couldn't get done with oil and gas. It's the same reason I'm standing up here representing A renewable 01:14:02
company. 01:14:06
If Ryan Gas was a consolidated and the instrument out. 01:14:10
Problem that stand here talking today because I could still be employed here and gas business. 01:14:15
Grossly. 01:14:20
As I stated earlier. 01:14:22
To me this is very hasty and the word moratorium is very formal. 01:14:24
Thank you for your time. 01:14:30
Good morning and thank you for your time here. My name is Sam Wait and I'm representing balance track power as well. 01:14:40
And while I can't claim to have grown up in Wells County, I did grow up in central Illinois, not only service to share. 01:14:45
I deeply appreciate the need to preserve good agricultural land, and that need is stronger now more than ever. 01:14:53
However, this moratorium is going to negatively impact the projects. 01:14:59
But as has already been communicated, is going to benefit people. 01:15:04
Whose Land is Prime fit for Solar? 01:15:08
And to use the word of Commissioner Freeman, very compatible with what it is that you are looking for. 01:15:11
I don't want to give you information you already know and outline. 01:15:17
40 years worth of millions of dollars of tax credits that were tax revenue. Sorry, that will come into this county. 01:15:21
With these projects and more as the projects continue to be developed in this area. 01:15:28
This is information that you already have and doesn't deserve the time. 01:15:34
However, I'm very concerned. 01:15:38
That this moratorium will negatively impact all of the projects in this county. 01:15:41
As people hear that word, moratorium and they turn around and they run away. 01:15:45
I'll keep this short because. 01:15:52
If I want to make sure I'm respecting the time for the. 01:15:55
Presidents of Weld County. 01:15:58
But I want to make sure that we are properly thinking through. 01:16:00
The impacts as well as what the intention is. 01:16:06
The intention is to make sure that the projects that are moving forward in development are placed in compatible areas. I think 01:16:10
that is a process that can be accomplished through the systems that are currently in place. 01:16:15
Without a moratorium, that will scare away. 01:16:21
Potentially future millions and millions of dollars for this county. 01:16:24
And I hope. 01:16:28
That you're able to hear that from all of these people here today. Thank you for your time. Thank you. 01:16:29
The other question, Mr. Chair, excuse me if you don't mind. I have, I do have a question for you. Let's address the tax credits 01:16:34
and solar credits that you say you're coming to Well County, how does that benefit Well County tax revenue from the energy 01:16:40
generated And to speak to that more directly, if I'm being entirely honest, my role within balance right power is as a design 01:16:45
engineer. 01:16:50
So I'm. 01:16:56
Much more qualified to tell you about how the power is generated and the technology involved in that to get more details around 01:16:58
the tax credits and revenue that will come to the county itself. 01:17:03
I would like to defer to Mr. Moody here, who spoke earlier as a fellow representative of the same company. 01:17:08
Thank you. Any other public comment. 01:17:16
Good morning, Shane Edgington. I live in Windsor and for transparency Consultant and I represent several of the developers that 01:17:24
are working on solar projects in local county and around Colorado. 01:17:29
As you consider this moratorium. 01:17:37
I would caution the Commission on 3 levels. 01:17:40
First, the sort of. 01:17:45
Action moratorium. 01:17:47
It's typically not driven by the majority of public interest, it's driven by the squeaky wheel, personal interests and small 01:17:50
group. You shouldn't. You should be mindful of that as you consider this. 01:17:56
Moratoriums like this are historically anti business, anti revenue you've heard from. 01:18:04
Other developers are from the United Power. Very important. You haven't heard from anybody from Exile. I hope somebody is here, 01:18:12
but the key factor there is the timing of these. You heard United Powers deadlines Excel deadlines as they're considering projects 01:18:18
and there's a whole group of them. Meanwhile, County Excels guideline will be at the end of September. 01:18:25
A mother pointing like this will kill. 01:18:33
Most, if not all of those projects in consideration. 01:18:37
And speaking to the revenue issue, just property tax as a as a starter, the property taxes on a project and let's say 200 MW 01:18:41
project which is 1200 acres. 01:18:47
Millions like 10s and 20s and millions of dollars in tax revenue over the course of the project. 01:18:55
But there is an additional credits or anything on top of the property tax. 01:19:04
That I'm not aware of. Not that I'm aware. OK, I just make this right. Clarify. 01:19:08
2nd caution Is this right in an emergency? 01:19:14
You know, to do an emergency action like this, what I understood from Commissioner Freeman was we're trying to determine 01:19:19
subjectivity versus objectivity on compatibility. Well, what's changed? What counties? That's a pretty unique position to deal 01:19:24
with this sort of thing. 01:19:30
The the process is not in place and have been in place and you don't the industry that are already here, your processes are are 01:19:38
good enough to deal with this while you consider. 01:19:42
Why do you have stakeholder investment while you consider and try to come up with your objectivity? 01:19:47
But what's changed? What's the mergency right now? 01:19:52
Again, considering what's gonna happen to projects if more important goes in place. 01:19:56
I'm at a meeting if, if, if, if the Commission's gonna insist on moratorium. 01:20:02
It should be reasonable, in short. 01:20:10
Six months is too long again given the deadlines that that the developers and your utilities bumping up against. 01:20:13
And reasonableness, I think. 01:20:21
It would be very careful of what's your objective standards going to be and this is again the caution. This is for caution. 01:20:25
Moratoriums are happening all over the country. 01:20:37
And the reaction to those is what you should be concerned about the lot of. 01:20:40
Discussion about You don't want to be governed by Denver. 01:20:47
Yeah. 01:20:50
California put a lot more time in California counties put a lot more forums in. New York counties put a lot more emporiums. In, 01:20:52
most recently Illinois. The reaction to that was at the state level. The state came in and said OK. 01:20:59
If you're going to do this way, there's going to be state legislation governing the permitting projects like this. 01:21:07
Thermo is very good example, very similar, and the balance card guy can probably testify this. 01:21:15
Chicago runs the state politically. Lots of rural areas South of Chicago, people don't think about that. All the solar farms and 01:21:22
wind farms going in the rural areas, well, they start putting reforms in. Legislature came in and said, Nope, we're not gonna let 01:21:28
you do that here, You come in, you guys can force this, but here is the permanence. Here's your permanent process. I don't think 01:21:34
that's what you want here, but recognize your your current governor and your current administration and you can kind of see the 01:21:40
path. 01:21:46
My head down, so again I just caution you. 01:21:52
The more training Microsoft sends, a message anyway for more even lengthy moratorium is legislation in of itself. You need input 01:21:55
for that, and I understand you want to get to a point, but just be cautious about this if the terrible message is sent. 01:22:04
Thank you, Commissioner Davis. 01:22:13
Mr. Chairman, I just we discussed an emergency ordinance. I'm already have emergency loan, can we can have request 5 minutes to 01:22:15
reset please? 01:22:19
Commissioner. 01:22:26
OK, we're gonna go ahead and reconvene guys. 01:32:15
The other one. 01:32:20
Let's go, Let's go. Let's go ahead and reconvene. 01:32:21
Umm. 01:32:24
Excuse me, can I see a show hands? How many more people want to speak? 01:32:26
Yeah. 01:32:31
2. 01:32:32
Two more. OK, go ahead. Go ahead. We're just getting really far behind this morning. So I just wanted to kind of the frame from 01:32:33
where we're at because we'll get people that need to leave. So go ahead, Sherry, I couldn't. Morning, Mr. Chairman and Board. 01:32:39
Thank you. Thank you for your time this morning. So my name is Vince Green and Senior Director of Development for Light Source BP. 01:32:45
We have projects in Weld County that were that were actively developing. I think we recognize the concerns of of everyone here on 01:32:52
the board and in the community about about location, about sitting. I guess what I want to say is that you know we don't we we 01:33:00
definitely want to be a part of this stakeholder process. 01:33:07
So we're not moving our application forward until we've addressed everybody's concerns, the county's concerns and we plan to do 01:33:16
that in the stakeholder process. 01:33:21
And so we don't believe that a moratorium is necessary. 01:33:26
I think the 1041 right now protects protects the county from that and and I recognize that you know if we can't put together good 01:33:31
projects, they're just not going to get permitted. So we look forward to to working with you. We look forward to having to see the 01:33:37
table and I appreciate your time. Thank you. 01:33:43
OK. 01:33:51
Hello Breezy Carlson, I am actually from Lakewood, Co by pioneering a 15 year oil and gas attorney ironically enough, and I gave 01:33:55
this very similar testimony in Arapahoe County in support of oil and gas. 01:34:03
About a month ago and and just say I have no doubt in the fight would be a lie and unfair because just like Craig so many of our 01:34:11
skill sets are transferable and I am working for solar clients in solar space. I would also echo his sentiment that. 01:34:22
The land owners and constituents on both sides of this fine. 01:34:32
Finding suitable land uses is difficult and there is one of all of our favorite terms. But my testimony in front of an Apple hotel 01:34:37
and was less about actual land use and less about stakeholder concerns and more about liability for the county itself. I think 01:34:44
something really great to think about is the use of private property rights and then it actually does constitute a taking which is 01:34:51
supported in Boulder. 01:34:57
Yes, 10 year ago Boulder County had a moratorium on oil and gas. I don't know if any of you know, but some of the first ones were 01:35:05
killed in Boulder County. Boulder County roads to Amazon everyday. But we don't like House of fuels, right. So we're doing 01:35:11
accident more Torium and landowner was unable to lease their person and they could prove damages and Boulder County had to 01:35:17
compensate those damages. So I understand that you guys are faced with a lot of very difficult decisions and some feelings on 01:35:23
either side of the aisle. 01:35:28
Welcome billing that has been removed, reasonable chance to work with, and I do believe that to avoid liability, you have existing 01:35:35
avenues to deal with these challenges in place. 01:35:42
You approve them on that space, but you'll be most capable of doing so. 01:35:50
And as such, I would make the argument that there are solutions outside of a moratorium. 01:35:56
And a moratorium would single handedly open the country up to unnecessary liability. 01:36:02
Thank you. 01:36:10
OK. 01:36:12
Is there is there any other public input? 01:36:12
OK, seeing none, we'll go ahead and close public input and bring it back to the board for discussion. 01:36:17
Commissioner James, thank you and thank you all for for coming to Test 5 certainly heard you. 01:36:23
Let's let's be candid about the crux of of why we're even having this conversation. 01:36:30
Many of us don't like the mandates that come out of the gold Dome. 01:36:36
But it's it's my, in the interest of Full disclosure, my college roommate Troy Whitmore said. And I'll say much more colorful you 01:36:41
than you, Mr. Lavender shirt. Don't hate the player, hate the game. 01:36:46
It is the rules by which they have been given that they're playing within. 01:36:52
I would agree with that. 01:36:57
The. 01:36:59
I I wanna echo on on the comment by one of the gentlemen, what is the emergency that we're trying to address? 01:37:01
The the market has been created, artificial or not, but it's been created and the players are playing the game. 01:37:10
So therefore, there is is a rush to come to Weld County, to do what Weld County's best known for, and that's defined a way and and 01:37:17
to to foster. 01:37:22
Economic opportunity and and development. 01:37:27
I understand the consternation. I share it quite frankly of. 01:37:32
Put an objectivity to compatibility. 01:37:37
Because the bottom line on some of these massive facilities. 01:37:41
You know we've heard about multi thousands of acres in testimony today. The bottom line on some of these nasty facilities is the 01:37:45
impact that creates our neighbors. 01:37:49
And they are industrial in nature. So how can one gain a foothold on compatibility and I think that's the conversation that we. 01:37:53
We've all had on this board of County Commissioners is how do we get to compatibility. 01:38:00
And then is it subjective merely to the? To the wind, to the neighbors? Can we put some objective criteria in with compatibility? 01:38:06
But frankly, we have known about this for months. 01:38:10
And the onus is on us. 01:38:16
To develop that that criteria and to to take a look at our code. 01:38:19
And we have not acted. 01:38:23
So I agree with the comments of of where is is the emergency. 01:38:26
We have some. We have protection and our 1041 authority. 01:38:32
It is. 01:38:38
Something that I extremely struggle with. The word moratorium and well county should not collide in the same sentence. 01:38:40
And uh. 01:38:48
That's my thoughts, Mr. Chair, Mr. Chair. 01:38:50
Mr. Ross. 01:38:53
I wanna, I guess, echo some of the comments of Commissioner James. First of all, I got to thank some of you for speaking directly. 01:38:55
If I didn't get to talk to you, I want to thank everyone for for speaking. It does take courage to step in front of that 01:38:59
microphone. 01:39:03
And share your concerns. 01:39:07
Umm. 01:39:10
We do have. 01:39:14
An issue in my. 01:39:16
Opinion. And that's getting to that. 01:39:20
Objectivity over subjectivity when we're considering those cases because. 01:39:24
While it is a right to own that land, to change that use. 01:39:29
Has to be scrutinized so that we aren't providing or causing harm. Excuse me. 01:39:35
To others. 01:39:40
Surrounding that potential land use. 01:39:42
And so that's why we take this. I think so. 01:39:44
Um. 01:39:47
So seriously. 01:39:49
Uh. 01:39:50
Now I completely agree with you. We've known about this for months. 01:39:51
And it's it's It needs to be acted upon because as the. 01:39:56
Time comes for Excel or others that they're having their threshold and timeline done for releasing these projects. 01:40:02
We're coming up against it and I think maybe that's where the heart of the emergency inside of this. 01:40:09
I came from so that we have the opportunity or or or understanding out there that. 01:40:15
There is something that needs to be fixed. It's not quite. 01:40:20
Right in these large scale solar projects over 160 acres that go through this 1041 process. 01:40:24
I don't like moratoriums, I. 01:40:34
I'm of a business mindset. I don't think they're healthy for anyone, whether that's a. 01:40:37
Municipality and county, state, I really don't care because now you're playing in the free market enterprise and you are. 01:40:45
Interfering with that and I think that's detrimental on on many means what I did here today in a lot of the. 01:40:53
Comments is. 01:41:01
Ohh. 01:41:03
I'll come with partners because everybody in here have you as a partner. 01:41:04
Recognizes that, yeah, we want to do this the right way. Let's get to the right. 01:41:07
Let's get to the right solution. We're just in a time crunch. 01:41:13
To do that. Um, but I'm not in favor of moratoriums. 01:41:17
I guess that's my two cents for now. I can chime in later. Thank you so much for saying that. We have a different definition of 01:41:23
partnership or surprising them, but I think it's important in these contentious situations. 01:41:28
To reveal bias when it is a legislative body, when we're sitting and writing law, which is code. 01:41:34
And then this dismissed that bias. 01:41:39
But it conflicts with principle and I support obvious oil and gas for obvious reasons that is more energy dense than renewables. 01:41:42
And one Gas is important for the foreseeable future. We can't live without it. And that provides a future that provides prosperity 01:41:48
for our Weld County citizens. 01:41:53
The cost of energy. 01:41:57
And the reliability of energy affects the cost of everything in our lives, from transportation of goods and services to medicines 01:41:59
and to safety equipment. 01:42:03
And spending our energy choices isn't accepted and lawful choice under this market, as Commissioner James has said, and we have 01:42:07
Sevier Energy choice at the state capital. 01:42:12
And a moratorium, no matter how long we'll make our witness and testimony at that state capital diminished. 01:42:18
And while no market is completely free of regulations. 01:42:24
Um. 01:42:27
Especially for public safety and welfare, we should adhere to the major, major principles of our party, which includes limited 01:42:28
government, free markets, personal responsibility and fiscal responsibility, and more time on energy development where there's oil 01:42:32
and gas. 01:42:37
Or his other energy development that none of those principles instead of message to all industries that if they don't like 01:42:41
something personally and have it a bias that we act upon that sends a message we may not be business friendly for anyone. 01:42:47
And won't anyway, is to work with business owners, not surprise them. 01:42:55
We have the capability of solving these problems without moratorium. Oil and gas moratoriums and other municipalities here in Weld 01:42:59
County have driven business and development away from those same towns. 01:43:04
And I am also concerned we are not using code criteria and comments today saying industrial looking or too big which can trigger a 01:43:09
106 action later and clearly diminish public trust as as this board as being arbitrary and precious and it also object to using a 01:43:16
definition of emergency which is also arbitrary and capricious. Stay considered, we surprise stakeholders. 01:43:23
And that these projects are limited by the building and grades of transmission lines in the upcoming years. 01:43:30
As a matter of protecting agriculture. 01:43:35
Which is something we all want to do as a matter of private property rights. If we have the right to farm, then it stands. 01:43:38
So the property owner also has the right not to farm. 01:43:45
I heard the farmer turned down that they may even have water rights tied to his property. He was told by this board he needs to do 01:43:49
something else to keep it agricultural. 01:43:52
If we are inserting ourselves. 01:43:57
Ladies and gentlemen. 01:44:00
And forcing people to produce or not produce in a certain way, be it agriculture or energy, we have become the monsters we say we 01:44:01
are fighting. 01:44:05
Urgent no vote. 01:44:11
Well, my only comment is, yeah, I think I've heard several times today, moratorium is just death. 01:44:15
To an industry and it's I don't think any of us ever want to put death to any industry. 01:44:22
My feeling is that I'm not sure we. 01:44:29
I and and I it's just a humble approach of trying to encourage solar and well county and we're doing the best and so we came out 01:44:34
strong and and wanted to have all energies to rise to the top. I'm not sure that where we are with our planning department where 01:44:40
we're at prime time. 01:44:46
And so I'm kind of would like to call it a pause, but that's not what we're addressing today. So I'm conflicted. I'm not. And our 01:44:53
planning department does an incredible job, no question about it. But. 01:44:59
We are still so new to this whole solar industry and. 01:45:06
I. 01:45:11
I mean, agriculture is everything to Weld County. That's what makes us so unique and and what I'm so proud of. But again. 01:45:14
These. 01:45:22
You know there's there's property out there that absolutely is perfect for for solar and I wouldn't want to do anything to to not 01:45:24
encourage that. So I as much as I. 01:45:29
And don't like the word moratorium, but I don't know if we can use a pause because I'm just not sure we are completely have done 01:45:35
all of our due diligence to make sure we are so ready for, you know, so many thousands of acres of solar. 01:45:43
OK, so and and I completely agree with the rest of you, I hate that. I hate the the, the, the, the idea of a moratorium on 01:45:53
anything. 01:45:57
Not if we've got to have a way to be objectively and not just subjective, say it's too big or it's whatever, because there's too 01:46:31
many houses around. It's a subjective type decision. That's what I think that we've been trying to get to you and and put in the 01:46:39
code for certain things. We don't have these conversations since the beginning of the year. I think about how do we get some 01:46:46
things in place that give us some more objectivity on on on compatibility, because you know, there is, there is compatibility. 01:46:54
Quite honestly, is is extremely subjective. And so that puts us in, it puts us in a bit, puts us in our place. I don't know if I'm 01:47:02
that confusion, but I'd like to just pause and all of us have a stakeholder meeting and work together so that we can get to the 01:47:07
spot where we're sitting, these things, where they make sense and we'll count. That's that's my goal. My goal is to not stop large 01:47:13
facilities. 01:47:18
That's never been my attempt. I'm not biased against, sorry, I'm I voted for every, every, so, every solar project that's coming 01:47:23
from us, which has been in the 20s, twenty 5 probably. And there's been two that we've built over that period of time, one about 01:47:29
2019 and one recently that we thought wasn't compatible because of the surrounding neighborhoods. Other than that, I've supported 01:47:35
every one of them. We plan to continue to do that, but we've got to be in a place where we can do this, where you have the right 01:47:41
to do what. 01:47:47
Tell to do on your own property, but you also do not have the right to impact all the neighbors around it, but nobody really does 01:47:53
impact them. 01:47:57
And it doesn't work and it does look industrial. There's no way that you can say that it doesn't look like an industrial site. So 01:48:02
we just gotta have these things in the right place. I don't know the right answer, guys, on how we, how we pause and we get to 01:48:07
that spot and loads or more time or whether it's whatever it is. But there's got to be a way that we aren't getting a position 01:48:13
where we've got applications coming forward in places that don't make sense. 01:48:19
Jeremy and submits. 01:48:27
That we remove. 01:48:29
This moratorium from the agenda and scheduled work session immediately. 01:48:31
Whether that's today or in the next couple of days or next week, I don't know procedurally if we can remove some. It's already 01:48:36
been approved. We have to been approved for no vote then, well, you've asked for it. 01:48:41
So any other comments? There's one other thing. Yes, Emergency ordinance need four of five commissioners to vote for it. 01:48:48
Mr. Chair, yes, I'm gonna move for denial of the emergency ordinance for reasons previously stated. 01:49:00
But I am going to direct our planning department. 01:49:08
This problem has to get solved, and we're looking at a short window, so I mean that same time frame we're talking about. 01:49:11
Uh. 01:49:17
Coming to a solution that was asked for through this moratorium request, I think that's what I would direct as far as stakeholder 01:49:18
meetings and getting the process. 01:49:24
Continuing to be refined and revised so that we do the large scale solar facilities. 01:49:30
Properly for Weld County, so I'm going to move for denial, but direct planning to do what was requested through the. 01:49:36
They did not bear that. 01:49:45
Process check it. 01:49:46
It's been moved and seconded to. 01:49:49
Come. 01:49:51
Deny the Emergency Code Ordinance 2023 Dash 08. Is there any further discussion Commission? Read the comment and I and I 01:49:53
understand. I appreciate Bruce's work and I understand. 01:49:57
The passion that's involved in getting to the objectivity of of compatibility, and that's conversation we need to have. 01:50:02
I'm going to look at my friend Tom Barco immediately, just as soon as we can. 01:50:10
But more time and well, county should not collide in the same sense. 01:50:16
And and I don't, I don't disagree with that and so I will actually be supporting your motion as well. And and with the with the 01:50:20
understanding that we get on this immediately, we schedule a work session next week and we get and we get stakeholder meetings 01:50:26
scheduled within the next within the next two weeks and we get something in place so that we've got objectivity that we can put 01:50:32
into our code within the next 60 days. That's that would be what I would be directing our planning department to to to be able to 01:50:38
to accomplish. 01:50:44
I agree with all that's been said. 01:50:52
OK. Any further discussion? 01:50:54
OK. With that all in favor, Aye, opposed. 01:50:56
Motion carries. Thanks. 01:51:00
Actually. 01:51:03
Thanks, Bruce. Thank you, Bruce. Good luck, good luck. So we do have one last thing and that is for the agenda this morning that's 01:51:05
public comment. This would be public comment on anything that is not already previously been on our agenda. So any other public 01:51:10
comment. 01:51:16
Can you read address? 01:51:22
You brought some more back, so I'd like. I've got a couple of things I'd like to say. Go ahead. 01:51:24
Hello. 01:51:34
Regarding this regarding solar, yes, OK, real quickly if you don't mind Sir, you do. I need to restate name and address and all 01:51:38
that. Take Glenn Neal 46508 will convert 184657641018. 01:51:44
It's in regards to your statement. 01:51:51
Looking at the company that I'm dealing with and your your concern is with neighbors. If you look at that block of ground. 01:51:53
It was great to see what their contract says. We talked. 01:52:02
And we all agree that it fit the area, yeah. 01:52:05
OK, so. 01:52:08
And I'm gonna say this, not wanting to offend you. We don't need your input. 01:52:10
Without the taxes. 01:52:15
We are students of the ground. I told you that I put my sandwich back in the grass. 01:52:16
The other one that Mister Gabriel and the other one with that instruct. 01:52:22
We talked. 01:52:25
Thought it fit the area. 01:52:27
So I guess when it comes to that point. 01:52:29
Be considerate of our. 01:52:33
You know what we feel. 01:52:35
Because with the tax increases that we've had. 01:52:37
For Pete's sake. 01:52:41
I don't need somebody that's gonna charge me to oversee what I'm doing. I live out there. You don't. 01:52:43
No, it would fit, yeah. 01:52:48
Yeah, go ahead. 01:52:51
I I get what you're saying and and you and your developer have done the responsible thing of reaching out to your neighbors. 01:52:53
And what you're finding when you're doing that right is you're finding how do we make this project. 01:53:00
Compatible with our surrounding neighbors, so that. 01:53:05
They agree, yes, it too should have this use in it, right when we talk about compatibility. 01:53:08
That's what we're trying to get through and that's that partnership there. 01:53:13
Now uh. 01:53:17
We have to make sure it be. I don't know what analogy to use here, right? There's not a perfect analogy, but. 01:53:19
There is a reason why we have compatibility, right? And it's no different than changing land use for anything else. I mean, if we 01:53:28
wanted to put up a rock stage, like a rock band playing right next to your house, you may not find that compatible, right? Maybe 01:53:34
you do, maybe you haven't, you know. Right. I'm deaf, so I wouldn't hear, OK. But. But that's why we have to go through that 01:53:40
process because that change of land use. 01:53:46
Isn't a guarantee, right. And that's why we're here. But we do appreciate you and those responsible developers who are here today. 01:53:52
Right. Right. Are going through that process. OK. That's at least for me. I can't speak on behalf of anybody else. And there were 01:53:58
other comments that I would mention that's exactly, that's exactly right. And if you know the day, so. 01:54:04
My concern is that you have our solar facility that comes through. And so everything that needs our code except that you've got 25 01:54:12
neighbors that are in here just losing their mind over the fact that that's not a compatible place. And it's subjective to for us 01:54:17
to say, well, it's not everything in our code except that everybody that surrounds us is not in favor. That's where we struggle 01:54:23
with compatibility and that's why I made the statement I did. My neighbors are literally powered spray dogs and Addison get it. 01:54:29
That's why. 01:54:35
There's nobody else. That's why they should be in those people should be in the everything I forgot when I was up here is for the 01:54:41
excellent energy line that I believe you're talking about is north and is compatible with most of the companies that are in our 01:54:46
area a lot along with within 4 miles. And I believe it's the one that comes out of Piney and brushes to the South. They did their 01:54:52
homework, they really good. 01:54:57
Did you listen? 01:55:04
OK. Any other public comment? 01:55:05
Please be brief because we are way behind. 01:55:13
Well, we're that. 01:55:16
OK, Edward Wayne Grant. I'm a local Greeley guy. My father worked for Home right Power Company 2 years before World War 2 and 40 01:55:18
years afterwards it became Public Service Company of Colorado, now Excel Energy. I am one of their stockholders. 01:55:26
OK, I am on. A lot of their engineers over the years, Richard Fairley, Richard Brown, General Hawk, all of these people were were 01:55:35
managers when they were taking over Excel Energy. Even back then, after my father's been dead for 10 years, they were worried 01:55:42
about cars like the battery car, the Tesla and all that stuff. If everybody plugged in their car tonight, the whole grid go down. 01:55:50
Transformers would blow all over town. That was the concern and the tribute they had an article about how much energy we get. 01:55:57
Cool natural gas, oil and so on. Renewables are very, not very big. Part of that Excel Energy is having I get the bulletins. 01:56:05
They're having a very hard time getting quotes from Wyoming, buying enough natural gas and all that kind of stuff to do all these 01:56:11
projects to keep, make sure when you flip the switch, these lights come on. That's the problem. That's going to be a problem. It's 01:56:17
going to get worse and worse and worse. Thank you. Thank you. 01:56:22
Mr. Chairman, I know you're behind. 01:56:30
I applaud you for taking the approach that you've taken. 01:56:33
I think it sends the right message. 01:56:37
Whether it's legacy development? 01:56:39
For the new renewable. 01:56:42
So thank you for the approach that you thank. Thank you, Steve. Thank you Proactive. 01:56:45
We support business. 01:56:52
Attitude that resonates in this community and in this county will continue to do so because of the show. Thank you. Thank you, 01:56:54
thank you. Mr. Teeks, quickly, please. 01:57:00
I'm just doing 3 out of four then. 01:57:07
For the record, my name is Steve Cheeseman Greeley Number one is Life Care. Nursing Home is having to sell 25th. 01:57:15
Yeah, celebration. 01:57:24
Next Thursday from 2:00 to 6:00. So anybody? I'm sure they love to have some more people attend. 01:57:27
So that's the positive news I got. 01:57:37
OK I got in the mail is this. 01:57:41
Proposition H My notice in your agenda last week you talked about this. Unfortunately I wasn't here, but. 01:57:46
He says it's unconstitutional and must take the way the tax refund check and all that other stuff. And one other thing on this, it 01:57:58
says that there's some counties joining the lawsuit now. Since we're going to either say nay or yay for this, I don't think we 01:58:06
need to see in a teleport. Counties are something I would recommend before you think of getting on the line. Let's wait until 01:58:13
voters decide before we do that. 01:58:21
And my third thing is. 01:58:29
Since Commissioner James is a nice guy, I'm going to ask him a question. Always me tease me. 01:58:32
I wasn't able to make the NCO because of the rain and all that and I didn't want to get stuck and had to walk on the other side of 01:58:39
green. Could you give a general synopsis of that meeting, Sir? Sure. I just a bit of our conversation. We've heard reports about 01:58:45
the Front Range passenger rail a little bit. We heard a report from the deputy director of the Colorado Department of 01:58:51
Transportation Hermit Stocking or was there Herman spoke to us about the process that we're going through with the amendments that 01:58:57
was on. 01:59:03
Nashville 1101 this year that basically deals with instructing the transportation Commission to look at the boundary lines of 01:59:09
transportation planning regions. So we talked about the the, the process it's going to be instituted there, but also talked about 01:59:14
our our plan. 01:59:20
To have 10 year plan anymore, but it's it's kind of the 2050 vision per se and the projects that were put on that. 01:59:27
I am excited to see a lot of the focus going to 234 and and yes there continues to be a conversation about transit that about how 01:59:33
that will interact with with the 34 as we move forward on that I'm sorry, go move the question, I was at the City Council meeting 01:59:39
agreement last night and. 01:59:46
Councilman Olson said something about a that the state was having people at different different cities and all that and the public 01:59:53
meeting. 02:00:00
That he said something about trying to get them to come up here. Do you know anything about that? Yeah, yeah, it is. And I. 02:00:08
Is Elizabeth here can iPhone a friend It is has to do with the a transit outreach that they're doing and and Councillor Olson 02:00:17
along with Commissioner James referred to myself in the third person are big advocates in trying to get to that organization to 02:00:23
come up here and hear from greatly with transit in inputs and so that's that's our goal is to get one of those meetings out of the 02:00:29
metro area and and into other colors. I agree with that. 02:00:35
If you so choose please. Thank you. I just want to make one comment, let me initiate. So we are not going to join the lawsuit, but 02:00:43
we did pass the proposition, proposition in opposition to HR. So you're aware we're. 02:00:49
To that proposition that we are supporting the lawsuit now its tenants because I was told it's too late to join as a plaintiff on 02:00:57
that lawsuit, although I hope we can in the future. 02:01:01
And then just another question. I'm sorry, Sir, is that? 02:01:07
It it says how is it unconstitutional and this is what I guess my last question is I can respond to that courts determine whether 02:01:15
that's something is unconstitutional that board county commissioners. So I just. 02:01:22
The subject that's their argument that makes it unconstitutional. It's it's self-evident. It's unconstitutional because we have 02:01:30
several things including Tabor in our Constitution ***** and read for themselves. That's why constitution is written the way they 02:01:36
are, including the violation of single subject rule. That particular bill that passed the last minute had four subjects in there. 02:01:41
Plus the title is very deceptive. 02:01:46
And we should not be deceiving the taxpayers that would have been not accepted at the title board. But the since the state 02:01:52
legislature has the majority on both sides, they get to determine what's deceptive or not. 02:01:58
OK. Thank you. OK. 02:02:05
Anything else? OK, seeing no further business. We are adjourned. We're going to take 5 minutes and then we do have A and then we 02:02:07
do have a show cause hearing and I believe we've got a couple of landing places. 02:02:12
So can we take? 02:02:17
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To the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with 00:02:47
liberty and justice for all. 00:02:53
Ohh, good morning. It's Wednesday, June 7th call with the Board of County Commissioners. Roll call please. 00:03:01
Scott King? Kevin Ross, are you saying payback? 00:03:16
Mike Crimmins reflect all five county commissioners are present. 00:03:21
Minutes Approval of Minutes of May 24th, 2023. Thank you Mr. Chair. And then to move the Minutes to the back of the new business. 00:03:25
I have not had a chance to read those out because my computer's been down. 00:03:34
OK. We'll continue minutes till next meeting. I'm sorry, until Monday. 00:03:40
OK, there's a motion to. 00:03:46
Continue the Minutes until the next second. 00:03:48
Another discussion. 00:03:53
No. 00:03:56
Mineral cobalt. 00:03:58
No, no, no. All in favor. Aye. Opposed motion. Mr. Chair, I would like to make another motion to remove Code Ordinance 202308. 00:04:00
From the agenda today, I believe that we can solve this without the heavy-handed government and I believe that more discussion is 00:04:10
needed on this topic. We can solve that with our current department heads. We have some very smart attorneys. 00:04:17
Yes, and very excellent people in this room that can help us out with this. I do not believe a moratorium on energy development is 00:04:24
needed at this time. 00:04:27
OK, so second. 00:04:34
I'll second for purposes of discussion. 00:04:37
Pulling discussion Well, I don't think it should be removed. I think the purpose of having it on there is to have the discussion 00:04:43
about it in particular so. 00:04:48
I don't get how. 00:04:52
Removing an item from agenda promotes discussion. 00:04:54
So discussion is had and you bring things to awareness by having one in agenda so we can have it in a formal setting. 00:04:58
As we say in the legislature, this is not ready for prime time. 00:05:05
We've got a lot of folks who want to speak on this today. I understand that they speak during. 00:05:09
When we discuss the ordinance, they can also speak during public comment. 00:05:13
So we can have plenty of public discussion today without putting this on the agenda. 00:05:17
Arranging my motion. 00:05:20
You know, it's something we've been talking about for quite a while. I think it's been some recommendations that we need to take a 00:05:27
time out and take a look at this for a very short period of time. There's some things that need to be looked at as far as 00:05:32
objective. We've talked about objective compatibility. 00:05:36
And this is not trying to end, so it's not doing anything with the majority of the solar things that we have seen come through. 00:05:41
This was for only the 1041, which is the areas of state interest. And I think that it makes sense that we take a time out and have 00:05:46
a conversation to make sure that we're all on the same page because it has a tremendous impact of what's going on across Weld 00:05:51
County so. 00:05:55
The Submergence Ordinance did not go through the proper procedure of Director to the Commissioner coordinator. I would. 00:06:01
Opposed this on the on the principle that. 00:06:06
If we say we don't have accounting manager. 00:06:09
And we directly. 00:06:11
Coordinate departments. 00:06:13
It should follow that process. This does not follow this process. 00:06:14
I think we can take some time out. 00:06:18
And do this in another work session or two like we have done in the past. And stakeholder. We just had that conversation at UNC 00:06:20
yesterday. 00:06:23
And we've heard a lot about business owners and other entities not having a stakeholder in process, and I do not want to repeat 00:06:27
the state mistakes of the session. 00:06:31
So go ahead. 00:06:36
I disagree with Commissioner saying on this we have a lot of people here. 00:06:38
Prepared to speak. I don't know which way they want to speak and to take this off the agenda, to not hear them speak. I think it's 00:06:42
a disservice to everybody sitting here because I can't tell you how everyone in this room feels about this issue, right? So the 00:06:48
fact that it's on here, people taking time away from work, time, willing to speak on this, positive or negative or indifferent, I 00:06:54
don't know what the feeling is from people and to get further information. So I know how I'm going to vote on this. 00:07:00
Some other things we've done along the way. And so I think that I agree with Mr. Ross, if we need to let people speak today. So 00:07:37
it's on the agenda, doesn't mean it's going to pass today, but it's on the agenda and we need to have the conversation about it 00:07:43
once we pass that through. Let me just make an objection, Mr. Chair, but that's why the stakeholders before you make legislation. 00:07:50
And not substantial changes legislation either. You do that before you come to the table, so I will budget my objections to that. 00:07:57
And I do wish there be Commission agenda and ask for a vote. 00:08:04
Anybody else anything? OK, roll call vote. Did did you have a second? 00:08:09
Yeah, I see that second. So it's been moving trying to remove this, so roll call vote. 00:08:13
Skype changes. 00:08:19
Telling us what you think is payback, No. 00:08:20
Mike Freeman, No. 00:08:24
OK. We'll stay on the agenda and we'll talk about it today. 00:08:27
Next item Sir. Ohh, next item Certification pairings. Alright. 00:08:32
Motion to read like code Ordinance to read ordinance. 00:08:39
Move to rebound you second. 00:08:45
OK. 00:08:49
Do we need a roll call roll on reading it by ordinance? 00:08:50
Broke over to read code ordinance by audio. 00:08:54
Sorry, Scott King. Yes. Kevin Ross, yes. What are you saying? 00:09:01
OK, back. Yes, Mike Freeman, yes. 00:09:06
OK, motion carries 4 to 1 amendments to the agenda. Do we have any amendments to the agenda? 00:09:08
OK, Google the consent agenda. 00:09:15
Certification of hearings Ohh I'm sorry. Certification of hearings conducted on May 24th, 2023 Sr. 23-001. 00:09:17
Burchard LLC. Second move by Commissioner. Second second by commissioner. James certify hearings. All in favor. 00:09:25
Curious #2 gender. 00:09:34
Amendment Approval of the consent agenda. 00:09:37
Move to approve the consent agenda second. 00:09:43
Been moved, like in Mr. James, second by Commissioner Ross, to approve the consent agenda. All in favor, Aye. Opposed. 00:09:45
Motion carried presentations, Recognition of Services, Sheriff's Office, Sheriff's Office lead Jeffrey Falkenberg. 00:09:51
OK, whereas Lee Jeffrey Falkenberg has served well County Sheriff's Office from April 3rd, 1989 to August 3rd, 20 August 2nd, 00:10:04
2023. And whereas the Board, County Commissioners wishes to recognize your dedicated service to Weld County and its citizens, Now 00:10:10
therefore be it known that the Board of Weld County Commissioners wishes to express its gratitude to lead Jeffrey Falkenberg for 00:10:16
your outstanding dedication to Weld County and its citizens. 00:10:22
It's actually just Jeff talking Oberg. As we all know, there's a few guys that are institutions in the agency. Jeff is one of 00:10:38
those guys. 00:10:41
Anybody who's worked in law enforcement or been around law enforcement career knows that this job can be difficult. 00:10:46
In any setting now, it's exponentially harder If you're working in a jail setting, which Jeff did for 34 years, wow, 34 years as a 00:10:51
deputy in jail. 00:10:56
In dog years, which is how we age people in law enforcement, 287 years. 00:11:01
Looking great demo. 00:11:08
That being said, Jeff was one of those guys that he predates me at the Sheriff's Office by several years. He was an institution 00:11:10
there already when I started. 00:11:14
Just just been one of those guys that's a rock solid performer. Shows up every day, puts in an honest day's work for an honest 00:11:19
day's pay. 00:11:22
He's very well respected within the law enforcement community, especially in our jail, not just by the officers but also by the 00:11:26
inmates. And that's something that that said something because he was earning a respect. 00:11:30
By treating them fair, firm and consistent, which Jeff is just the he's a model of what a correction deputy should be. We're going 00:11:35
to miss you, but you earned it. Thanks, Jeff. Congratulations. 00:11:40
Of course you couldn't. That's why. No being without my family being, you know, being blessed with the understood. 00:11:53
We doing this. 00:12:00
You know in it's been a blessing for 34 years to do this with some of the greatest people in the world and working for some of the 00:12:02
greatest bosses, working for three of the greatest sheriffs. 00:12:07
Ohh. 00:12:13
I mean it's it's been fantastic. It's. 00:12:14
Little wonderful sign for 30-4 years and I'm getting. 00:12:18
Broken up talking about it. 00:12:22
It's happy to be at this point. It's also bittersweet because this is what I've known for 34 years. 00:12:25
You know, it's been an honor. It's been my honor to serve the. 00:12:31
Citizens of Weld County in this capacity. 00:12:34
Thank you everybody for everything. 00:12:38
Mr. James. 00:12:56
Jeff, thank you so much for your service to the citizens of of of Weld County. Obviously your your commitment is is unparalleled. 00:12:58
I've been in my chosen profession for 41 years and I'm at the point where I hate it. So for you to be 34 years in the in in your 00:13:05
career is, is is outstanding. Thank you for your service Sir. We appreciate it. 00:13:13
Mr. Falkenberg, I just want to thank you all so, so much for your years of service. You have apparently have become the legend of 00:13:21
what it is to to do what you do. So I just want to thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. 00:13:27
Mr. Ross, congratulations. I mean, as a staunch supporter of law enforcement, you guys are put. 00:13:35
In a barrage of gunfire every day, whether that's live bullets or not, and the fact that you did this career in the jail, my hat 00:13:40
goes off to you. Knowing the struggles that law enforcement officers across the state faced on a daily basis. You must be a St. 00:13:46
because it's not an easy job and and I couldn't do it. I'm not strong enough. But but you are. So thank you. Thank you. Appreciate 00:13:52
it. 00:13:58
Achieved. Strengthen as you're leaving. 00:14:05
And I can poorly add to a lifetime of service. And thank you so much for. 00:14:08
Doing what you do and you help with the law and order our community so the rest of us can do jobs like these. 00:14:13
Or we can go be bakers. Or we can be lawyers and do all these other things. So thank you so much for protecting us and protecting 00:14:21
us honorable and society and. 00:14:25
Treating those that are incarcerated with dignity and respect. 00:14:29
You know, I would say, Commissioner James, as I understand, where you are hating your job after 41 years. 00:15:02
And I'm only 10 1/2, so with that we'll come down and take a picture. 00:15:08
It's a 2:00 AM alarm. 00:15:17
Yeah, absolutely. 00:15:23
Yeah. 00:15:25
You're on the other side. 00:15:31
The first. 00:15:38
OK, we're all smiling. We're happy. Awesome, 123. Thank you, guys. 00:15:40
Quantity. 00:15:46
Nice. 00:15:49
Thank you. Thank you so much. 00:15:50
Thank you. Appreciate you. 00:15:55
Thanks for your help. 00:16:04
I just need for everything. 00:16:08
Yes, my brother, it's awesome. 00:16:11
It's good to see you. 00:16:14
OK, let's start on the other proclamations. Reunification Month, June 2023. 00:16:28
Come up, Jamie, and whoever you've got. 00:16:34
Um, whereas the families the primary source of love, identity, self-esteem and support for children and adults and provides the 00:16:36
foundation of our communities. 00:16:40
Reunified with their children those families currently working through the process and many support staff who help these families 00:17:15
now therefore be it proclaimed by the Board of Weld County Commissioners the June 2023 be known as Reunification Month in Weld 00:17:21
County and urges all residents to join us in this special observation, observance and supportive families and signed by. 00:17:28
Having a mic change right now. Thank you so much Commissioners, junior with Department of Human Services Director, really 00:17:39
appreciate the recognition on reunification Month. And today we have a lot of folks here from our shop and I'm going to introduce 00:17:46
to you in a little bit. But first I want to talk a little bit about Reunification Month. So every June we celebrate National 00:17:53
Reunification Month in an effort to recognize the health. 00:17:59
That we do to help keep families together. This first thing is we believe in the resiliency and strength of families and that 00:18:06
focuses on three primary areas. The 1st is when children cannot remain safely with their parents and need to enter foster care. 00:18:12
Reunifying them with family remains the primary goal. 00:18:19
The second is authentic equitable family engagement and integrating the voice of the children, youth and families into the case 00:18:25
planning and court processes. And the third is enhancing both parent and foster parent partnerships to improve the foster care 00:18:32
experience for children, youth and parents when the child's removal from the home is necessary, and to support reunification. 00:18:39
Our official day for celebrations in Weld County this year is June 23rd, 2023. That will be held at the courthouse and we'll be 00:18:46
able to share stories regarding successful reunification. 00:18:53
Ohh stories with our child welfare staff of the judges, service providers, attorneys and GL. And just for give a couple of 00:19:01
thoughts on on reunification. In twenty 2261% of the closed child growth welfare cases resulted in the unification and so far this 00:19:08
year we've had 51% of our child welfare cases that have resulted in reunification. I would like to recognize the staff that are 00:19:16
here today and then after we recognize them. 00:19:24
Do you have a family here today that were successfully reunified based on their hard work and dedication? And I'd also like to 00:19:31
recognize them. 00:19:36
So if I call your name, please stand up. And if you would stay standing so we can kind of recognize you all together. We have 00:19:41
Tammy Grant. She's our deputy Director of Human Services. 00:19:46
Heather Rocker, child Welfare director. 00:19:51
Robin Overmyer, Child welfare deputy director. 00:19:54
So we regulate child welfare resource manager. 00:19:57
Jeremy Irons, Health Offer Permanency Manager. 00:20:00
Servant from Timothy Ferris, Child Walker Permanency Supervisor. Annie Jade, Child Welfare Permanency Supervisor. Jackie 00:20:03
Underwood, Child Welfare Permanency Supervisor Lauren Hayes, Child Welfare Permanency Supervisor. 00:20:11
Brandy Puckett Adoptions caseworker Travis Denning Child welfare permanency supervisor Kate Moneymaker Child welfare permanency 00:20:19
worker Jackie Rivas, Child Walker permanency worker boy Pampa Child welfare permanency worker. Alba Chavez child welfare 00:20:27
permanency worker Lucy Ruiz, child welfare permanency worker Alex Moran, Illinois child welfare foster care Coordinator. 00:20:36
We're calling Morocco Child Welfare Foster Care Coordinator and Michelle Cervantes, Child Welfare Permanency Worker. These are the 00:20:45
folks that work every single day, year round, really helping to provide supports to families so that they can have those children 00:20:51
remain in safe environments. The dedication of the the folks standing before you today is just amazing and we just really want to 00:20:57
recognize their hard work. 00:21:04
Thank you all. You may be seated. 00:21:16
We're going to recognize as Cesar Varela Martinez, who is here with us today. 00:21:19
Naruto standout for us, please. 00:21:24
Do you have the hard work of Mr. Martinez? He was able to reunify with his little young son there and we're just so pleased that 00:21:28
he was committed to everything that needed to happen in order to reunify and wish him all the best of luck in the future so they 00:21:34
can for Mr. Morrison. 00:21:40
That's it. 00:21:53
Comments. 00:21:55
What is your messy? I know that's from from certainly personal experience. 00:21:57
And we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. 00:22:01
Second chances are to 0. 00:22:08
Thank you for providing those. 00:22:12
Fillmore, Klein, Mr. Bush, Ohh. Thanks James. 00:22:15
So I am first opportunity I had when I get to be coordinator for Human Services and I got to do a ride along for a foster 00:22:21
situation. And I'll never ever forget just my little small glimpse of what you do. My heart goes out and. 00:22:30
With so much gratitude and thank you so much for caring so much about the family and or how does involved a lot with. 00:22:39
Foster kids and Rob and I always see you here all the time when we're. 00:22:46
Honoring Human Services in in Jamie and and Tammy. I can't say all of your names, but really you truly make well. Accounting. So 00:22:50
very special, so very proud. 00:22:55
Thank you. 00:23:02
Dry rose. 00:23:03
None. 00:23:04
I'm gonna give him the tires. 00:23:06
But I am extremely excited for all of you. I hear these statistics, Jamie, that you you you spell out 62%, I believe you said last 00:23:10
year we're on pace for 51% this year for unification. 00:23:15
That's hard work that doesn't come easily, and that's a true testament. 00:23:20
To your guys's. 00:23:27
Not only efforts but your expertise and and your big hearts in this arena. So I truly commend you because. 00:23:28
That's that's awesome. It's doing the right thing for the right reason. 00:23:36
In an extremely difficult position and and my hats off to you. So great job and keep up the great work. Thank you. 00:23:40
Saying. 00:23:49
Doug created institutional family and that is that's where a child thrives but in. 00:23:50
Case where we humans fails, Commissioner James said. 00:23:55
That that second chance, the mercy grace, the the, the working through. 00:23:59
Those processes to reunite that child with that family. I hope that is the highest score of any. 00:24:03
Department of Human Services, regardless of where the artist in the state or in the nation that. 00:24:08
I just want to commend everybody who's. 00:24:13
That is your goal too. 00:24:16
Do you like children that they are #1 as far as consideration of safety and Wellness? 00:24:18
And thank you so much for committing to families. Thank you. 00:24:24
And I would agree with everything that's been said, you know. 00:24:28
Getting kids back with their parents is the ultimate goal, and it's such a success when it actually happens. 00:24:32
So and and that's a huge percentage that you're able to get that done with. So that that just that just goes to show the 00:24:38
dedication that you that you and your staff have in in helping people get to that spot because sometimes there's some real big 00:24:44
hurdles to get there. And so thank you for what you guys do every day for the kids, for the kids of rural county. 00:24:49
That. 00:24:56
Why don't we take a picture? 00:24:58
We'll see you guys. 00:25:02
They've been. They know how to get ready for a picture. 00:25:06
We practiced this, right? 00:25:09
Alright. 00:25:16
Hello. 00:25:24
You wanna take a selfie? We got this other. 00:25:26
Student type posting. 00:25:29
Ohh. 00:25:33
All. They're overloading the side, Jamie. I thought you said they were pros. 00:25:35
Watch out into the east there. 00:25:41
Are we all in? Do we have a few more people kind of squeeze in or maybe do a second row? It's kind of. 00:25:46
So. 00:25:53
We get you guys to come in. I can't get everybody in the frame here. 00:25:56
OK, 123. 00:26:05
123. 00:26:10
Thank you, Thank you. Congratulations you very much. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. Have a wonderful day. 00:26:13
OK. 00:26:21
Father. 00:26:24
Thank you everyone. 00:26:28
OK, Now we move on to Williams General Warrants of June 6, 2023. 00:26:46
YouTube. 00:26:51
Multiple second moved by Mr. James, second by Mr. Buck to approve. All in favor. Aye. Opposed. Motion carries bids. 00:26:53
Number one could there be 2300107 Chase Building Renovation, 822 Seven St. Facilities Department. 00:27:00
Good morning, Carolyn Geiser, purchasing. 00:27:09
As advertised, this bid is for the renovation of the first, second, 6th and 7th floors of the Chase Building. Low bid is from TCC 00:27:12
Corporation and read specifications. Therefore, the Facility Facilities Department is recommending the award to TCC Corporation in 00:27:19
the amount of five million, 598 dollars, $1000 and fives. 00:27:27
Let me start over again there 5,000,000. 00:27:36
$1,598,005. 00:27:39
Good question. 00:27:45
Mr. Chair moved to approve bid number B 2300107. 00:27:46
Second moved by Commissioner Ross, Second by Commissioner James to approve all in favor opposed motion carries. 00:27:52
#2 00:27:58
Present there be 2300119 Courthouse annex roof replacement facilities department. 00:27:59
Purchasing department has received one bid. 00:28:06
It has been forwarded to the facilities department for review. We will be back on April 8th, feedback for approval on June. 00:28:09
21st. 00:28:17
Take any questions. OK, That's includes bids. Thank you. Move on to new business #1. Consider contract ID 770572023. Paul 00:28:18
Coverdell, Forensic Science improvement grant application and acceptance of application changes form and authorized Director of 00:28:25
Northern Colorado Regional, Colorado Regional Forensic Laboratory assignments and electronically. Good morning, commissioners. 00:28:32
Alan Caldwell for the Sheriff's Office. I'm here on behalf. 00:28:39
Over the Lab director Darren Ford, who cannot be here today. 00:28:46
The Regional Crime Lab has been awarded $28,375 in training funds. 00:28:51
From incorporated all formula grant. 00:28:58
The lab has utilized this brand for the past several years. 00:29:01
To train and certify analysts from all partnered agencies. This grant does not require matching funds. 00:29:06
The grant funding will be provided as SCUSE ME. The grant funding will provide funds to cover both tuition and travel for seven 00:29:14
courses. 00:29:18
The identified training includes one staff member to attend the American Society of Crime Lab Directors and Leadership course. 00:29:23
3 Certification courses for the digital forensic examiners, 3 courses for the latent print examiners and funding for one firearms 00:29:33
examiner to attend the Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiner Conference Shares Office recommends the Board accept the 00:29:40
grant award of $28,375. 00:29:48
Options move to approve a contract ID 70572023 Second move by Mr. Ross, Second by Mr. Buck to approve. All in favor Opposed motion 00:29:57
carries. 00:30:02
Thank you #2. Consider renewal application for fermented bulk milk beverage on premise county license and authorized chair sign 00:30:09
and DBA Prolia fleets. 00:30:15
Chairman, this is a renewal. 00:30:21
This is one of those that is located in the county, even though it's surrounded by Garden City, Evans and Greeley. 00:30:24
Um, we have just a few of those. 00:30:32
So I've reviewed the application and also the referrals. 00:30:35
No one's got any concerns recommend approval. 00:30:41
OK. 00:30:44
And back to the board. Approved. Second, I'm not like Mr. Buck. Second like Mr. Ross to approve. All in favor. Opposed motion 00:30:45
carries #3. Consider renewal application for a hotel and restaurant county liquor license and authorized to sign Reese Diner at 00:30:51
Dillard's LLC. Doing business as these diner at Dillard's chairman. This is located in Galeton. We have no concerns for 00:30:57
recommending approval. 00:31:03
OK, Mr. I apologize. Mr. Chair moved to approve the license. Moved by Commissioner Ross. Second by Commissioner James. Approve All 00:31:10
in favor. Opposed motion carries. 00:31:15
From Continent business, we're going to planning number one consider contract ID 6978, partial release of collateral and 00:31:21
acceptance of warranty warranty collateral for use by special review from the USSR 18-0065 Waste Management Disposal Services 00:31:27
Colorado, Inc. 00:31:32
Good morning, Commissioners Jasmine Trio Martinez with the Department of Planning Services. In regard to the Improvements in Rd. 00:31:38
Maintenance Agreement for Waste Management Disposal Services of Colorado, Incorporated, I submitted a pass around for your review 00:31:45
dated May 9th, 2023, which was signed by all 5 County Commissioners. We respectfully request the Board accept the reduction of 00:31:52
project project collateral in the amount of $623,247.39. 00:32:00
To the warranty collateral amount of $93,487.11 provided in the form of a bond rider to the original performance bond number LICX 00:32:07
1197283 issued by the Lexon Insurance Company and to be retained for the duration of the two year warranty period. Waste 00:32:15
Management has completed the required improvements and the Development Review Inspector and Public Works inspectors have inspected 00:32:23
and signed off on all improvements. 00:32:31
We are only requesting the reduction of the collateral and the terms of the road meat into agreement. 00:32:39
Will remain in effect for the life of the USSR. Thank you for your consideration on this item. 00:32:44
OK, what have any questions? 00:32:50
Move to Approve and move by Commissioner Buck. Second by Commissioner James to approve All in favor opposed motion carries. Thank 00:32:53
you #2 Second reason. Code Ordinance 2023-07. In the night of repealing and reenacting with amendments. Chapter 17 Public Places 00:33:00
of the world County Code Camping on public properties Agreed by title only. Second like Mr. James Second by Commissioner. Roster 00:33:07
read by title only. All in favor. Opposed motion carries Ordinance 2023-07 in the Meadow. 00:33:15
In acting. 00:33:23
With the members Chapter 17, Public Places of the World can code camping on public properties. We have no changes since the first 00:33:24
reading. 00:33:29
Questions of staff OK, this is a public hearing. Is there anybody in the public that wishes to come forward and discuss Code 00:33:35
Ordinance 2023-07? 00:33:38
Good morning, commissioners. My name is Steve Chiefs. I'm greedy. I just got a question or two of them. Actually one of them is. 00:34:00
Could you give me a little more insight about this? 00:34:12
Code Ordinance #1 and #2 where the people gonna go? 00:34:18
So go ahead. Well, I'll start off Steve and Bruce, if I just speak, please correct me. 00:34:28
This is saying you can't do overnight camping in public spaces inside unincorporated Weld County. So right now we don't have any 00:34:37
enforcement tools for our law enforcement officers should they come across somebody that's really camping where they shouldn't be 00:34:44
camping. And so this gives our law enforcement officers that enforcement tool that they can use to do it. There's multiple 00:34:51
homeless shelters here in Greeley that. 00:34:59
We can refer them to should we come across those individuals. So yeah, like the Guadalupe Center, you have various others where 00:35:07
individuals can go. So that's that's some of the knowledge I know about it. If anybody else would like to speak, feel free. 00:35:15
I think that pretty much covers. 00:35:23
Well, what I know, Gary, passenger doesn't have much room. They're very limited and then we got the cold weather shelter closed as 00:35:28
well and we need that. So year round, not just during the winter time. 00:35:35
So does that include people sleeping in their cars? 00:35:45
It's a good like it does. It does. OK. Thank you. 00:35:51
OK, any other public input? 00:35:56
On this code ordinance. 00:35:59
Techie Normal. Closer number it back to the board. 00:36:02
I should move to approve on second reading Code Ordinance 2023 Dash 07 second. 00:36:07
It's been moved like Mr. James, second like Mr. Ross to approve. 00:36:12
Any further discussion all in favor, aye, opposed motion carries. 00:36:16
#3 Emergency Code Ordinance 2023-08 in the matter. 00:36:21
In Chapter 21 Areas and Activities of State Interest of the Weld County Code Moratorium of 1041 s s. 00:36:27
Chairman, I was asked to put together this emergency code ordinance. 00:36:34
For the purposes of doing a moratorium. 00:36:39
On 1041 solar energy facilities. 00:36:42
And this would go until December 1st of 2023. 00:36:46
I do have a suggestion that would be. 00:36:51
To modify that so that you could. 00:36:54
How that if? 00:36:58
The after. 00:36:59
Working on this, having some stakeholder meetings. 00:37:01
You get it done before, then it would make it so that on. 00:37:05
On first reading of any changes. 00:37:09
The moratorium would go away. 00:37:12
So that modification would be. 00:37:16
At the end of the paragraph talks about the moratorium. 00:37:19
Umm. 00:37:24
Right. I was asked put this together and I did so and I fully support the the, your, your changes in that. The intention of this 00:37:25
was not made long term. The intention of this was not to make it go forever. It was, it was simply to have the opportunity to have 00:37:32
some stakeholder meetings, put some things in place and and hopefully have first reading within the next 30 to 60 days. 00:37:39
So I fully support that change in the and I worked on that language late yesterday and I will send it to all of you and to the 00:37:46
clerk. 00:37:50
So we probably need a motion to make that amendment to the to the resolution. Yes. Give me a minute. Sure. 00:37:56
OK. You want to open it up If you'd like to, you could do that or if there's anyone else. 00:38:05
Who would speak on the subject? 00:38:10
I'm fine with. Go ahead and and. 00:38:13
And open it up to the public law and then everybody will have a chance to see it, says the rest of the board. Comfortable with 00:38:16
that? I am. Yeah, I appreciate that. We did not take it off the agenda that. 00:38:21
We have the people here to speak on this and so I'm glad they're here. Good with that, we'll open it up for public input. 00:38:26
Everybody can have up to 3 minutes to come up and and discuss this code ordinance, so anybody would like to come and speak. 00:38:33
Yeah, please. 00:38:42
Please just state your name and address for the record, Troy. Thank you. OK, Yeah. 00:38:44
Please. 00:38:51
Good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the Board of Commission. My name is Troy Whitmore. I'm Vice President of Public Affairs for 00:38:54
United Power Electric Cooperative that's based in Brighton, Co. 00:39:00
Serves about 40% of our 107,000 meters. 00:39:06
In Rogue County. 00:39:10
With perhaps 50 to 60% of our load in your county due to the thriving economy and the multiple users of of our commodity here in 00:39:12
Weld County. 00:39:19
We're here today just to to speak a little bit on clarifying on on the. 00:39:27
More time certainly we're we're not in in favor of any delays. 00:39:32
Um, because of some situations that I'd like to to brief you on. 00:39:36
In May of next year, we would be leaving our power supplier Tri-state Generation and Sam and the transmission. And the reason 00:39:40
we're leaving is to better able to meet our goals of affordability. 00:39:46
For our members, along with reliability and sustainability. 00:39:53
And with that comes the need to cite solar along with battery storage and natural gas generation within your county. Because of 00:39:57
the low within well county some of these locations, many of these locations especially for battery storage and even some of the 00:40:04
solar will be in or near our already created substations and others and and oil and gas. 00:40:12
Basins nearby, the facilities that are already cited. 00:40:20
By our friends in the oil and gas industry. 00:40:24
Now personally, I line up with you all. 00:40:27
On my frustrations with our ever changing regulations and the game changing. 00:40:31
Almost surely in our industry. 00:40:37
But. 00:40:40
We have to play within the rules that are given to us, whether it comes from. 00:40:41
Three weeks or whatever comes from Brighton. 00:40:46
Or comes from Denver. Yikes. And Washington, DC. 00:40:49
Because of our Certificate of Public convenience and necessity granted to us by the Colorado PUC. 00:40:55
We have an obligation to serve all comers. Anybody that's in our service territory, we have to serve. 00:41:02
With electric power. And by golly, it better be safe, it better be reliable, and it better be affordable. 00:41:08
With the continuous growth in in world and Adams County, we will be seeing probably a 600 MW peak load this summer and it won't be 00:41:16
long before there'll be 700 megawatts and maybe even within my career 1000 megawatts because of the need for electrification. 00:41:25
And oil and gas areas with our electric vehicles and the move to electrify a lot of the necessities in our homes, we will need 00:41:34
small, medium and large solar applications in our toolbox to meet these needs. But I emphasize coupled with battery storage and 00:41:42
with fossil fuels, we will have coal in our portfolio for the foreseeable future. But it is going away as you all know and we 00:41:49
certainly will be needing the product that is produced so well. 00:41:57
And so viciously here in rural County, that being natural gas to meet our needs when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't 00:42:04
blowing. 00:42:09
Our facilities in in this area will provide homegrown Well County electric power to Weld County members of the United Power and 00:42:15
besides providing reliable, affordable power to Weld County farms and businesses. 00:42:22
Well sites, municipal and county facilities, schools and churches, and the list goes on and on. These will provide tax revenue to 00:42:30
well county government and the citizens that use so diligently serve. 00:42:36
This morning at 7:30 I had a few moments to visit with our our CEO, Mark Gabriel. Most of you know him and he sends regrets that 00:42:44
he can't be here today due to other obligations. But here's 5 Boris that kind of reiterates what I said. 00:42:51
Certainly more succinctly. That's why he's the boss and I apologize on a hard deadline for power supply needs to support its 00:42:58
members by May 1, 2024. It's critical that we have local resources of all kinds, gas, storage and solar. To meet the needs of oil 00:43:05
and gas industry and agriculture industry in your county, it's critical that we keep tax revenues local. 00:43:12
To support our communities health. 00:43:20
Work cooperative. So we are very committed to our local communities. 00:43:22
We're concerned that the expansion of the grid and other resources will not happen in time. 00:43:26
That's why I'm here. 00:43:31
Our goal is to provide lower cost resources for our members immediately. 00:43:32
And for the long term. 00:43:36
So with that being said, if the moratorium passes, we ask you to be expeditious and working with us. 00:43:39
To to lift the moratorium. 00:43:46
We would prefer and great respect to. 00:43:49
Mr. Baker and Mr. Parco, it sounds like that's already been taken care of, that we could shorten that deadline maybe 90 days 00:43:52
instead of six months. 00:43:56
You are lost very well and we pledge that we will be here to work with you. 00:44:01
And thanks to the wonderful, crazy Rd. it only takes me 41 minutes to get here and the sheriff's behind me. And that's what they 00:44:06
did. 00:44:10
So you know, you can count on us. We'll be here. So thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Have a question for, for Troy. 00:44:16
Troy, do you have any projects currently in the works? This is specifically related to projects of 160 acres or greater. So this 00:44:24
doesn't touch or or or even have any change whatsoever on any projects smaller than 160 acres. It's those larger than 160 acres 00:44:31
that go through our 1041 process. 00:44:38
You currently have any in the works on that because right now from what I'm under the understanding, none have been submitted to 00:44:45
our planning department. At this point. I do not believe that we have anything over 160 acres submitted. We are in pre planning on 00:44:51
several battery locations at our substations and this is a time about that, a little bit earlier today, but it will not be long 00:44:57
when you will see us for some bigger projects. There's several in the works. So we're just concerned that if we kick the can down 00:45:04
the road. 00:45:10
Too far, too long. 00:45:16
And this moratorium goes 14 months, 18 months to have a real detrimental effect on us doing these kind of projects in this county. 00:45:17
And so is our members that come to us wanting to do these kind of projects somewhere in AG, yes. And and we understand the 00:45:25
complications there, but also some are in industrial areas right now right next to. 00:45:33
Well field facilities. 00:45:41
And one of our solar power solar farms is right in the mix. 00:45:43
And you can almost see it from Crossy Rd. but you can't quite see it from Kersey Rd. Wonderful facility serves oil and gas. So 00:45:47
we're just concerned about. 00:45:51
Delight. 00:45:56
Because when this hits, it's going to hit in a big way, and it's to be critical to our members that we move rapidly to make sure 00:45:57
that we have what we need to to serve them affordably. 00:46:02
Conveniently and to reap the benefits for the whole county. 00:46:08
Government World County citizens appreciate that. Yes. Do you guys serve other counties besides, well, county? Yes we do and I I 00:46:12
neglected in my notes we we're in six counties. 00:46:17
The bulk of our of our load is in atoms and wealth. 00:46:22
But we also are seeing a a bit of growth in Bloomfield if you know the Highway 7, Broomfield. 00:46:26
UM area, it's growing quite rapidly as well. So we have a lot of industrial tilt up buildings in Adams well in Broomfield going up 00:46:31
right and left and we know that there will be a lot of of low need there. So we really do envision the same kind of ask and 00:46:38
welfare and Adams County has enrolled county because of the growth just across the border and as you know there's some 00:46:46
opportunities around the International Airport. We'll be looking at those but the other ones as well. 00:46:54
And I can see probably more community solar type projects in the more suburban areas than here. 00:47:01
But we're open to those as well. 00:47:08
Thank you. 00:47:11
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. And I want to just say thank you so much for serving your members. So I'm. I represent a lot of United 00:47:12
Power members in my district as you well know and. 00:47:17
Um so I just, I just want to thank you that for for that and and then speaking yesterday about energy choice and and how that's 00:47:22
important not only to United Power but also to your members as well and. 00:47:27
The possibility of having some economies of scale actually driving some of those consumer prices down. 00:47:34
Which is of interest to me as well, because I hear a lot of people suffering. Taxes are going up, their energy rates are going up, 00:47:41
everything's going up, food's going up and it's it's really the wrong time to put doubt. 00:47:46
Into any processes that might increase cost for consumers and often. 00:47:52
My concern is more trends often have a joint effect on business and private property owners. So I just want to thank you so much 00:47:58
for coming forward. And and I do want to restate for the audience and because there's a statement that was made earlier, but had 00:48:04
this been taken off the agenda, public comment would afford you the same amount of time to speak on the topic. So I just want to 00:48:09
make sure you knew that you would still have an opportunity to speak on this policy regardless. 00:48:14
Rates are at our forefront because of the times that we are going through. 00:48:21
We've not had a rate increase of any significance in three years. 00:48:25
We thought we may have to do that this year, but because of growth and economies of scale, I think we're going to be able to go 00:48:29
another year, our goal in departing. 00:48:34
The power supply that we were one of seven entities that fund is that we think that we're out of market on the pricing that we're 00:48:39
receiving and we can do better and we can do better by creating. 00:48:45
The jobs and the infrastructure in our Home Counties. So we prefer to do it in a big way. And Adams and Roll County first, we will 00:48:52
be buying from elsewhere. You know, the wind map is not good in the United Power and Weld County, but you don't have to go very 00:49:00
far north as Commissioner Freeman well knows. And the wind map is terrific. So you know, this county is. 00:49:07
A wealth of resources and we want to make sure that. 00:49:16
Our partnership continues to be strong with Weld County in the future. 00:49:19
Absolutely. OK. Thanks. Correct. Thank you. 00:49:24
Not a public input. Yes, Chairman, can I? Two things. One is I. 00:49:28
Sent that language to you. OK, the second thing is, and this is highly important for an emergency ordinance. 00:49:32
You need to state what the emergency is and so you know I I sort of teed that up and I think that'd be something that you should 00:49:40
articulate. So I think I think really there's there's only there's only one there's only one real emergency we have that we kind 00:49:47
of have that in place with transmission temporary and stuff and that is is when we talk about compatibility is completely 00:49:55
subjective subjective compatibility and I think the emergency is we would like in place on the objective. 00:50:02
Some things that are objective to for us as a board to be able to determine compatibility based on where these are at. It's all 00:50:10
about location. It's always been all about location. If we're out in the middle of wherever it is, let's do the transmission line 00:50:17
with no rules and no impact to the to moving to moving people that makes it much more easier to be able to say that's absolutely 00:50:24
compatible there. If we're talking about a huge solar facility that has. 00:50:31
25 homes surrounding it or 100 homes surrounding it. It makes it more difficult to determine if that's compatible if it's 00:50:38
compatible though, because. 00:50:43
Let's not mistake the fact that a solar facility, a huge full solar facility, looks industrial. It looks like an industrial site 00:50:48
and sort of be able to put some objective compatibility in place I think is important. 00:50:54
Is that state that fairly, fairly does OK? 00:51:02
Fairly, fairly, fairly fairly. OK Go ahead, state your name. 00:51:06
I'm not taking my head up, absolutely not of disrespect for you. I can't see with the solar lights or the. 00:51:10
Besides the reflection off in my head you wouldn't be able to see me. 00:51:19
Yeah. 00:51:23
I don't 46576 Road County Road 18465081 County Road 18. 00:51:24
My grandkids on both sides and Southeast 12 are 6 generations. I'm proud to be a residential a resident of Weld County. I am a 00:51:32
conservative Republican. 00:51:37
Ohh, I will never drive an electric car. I will break the horse out before I do that. 00:51:43
But I'm here to state today, honestly, how many of you ever been to Southeast Well? 00:51:48
OK, so 18 and 93, There's not a lot out there. I tell people my neighbors are carrots, spray dogs and rattlesnakes. I'm fine with 00:51:54
that. 00:51:58
I also think that I'm I'm in a service. 00:52:03
I was in Washington DC in the 70s with American Act. 00:52:08
One of the big concerns back then was as we see. 00:52:12
Agricultural ground taken up by urban sprawl. 00:52:16
Roads. 00:52:20
I understand that concern, but when I look at our area then I find time down the Southeast well that produced phenomenal heat. 00:52:22
That's not my place. 00:52:31
But these places back in COPD, I'm labeled by another gentleman that has 1100 acres of CRP. 00:52:33
There's 900 acres of pasture and there's 160 acres by a cousin that's owned. 00:52:40
That is flammable. 00:52:46
But in the year like last year, I think God daily at my place was in CRP because we're strong chosen N to me that are now covered 00:52:48
in sand. 00:52:53
So in negotiations with the solar company that I negotiated with, that was something that was. 00:52:59
Dog. 00:53:07
Immensely. And I I will go a lot to my children. I have two sons that are called school mines grads. 00:53:08
We send the four year high performance diesel mechanic in our life is. 00:53:16
And my wife, my daughter, is the director of. 00:53:20
Karina Development Hospital in Grand Junction. 00:53:25
All of that said, I struggled to graduate from high school. 00:53:27
I put the power in our decision in this project to them. 00:53:31
Because we are interested in how the land is used. 00:53:34
Marlin, Chunk and Radish were the energy company that I signed with. 00:53:39
You couldn't do. Better use than put server panels on it. 00:53:44
You couldn't. My dad tried to find it in strips. 00:53:48
Ohh, it was a train wreck. You can still see out there where during the 50s and 60s the rows in between the strips group you know 00:53:52
blew up like this. 00:53:56
So. 00:54:01
Umm. 00:54:02
It was also positive to those of you who remember the Side Buster book. 00:54:05
That type of ground work on project more so show. 00:54:09
Just on the edge, but then there should have been broke. 00:54:12
I would be opposed to solar plans panels going on some of the other fine ground South of lagging. We own that, we farm it. 00:54:16
It's very good Kingdom if you talk about land use. 00:54:25
This is a prime location. Morgan County did the same thing. Because I my island, another business in Morgan County, they put a 00:54:30
moratorium on it. 00:54:34
I think it's responsible. 00:54:39
They've got 75,000 acres is my understanding out. The old would be an oil field that's gone in with panels and. 00:54:41
Wind turbines. Some type of soil is mine. 00:54:48
So I guess any other question I have for you. You talked about a committee. I would like to serve on that committee. 00:54:52
Absolutely. We'll have stakeholder meetings on this. And and what you're talking about is exactly, is exactly was exactly what I 00:54:59
was talking about. Yeah, there's a compatible place for these and there's a place that's not. And we just need to be able to get 00:55:03
to that spot you get even. 00:55:08
The cousin that I referred to his 160 you get South of there and serve the topographical maps where my place, the best my dad ever 00:55:13
raised, was 30 bushel wheat, and I was on an exceptional year in the 70s. 00:55:19
You get salsa. There's 50 and 60 bushel plus sweet bro. 00:55:25
But I guess my encouragement as you spoke, I think it's something we have to look at. I don't like it. I spent 28 years, you know, 00:55:29
own gas on my lease on my phone I subject I. 00:55:35
Set up an additional 50 acres so that we can do a horizontal drill. 00:55:41
If we get an early start, comes in. 00:55:45
So. 00:55:49
I thank you for hearing me, but. 00:55:50
I think this is one. It's very fragile. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Sir. 00:55:53
OK, other public input. 00:55:57
Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Mark Wyland and I live in Cleveland, and I would like to speak on the proposed moratorium 00:56:08
for 1041. 00:56:14
Future of energy in the nation and State Wild County. 00:56:22
Umm. 00:56:27
It will have to take a combination of sources, of course. Oil, gas will continue to be. 00:56:29
Employment in the future, but will also continue to diminish in availability as an energy source. 00:56:34
Resources are needed. 00:56:44
And this includes large server farms which will have a big impact on energy in the future. 00:56:47
And so it's very important. 00:56:54
And I also believe that there's an organization that does solar farming. 00:56:59
And that could be. 00:57:04
Put potentially used in the large. 00:57:06
Sort of formulas, but I. 00:57:11
I think it's really important. 00:57:13
The solar farms, large ones are needed. 00:57:16
As a as a part of our energy portfolio in the county. So thank you very much. Thank you. 00:57:20
OK, other public input. 00:57:29
Good morning, commissioners and staff. My name is Sharon Johnson and I live in Evans and thank you for this opportunity. 00:57:38
To speak, I am here in support of diversifying energy production. 00:57:45
Alright, sorry. 00:57:50
We already have a strong presence of oil and gas, but right now is the time to encourage the development of renewables like solar. 00:57:52
And wind. 00:58:01
And I don't think we have the luxury of putting robots. 00:58:03
In the way of such development. 00:58:06
And I feel like the moratorium on 1041 is a step backwards. 00:58:09
And I strongly oppose such an action. 00:58:15
And I expect, I expect our commissioners, you commissioners to provide both, both leadership during this time. 00:58:18
And I don't want Weld County to look like coal country. 00:58:26
In West Virginia, Wyoming. 00:58:31
In Kentucky, we we need a vital forward-looking county. 00:58:34
The leadership is crucial. 00:58:39
So Rd. residents and workers are not left behind. 00:58:41
From this inevitable transition. 00:58:46
Turntable energy. 00:58:49
So the message out that. 00:59:20
Um, you're not welcome, you know. 00:59:23
Solar solar maker, solar phones are not welcome. And I feel like that's a real detriment to the county. OK, thank you. 00:59:26
Other public comment. 00:59:34
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Commissioners, My name is Steve Gable. 00:59:36
I own and operate with my family, a commercial cattle feeding company. 00:59:40
On the Morgan and Weld County border southwest of Wiggins Co. 00:59:46
We also run about 600 mother cows and farm close to 5000 acres. 00:59:51
Of both irrigated and dry land. 00:59:56
I'm a 65 year old resident of Weld County. 00:59:59
I've been here my entire life. 01:00:03
And I'm here to support. 01:00:06
Our energy development partners. 01:00:09
And although I respect. 01:00:13
The approach that this Commission has taken with respect. 01:00:16
Not only to legacy and to energy production. 01:00:21
But also alternative sources of energy production. 01:00:26
I am sorry, Genova wrote on a moratorium. 01:00:32
Only because of the message that it sends. 01:00:36
I understand. And conversations. 01:00:40
But my families had with members of this Commission. 01:00:43
That it's only 60 days, maybe 90 at the most. 01:00:47
And while I respect that, I know that the development. 01:00:52
Partners that are involved in these projects. 01:00:56
Have considerable investments. 01:01:00
And any potential delay? 01:01:02
In their ability to permit and go forward. 01:01:06
Becomes cost prohibitive. 01:01:10
I agree with the comments that have been made about. 01:01:14
Put it for supposed to be. 01:01:18
I agree with Mr. Neil, but there are. 01:01:21
Parts of. 01:01:24
Southeastern Weld County, northeastern Weld County. 01:01:26
That are appropriate for these size operations. 01:01:30
We are currently. 01:01:36
Our contracted. 01:01:37
With the development company that is working on a 400. 01:01:40
To 650 MW project. 01:01:44
Given our locations as a family, we'll own about 15,000 acres of land. 01:01:48
Mostly in Weld County, but some in Morgan. 01:01:55
They're very close to to Mr. Neil's properties. 01:01:59
Uh, we've got property in northeastern Colorado, but in northeastern Weld County that would be ideal for this kind of facility. 01:02:03
And although I respect. 01:02:13
Your willingness to put brakes on and put some parameters around this kind of development. 01:02:18
I still encourage a no vote, mostly because of the message. 01:02:24
That it sends to the end users, to the power companies. 01:02:29
And to the development partners that are involved. 01:02:33
Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Steve. OK, further public input, Yeah. 01:02:37
Good morning, commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Matt Mooney. I work for Balanced Rock Power. I'm a 01:02:46
resident of Denver. 01:02:50
Working with the Cable family and Magnum feed lot, that's the location of our our project. 01:02:55
We submitted a PRE application. 01:03:02
A 12 county planning and October of last year we received favorable feedback. Also things we could do to improve our layout in our 01:03:05
site. 01:03:09
As you can probably guess, we're involved in the Excel procurement processes underway right now and this is a sensitive time for 01:03:16
us where it's, it's big stakes as as Mr. Gable mentioned. 01:03:22
Um, you know the, the, the sizes that we're talking about are pretty large, close to a billion dollars in CapEx. 01:03:30
When we reach. 01:03:40
The phase two process decision with Excel, there will be negotiations that occur around November and we're going to be asked to 01:03:42
pose significant amounts of security. 01:03:48
To solidify with Excel that we will be online when we say we will be and. 01:03:54
For the size of the projects we're talking about. 01:04:00
Those security announcer Well north of $50 million. 01:04:02
And for us? 01:04:06
Just in terms of our schedule. 01:04:08
We're preparing our application now for the the county to review. 01:04:10
Return submitted in August, early August and we would like to have you know. 01:04:15
At least, Scott, you completed the process, reached the decision. 01:04:22
Before we're faced in asking the investment community to close that security. 01:04:26
So that's window into what? 01:04:31
The blanket moratorium on the county and on the site that. 01:04:35
You know, to to date we understand this largely in one of the, you know, the appropriate areas. 01:04:39
Um would would be impact. We would be impacted by that. 01:04:45
So thank you for your time. Thank you. 01:04:50
Other public input. 01:04:54
Can I ask him how many acres did he say? 01:04:56
How many acres? 01:05:00
So our site straddles the county line, it's 8500 acres, 8500 approximately 4000 in Wells County. 01:05:02
4000 acres. 01:05:12
OK. 01:05:15
Hi, my name is Melissa Taylor. I'm with Ng North America actually flowing here for you with my address. I flew in here from Salt 01:05:20
Lake. I'm in very early development on some several different locations in Weld County and have ongoing relationships with our 01:05:27
project partners who are the land owners here. Wonderful people, always love coming to visit the county. They were unable, at 01:05:34
least a few ones I spoke to today were unable to make it today. 01:05:41
Assured that might come and kind of represents what is important to them, what's important to us. I can tell you from I hadn't 01:05:48
planned on making a comment on this, but when it comes to, you know whether these projects are cited, we are Angie is one of the 01:05:56
largest developers in North America. We actually got our start with building the Suez Canal. So we're always trying to look for 01:06:04
different solutions that serve everybody one of our earliest criterias for siding projects. 01:06:11
Is to. 01:06:19
Aggressively avoid but any residential areas or anything that might be construed in any way as being densely populated and have an 01:06:21
impact on the residences that are nearby. There was a lot of great arguments made today for the case of solar. I didn't come so 01:06:28
much to address that today. More of the moratorium and the message it sends. 01:06:36
I know private property is, I mean professionally and also personally. And I've discussed this with you know, the land owners with 01:06:44
partner with a very near and dear issue. I wanted to give you guys a quote from Russell Kirk is one of my original heroes and he 01:06:52
says that if you separate private property from private possession, Leviathan becomes master of all. So swapping governmental 01:06:59
heavy-handed, one-size-fits-all across everyone's land, even if it's temporary, it sends a message. 01:07:07
That. 01:07:14
There is going to be an abrupt stop of process and robust conversation. 01:07:15
It can lead to. 01:07:22
It's antithetical to healthy community and it's antithetical to the moral development of a community and society which must hold 01:07:24
an extremely high regard, the self governance and possession of private property. 01:07:30
And while Torium that might impact the project is going to detrimentally affect specifically some of the ranchers that I know. 01:07:37
Um, they're not super large ranchers. Their land isn't producing a lot. It's dry land. And this is enabling them to diversify 01:07:48
their land use so that they can actually expand their ranch. 01:07:55
I don't know of anyone that we are dealing with right now that is planning on using agricultural land. So I think it perhaps might 01:08:04
be a little bit of a straw man to say that you know we're just saying this to protect the farmland this this is land. We we very 01:08:11
carefully along with land owners always analyze where land is best for what use. And I think leaving that decision up to the 01:08:18
individual landowner and what they want to do with that is is just really. 01:08:25
Essential to the foundation of private property. Then they would those their feelings as well. 01:08:33
So. 01:08:39
That's it. OK. Thank you. 01:08:41
Other public comment. 01:08:44
Good morning, Commissioners. 01:08:54
My name is Craig Rasmussen. I'm a resident here of Greeley, 6600 W 20th St. Also have an office here in Greeley, fortunately. 01:08:56
And I will share with you. I'm standing here a little bit more. I'm tired because I didn't sleep at all last night because I heard 01:09:07
about this at 6:30 last night. 01:09:11
That upsets me personally because I brought business back to Weld County. 01:09:15
After living in Denver with my own gas company that this is deja vu, I feel like I'm back at the state capital Titan for. 01:09:20
An industry? 01:09:31
And to me it's it's not necessary. I'm gonna layout some some points and talking points for you guys to consider. Again, there was 01:09:34
zero time for us to prepare. I have four or five land owners. 01:09:39
But I love Charlie Dry Land land owners. 01:09:45
Crazy woman that wanted to be here, but because of the timing of this, they weren't able to be here. 01:09:49
I will share with you the one more time is fatal. It was fatal Durham gas in our state the investment opportunity. 01:09:56
God who is a pure company of ours with Balance Rock, we computed for the same leases that he's standing here talking about. We 01:10:05
fortunately picked up 20,000 acres of leased from all reputation of being an oil and gas company that did as they said they were 01:10:12
going to do and we're pouring our residents and folks who have to work with us. 01:10:18
About 6000 of those five of those 20,000 acres are in one county. There's no water. There is no active dry land farming happening. 01:10:25
This is Ross land that has water use that is extremely impactful for the families. 01:10:34
That we're going ahead and preparing to pay them hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of dollars an acre. 01:10:43
Throughout the right to develop on their property. These are gentlemen that unfortunately for them, we're just outside of your own 01:10:50
gas window that's on the I-76 corridor. It's eastern Weld County and they could not go ahead and get their minerals developed and 01:10:58
this is an opportunity for them to have a windfall financially for their family and their 456 generation farmers and ranchers. 01:11:06
Not sure why this is necessary. The things you're talking about for them understanding this is not my business, but you all know 01:11:15
you have pre applications in. 01:11:20
Do you business? 01:11:26
Grab stakeholders. 01:11:28
Grab your planners and put the processes you need in place to objectively go ahead. 01:11:30
And so you'll know to each location. 01:11:35
It's rather like what we did with with oil and gas all the way through. 01:11:38
I was very proud of our own gas days. We drove the nine different municipalities. 01:11:42
I don't want to go for the 1041 one time in Orland Gas, Weld County, but I had to go in front of Birth and Longmont in Johnstown 01:11:47
multiple times and crazy. 01:11:52
And eaten and really multiple times and we're always deals with said we were going to do and sometimes it flip and sometimes it 01:11:57
didn't and when it didn't. 01:12:01
It has to move on. If we as developers of Solar are not smart enough to know that you shouldn't be putting something under a set 01:12:06
of pivot and take an ad. 01:12:11
Well done. That's the least you wanna take. 01:12:16
Sure, my room. You probably just wasted money because it's probably not going to get through. 01:12:19
We share with you and we're doing our lease in the last eight months chasing the power pathway of XLS they're trying to turn on 6 01:12:25
gigawatts of power in the next five years. 01:12:30
Hold that one goes through Washington County. 01:12:35
As we were doing our leasing. 01:12:38
The last year of time we did not reach out to 1 land owner in Washington County. 01:12:41
Because we didn't want to deal with the moratorium that Washington County had on renewables during that time. 01:12:47
Too bad for those land owners that could have gotten some revenue for land that is a good fit. 01:12:54
And there's good foot land here in Weld County. You guys can figure that out through your planning process? 01:13:01
So two more points for you. 01:13:16
Well, have you ever choose to really bring this business here because really in Weld County have always been to me home and the 01:13:22
opportunity to go ahead and be pro business? 01:13:28
And they were. 01:13:35
Sensible about everything we did if I had to go come September, October, November and look to get investors in on one of my 2 to 01:13:37
$400 million projects. 01:13:44
This. 01:13:52
And. 01:13:53
Those investors know that there was a moratorium. 01:13:54
Within the county, then working to get investment on. 01:13:58
Actually, the capital. 01:14:01
It's the same thing that I couldn't get done with oil and gas. It's the same reason I'm standing up here representing A renewable 01:14:02
company. 01:14:06
If Ryan Gas was a consolidated and the instrument out. 01:14:10
Problem that stand here talking today because I could still be employed here and gas business. 01:14:15
Grossly. 01:14:20
As I stated earlier. 01:14:22
To me this is very hasty and the word moratorium is very formal. 01:14:24
Thank you for your time. 01:14:30
Good morning and thank you for your time here. My name is Sam Wait and I'm representing balance track power as well. 01:14:40
And while I can't claim to have grown up in Wells County, I did grow up in central Illinois, not only service to share. 01:14:45
I deeply appreciate the need to preserve good agricultural land, and that need is stronger now more than ever. 01:14:53
However, this moratorium is going to negatively impact the projects. 01:14:59
But as has already been communicated, is going to benefit people. 01:15:04
Whose Land is Prime fit for Solar? 01:15:08
And to use the word of Commissioner Freeman, very compatible with what it is that you are looking for. 01:15:11
I don't want to give you information you already know and outline. 01:15:17
40 years worth of millions of dollars of tax credits that were tax revenue. Sorry, that will come into this county. 01:15:21
With these projects and more as the projects continue to be developed in this area. 01:15:28
This is information that you already have and doesn't deserve the time. 01:15:34
However, I'm very concerned. 01:15:38
That this moratorium will negatively impact all of the projects in this county. 01:15:41
As people hear that word, moratorium and they turn around and they run away. 01:15:45
I'll keep this short because. 01:15:52
If I want to make sure I'm respecting the time for the. 01:15:55
Presidents of Weld County. 01:15:58
But I want to make sure that we are properly thinking through. 01:16:00
The impacts as well as what the intention is. 01:16:06
The intention is to make sure that the projects that are moving forward in development are placed in compatible areas. I think 01:16:10
that is a process that can be accomplished through the systems that are currently in place. 01:16:15
Without a moratorium, that will scare away. 01:16:21
Potentially future millions and millions of dollars for this county. 01:16:24
And I hope. 01:16:28
That you're able to hear that from all of these people here today. Thank you for your time. Thank you. 01:16:29
The other question, Mr. Chair, excuse me if you don't mind. I have, I do have a question for you. Let's address the tax credits 01:16:34
and solar credits that you say you're coming to Well County, how does that benefit Well County tax revenue from the energy 01:16:40
generated And to speak to that more directly, if I'm being entirely honest, my role within balance right power is as a design 01:16:45
engineer. 01:16:50
So I'm. 01:16:56
Much more qualified to tell you about how the power is generated and the technology involved in that to get more details around 01:16:58
the tax credits and revenue that will come to the county itself. 01:17:03
I would like to defer to Mr. Moody here, who spoke earlier as a fellow representative of the same company. 01:17:08
Thank you. Any other public comment. 01:17:16
Good morning, Shane Edgington. I live in Windsor and for transparency Consultant and I represent several of the developers that 01:17:24
are working on solar projects in local county and around Colorado. 01:17:29
As you consider this moratorium. 01:17:37
I would caution the Commission on 3 levels. 01:17:40
First, the sort of. 01:17:45
Action moratorium. 01:17:47
It's typically not driven by the majority of public interest, it's driven by the squeaky wheel, personal interests and small 01:17:50
group. You shouldn't. You should be mindful of that as you consider this. 01:17:56
Moratoriums like this are historically anti business, anti revenue you've heard from. 01:18:04
Other developers are from the United Power. Very important. You haven't heard from anybody from Exile. I hope somebody is here, 01:18:12
but the key factor there is the timing of these. You heard United Powers deadlines Excel deadlines as they're considering projects 01:18:18
and there's a whole group of them. Meanwhile, County Excels guideline will be at the end of September. 01:18:25
A mother pointing like this will kill. 01:18:33
Most, if not all of those projects in consideration. 01:18:37
And speaking to the revenue issue, just property tax as a as a starter, the property taxes on a project and let's say 200 MW 01:18:41
project which is 1200 acres. 01:18:47
Millions like 10s and 20s and millions of dollars in tax revenue over the course of the project. 01:18:55
But there is an additional credits or anything on top of the property tax. 01:19:04
That I'm not aware of. Not that I'm aware. OK, I just make this right. Clarify. 01:19:08
2nd caution Is this right in an emergency? 01:19:14
You know, to do an emergency action like this, what I understood from Commissioner Freeman was we're trying to determine 01:19:19
subjectivity versus objectivity on compatibility. Well, what's changed? What counties? That's a pretty unique position to deal 01:19:24
with this sort of thing. 01:19:30
The the process is not in place and have been in place and you don't the industry that are already here, your processes are are 01:19:38
good enough to deal with this while you consider. 01:19:42
Why do you have stakeholder investment while you consider and try to come up with your objectivity? 01:19:47
But what's changed? What's the mergency right now? 01:19:52
Again, considering what's gonna happen to projects if more important goes in place. 01:19:56
I'm at a meeting if, if, if, if the Commission's gonna insist on moratorium. 01:20:02
It should be reasonable, in short. 01:20:10
Six months is too long again given the deadlines that that the developers and your utilities bumping up against. 01:20:13
And reasonableness, I think. 01:20:21
It would be very careful of what's your objective standards going to be and this is again the caution. This is for caution. 01:20:25
Moratoriums are happening all over the country. 01:20:37
And the reaction to those is what you should be concerned about the lot of. 01:20:40
Discussion about You don't want to be governed by Denver. 01:20:47
Yeah. 01:20:50
California put a lot more time in California counties put a lot more forums in. New York counties put a lot more emporiums. In, 01:20:52
most recently Illinois. The reaction to that was at the state level. The state came in and said OK. 01:20:59
If you're going to do this way, there's going to be state legislation governing the permitting projects like this. 01:21:07
Thermo is very good example, very similar, and the balance card guy can probably testify this. 01:21:15
Chicago runs the state politically. Lots of rural areas South of Chicago, people don't think about that. All the solar farms and 01:21:22
wind farms going in the rural areas, well, they start putting reforms in. Legislature came in and said, Nope, we're not gonna let 01:21:28
you do that here, You come in, you guys can force this, but here is the permanence. Here's your permanent process. I don't think 01:21:34
that's what you want here, but recognize your your current governor and your current administration and you can kind of see the 01:21:40
path. 01:21:46
My head down, so again I just caution you. 01:21:52
The more training Microsoft sends, a message anyway for more even lengthy moratorium is legislation in of itself. You need input 01:21:55
for that, and I understand you want to get to a point, but just be cautious about this if the terrible message is sent. 01:22:04
Thank you, Commissioner Davis. 01:22:13
Mr. Chairman, I just we discussed an emergency ordinance. I'm already have emergency loan, can we can have request 5 minutes to 01:22:15
reset please? 01:22:19
Commissioner. 01:22:26
OK, we're gonna go ahead and reconvene guys. 01:32:15
The other one. 01:32:20
Let's go, Let's go. Let's go ahead and reconvene. 01:32:21
Umm. 01:32:24
Excuse me, can I see a show hands? How many more people want to speak? 01:32:26
Yeah. 01:32:31
2. 01:32:32
Two more. OK, go ahead. Go ahead. We're just getting really far behind this morning. So I just wanted to kind of the frame from 01:32:33
where we're at because we'll get people that need to leave. So go ahead, Sherry, I couldn't. Morning, Mr. Chairman and Board. 01:32:39
Thank you. Thank you for your time this morning. So my name is Vince Green and Senior Director of Development for Light Source BP. 01:32:45
We have projects in Weld County that were that were actively developing. I think we recognize the concerns of of everyone here on 01:32:52
the board and in the community about about location, about sitting. I guess what I want to say is that you know we don't we we 01:33:00
definitely want to be a part of this stakeholder process. 01:33:07
So we're not moving our application forward until we've addressed everybody's concerns, the county's concerns and we plan to do 01:33:16
that in the stakeholder process. 01:33:21
And so we don't believe that a moratorium is necessary. 01:33:26
I think the 1041 right now protects protects the county from that and and I recognize that you know if we can't put together good 01:33:31
projects, they're just not going to get permitted. So we look forward to to working with you. We look forward to having to see the 01:33:37
table and I appreciate your time. Thank you. 01:33:43
OK. 01:33:51
Hello Breezy Carlson, I am actually from Lakewood, Co by pioneering a 15 year oil and gas attorney ironically enough, and I gave 01:33:55
this very similar testimony in Arapahoe County in support of oil and gas. 01:34:03
About a month ago and and just say I have no doubt in the fight would be a lie and unfair because just like Craig so many of our 01:34:11
skill sets are transferable and I am working for solar clients in solar space. I would also echo his sentiment that. 01:34:22
The land owners and constituents on both sides of this fine. 01:34:32
Finding suitable land uses is difficult and there is one of all of our favorite terms. But my testimony in front of an Apple hotel 01:34:37
and was less about actual land use and less about stakeholder concerns and more about liability for the county itself. I think 01:34:44
something really great to think about is the use of private property rights and then it actually does constitute a taking which is 01:34:51
supported in Boulder. 01:34:57
Yes, 10 year ago Boulder County had a moratorium on oil and gas. I don't know if any of you know, but some of the first ones were 01:35:05
killed in Boulder County. Boulder County roads to Amazon everyday. But we don't like House of fuels, right. So we're doing 01:35:11
accident more Torium and landowner was unable to lease their person and they could prove damages and Boulder County had to 01:35:17
compensate those damages. So I understand that you guys are faced with a lot of very difficult decisions and some feelings on 01:35:23
either side of the aisle. 01:35:28
Welcome billing that has been removed, reasonable chance to work with, and I do believe that to avoid liability, you have existing 01:35:35
avenues to deal with these challenges in place. 01:35:42
You approve them on that space, but you'll be most capable of doing so. 01:35:50
And as such, I would make the argument that there are solutions outside of a moratorium. 01:35:56
And a moratorium would single handedly open the country up to unnecessary liability. 01:36:02
Thank you. 01:36:10
OK. 01:36:12
Is there is there any other public input? 01:36:12
OK, seeing none, we'll go ahead and close public input and bring it back to the board for discussion. 01:36:17
Commissioner James, thank you and thank you all for for coming to Test 5 certainly heard you. 01:36:23
Let's let's be candid about the crux of of why we're even having this conversation. 01:36:30
Many of us don't like the mandates that come out of the gold Dome. 01:36:36
But it's it's my, in the interest of Full disclosure, my college roommate Troy Whitmore said. And I'll say much more colorful you 01:36:41
than you, Mr. Lavender shirt. Don't hate the player, hate the game. 01:36:46
It is the rules by which they have been given that they're playing within. 01:36:52
I would agree with that. 01:36:57
The. 01:36:59
I I wanna echo on on the comment by one of the gentlemen, what is the emergency that we're trying to address? 01:37:01
The the market has been created, artificial or not, but it's been created and the players are playing the game. 01:37:10
So therefore, there is is a rush to come to Weld County, to do what Weld County's best known for, and that's defined a way and and 01:37:17
to to foster. 01:37:22
Economic opportunity and and development. 01:37:27
I understand the consternation. I share it quite frankly of. 01:37:32
Put an objectivity to compatibility. 01:37:37
Because the bottom line on some of these massive facilities. 01:37:41
You know we've heard about multi thousands of acres in testimony today. The bottom line on some of these nasty facilities is the 01:37:45
impact that creates our neighbors. 01:37:49
And they are industrial in nature. So how can one gain a foothold on compatibility and I think that's the conversation that we. 01:37:53
We've all had on this board of County Commissioners is how do we get to compatibility. 01:38:00
And then is it subjective merely to the? To the wind, to the neighbors? Can we put some objective criteria in with compatibility? 01:38:06
But frankly, we have known about this for months. 01:38:10
And the onus is on us. 01:38:16
To develop that that criteria and to to take a look at our code. 01:38:19
And we have not acted. 01:38:23
So I agree with the comments of of where is is the emergency. 01:38:26
We have some. We have protection and our 1041 authority. 01:38:32
It is. 01:38:38
Something that I extremely struggle with. The word moratorium and well county should not collide in the same sentence. 01:38:40
And uh. 01:38:48
That's my thoughts, Mr. Chair, Mr. Chair. 01:38:50
Mr. Ross. 01:38:53
I wanna, I guess, echo some of the comments of Commissioner James. First of all, I got to thank some of you for speaking directly. 01:38:55
If I didn't get to talk to you, I want to thank everyone for for speaking. It does take courage to step in front of that 01:38:59
microphone. 01:39:03
And share your concerns. 01:39:07
Umm. 01:39:10
We do have. 01:39:14
An issue in my. 01:39:16
Opinion. And that's getting to that. 01:39:20
Objectivity over subjectivity when we're considering those cases because. 01:39:24
While it is a right to own that land, to change that use. 01:39:29
Has to be scrutinized so that we aren't providing or causing harm. Excuse me. 01:39:35
To others. 01:39:40
Surrounding that potential land use. 01:39:42
And so that's why we take this. I think so. 01:39:44
Um. 01:39:47
So seriously. 01:39:49
Uh. 01:39:50
Now I completely agree with you. We've known about this for months. 01:39:51
And it's it's It needs to be acted upon because as the. 01:39:56
Time comes for Excel or others that they're having their threshold and timeline done for releasing these projects. 01:40:02
We're coming up against it and I think maybe that's where the heart of the emergency inside of this. 01:40:09
I came from so that we have the opportunity or or or understanding out there that. 01:40:15
There is something that needs to be fixed. It's not quite. 01:40:20
Right in these large scale solar projects over 160 acres that go through this 1041 process. 01:40:24
I don't like moratoriums, I. 01:40:34
I'm of a business mindset. I don't think they're healthy for anyone, whether that's a. 01:40:37
Municipality and county, state, I really don't care because now you're playing in the free market enterprise and you are. 01:40:45
Interfering with that and I think that's detrimental on on many means what I did here today in a lot of the. 01:40:53
Comments is. 01:41:01
Ohh. 01:41:03
I'll come with partners because everybody in here have you as a partner. 01:41:04
Recognizes that, yeah, we want to do this the right way. Let's get to the right. 01:41:07
Let's get to the right solution. We're just in a time crunch. 01:41:13
To do that. Um, but I'm not in favor of moratoriums. 01:41:17
I guess that's my two cents for now. I can chime in later. Thank you so much for saying that. We have a different definition of 01:41:23
partnership or surprising them, but I think it's important in these contentious situations. 01:41:28
To reveal bias when it is a legislative body, when we're sitting and writing law, which is code. 01:41:34
And then this dismissed that bias. 01:41:39
But it conflicts with principle and I support obvious oil and gas for obvious reasons that is more energy dense than renewables. 01:41:42
And one Gas is important for the foreseeable future. We can't live without it. And that provides a future that provides prosperity 01:41:48
for our Weld County citizens. 01:41:53
The cost of energy. 01:41:57
And the reliability of energy affects the cost of everything in our lives, from transportation of goods and services to medicines 01:41:59
and to safety equipment. 01:42:03
And spending our energy choices isn't accepted and lawful choice under this market, as Commissioner James has said, and we have 01:42:07
Sevier Energy choice at the state capital. 01:42:12
And a moratorium, no matter how long we'll make our witness and testimony at that state capital diminished. 01:42:18
And while no market is completely free of regulations. 01:42:24
Um. 01:42:27
Especially for public safety and welfare, we should adhere to the major, major principles of our party, which includes limited 01:42:28
government, free markets, personal responsibility and fiscal responsibility, and more time on energy development where there's oil 01:42:32
and gas. 01:42:37
Or his other energy development that none of those principles instead of message to all industries that if they don't like 01:42:41
something personally and have it a bias that we act upon that sends a message we may not be business friendly for anyone. 01:42:47
And won't anyway, is to work with business owners, not surprise them. 01:42:55
We have the capability of solving these problems without moratorium. Oil and gas moratoriums and other municipalities here in Weld 01:42:59
County have driven business and development away from those same towns. 01:43:04
And I am also concerned we are not using code criteria and comments today saying industrial looking or too big which can trigger a 01:43:09
106 action later and clearly diminish public trust as as this board as being arbitrary and precious and it also object to using a 01:43:16
definition of emergency which is also arbitrary and capricious. Stay considered, we surprise stakeholders. 01:43:23
And that these projects are limited by the building and grades of transmission lines in the upcoming years. 01:43:30
As a matter of protecting agriculture. 01:43:35
Which is something we all want to do as a matter of private property rights. If we have the right to farm, then it stands. 01:43:38
So the property owner also has the right not to farm. 01:43:45
I heard the farmer turned down that they may even have water rights tied to his property. He was told by this board he needs to do 01:43:49
something else to keep it agricultural. 01:43:52
If we are inserting ourselves. 01:43:57
Ladies and gentlemen. 01:44:00
And forcing people to produce or not produce in a certain way, be it agriculture or energy, we have become the monsters we say we 01:44:01
are fighting. 01:44:05
Urgent no vote. 01:44:11
Well, my only comment is, yeah, I think I've heard several times today, moratorium is just death. 01:44:15
To an industry and it's I don't think any of us ever want to put death to any industry. 01:44:22
My feeling is that I'm not sure we. 01:44:29
I and and I it's just a humble approach of trying to encourage solar and well county and we're doing the best and so we came out 01:44:34
strong and and wanted to have all energies to rise to the top. I'm not sure that where we are with our planning department where 01:44:40
we're at prime time. 01:44:46
And so I'm kind of would like to call it a pause, but that's not what we're addressing today. So I'm conflicted. I'm not. And our 01:44:53
planning department does an incredible job, no question about it. But. 01:44:59
We are still so new to this whole solar industry and. 01:45:06
I. 01:45:11
I mean, agriculture is everything to Weld County. That's what makes us so unique and and what I'm so proud of. But again. 01:45:14
These. 01:45:22
You know there's there's property out there that absolutely is perfect for for solar and I wouldn't want to do anything to to not 01:45:24
encourage that. So I as much as I. 01:45:29
And don't like the word moratorium, but I don't know if we can use a pause because I'm just not sure we are completely have done 01:45:35
all of our due diligence to make sure we are so ready for, you know, so many thousands of acres of solar. 01:45:43
OK, so and and I completely agree with the rest of you, I hate that. I hate the the, the, the, the idea of a moratorium on 01:45:53
anything. 01:45:57
Not if we've got to have a way to be objectively and not just subjective, say it's too big or it's whatever, because there's too 01:46:31
many houses around. It's a subjective type decision. That's what I think that we've been trying to get to you and and put in the 01:46:39
code for certain things. We don't have these conversations since the beginning of the year. I think about how do we get some 01:46:46
things in place that give us some more objectivity on on on compatibility, because you know, there is, there is compatibility. 01:46:54
Quite honestly, is is extremely subjective. And so that puts us in, it puts us in a bit, puts us in our place. I don't know if I'm 01:47:02
that confusion, but I'd like to just pause and all of us have a stakeholder meeting and work together so that we can get to the 01:47:07
spot where we're sitting, these things, where they make sense and we'll count. That's that's my goal. My goal is to not stop large 01:47:13
facilities. 01:47:18
That's never been my attempt. I'm not biased against, sorry, I'm I voted for every, every, so, every solar project that's coming 01:47:23
from us, which has been in the 20s, twenty 5 probably. And there's been two that we've built over that period of time, one about 01:47:29
2019 and one recently that we thought wasn't compatible because of the surrounding neighborhoods. Other than that, I've supported 01:47:35
every one of them. We plan to continue to do that, but we've got to be in a place where we can do this, where you have the right 01:47:41
to do what. 01:47:47
Tell to do on your own property, but you also do not have the right to impact all the neighbors around it, but nobody really does 01:47:53
impact them. 01:47:57
And it doesn't work and it does look industrial. There's no way that you can say that it doesn't look like an industrial site. So 01:48:02
we just gotta have these things in the right place. I don't know the right answer, guys, on how we, how we pause and we get to 01:48:07
that spot and loads or more time or whether it's whatever it is. But there's got to be a way that we aren't getting a position 01:48:13
where we've got applications coming forward in places that don't make sense. 01:48:19
Jeremy and submits. 01:48:27
That we remove. 01:48:29
This moratorium from the agenda and scheduled work session immediately. 01:48:31
Whether that's today or in the next couple of days or next week, I don't know procedurally if we can remove some. It's already 01:48:36
been approved. We have to been approved for no vote then, well, you've asked for it. 01:48:41
So any other comments? There's one other thing. Yes, Emergency ordinance need four of five commissioners to vote for it. 01:48:48
Mr. Chair, yes, I'm gonna move for denial of the emergency ordinance for reasons previously stated. 01:49:00
But I am going to direct our planning department. 01:49:08
This problem has to get solved, and we're looking at a short window, so I mean that same time frame we're talking about. 01:49:11
Uh. 01:49:17
Coming to a solution that was asked for through this moratorium request, I think that's what I would direct as far as stakeholder 01:49:18
meetings and getting the process. 01:49:24
Continuing to be refined and revised so that we do the large scale solar facilities. 01:49:30
Properly for Weld County, so I'm going to move for denial, but direct planning to do what was requested through the. 01:49:36
They did not bear that. 01:49:45
Process check it. 01:49:46
It's been moved and seconded to. 01:49:49
Come. 01:49:51
Deny the Emergency Code Ordinance 2023 Dash 08. Is there any further discussion Commission? Read the comment and I and I 01:49:53
understand. I appreciate Bruce's work and I understand. 01:49:57
The passion that's involved in getting to the objectivity of of compatibility, and that's conversation we need to have. 01:50:02
I'm going to look at my friend Tom Barco immediately, just as soon as we can. 01:50:10
But more time and well, county should not collide in the same sense. 01:50:16
And and I don't, I don't disagree with that and so I will actually be supporting your motion as well. And and with the with the 01:50:20
understanding that we get on this immediately, we schedule a work session next week and we get and we get stakeholder meetings 01:50:26
scheduled within the next within the next two weeks and we get something in place so that we've got objectivity that we can put 01:50:32
into our code within the next 60 days. That's that would be what I would be directing our planning department to to to be able to 01:50:38
to accomplish. 01:50:44
I agree with all that's been said. 01:50:52
OK. Any further discussion? 01:50:54
OK. With that all in favor, Aye, opposed. 01:50:56
Motion carries. Thanks. 01:51:00
Actually. 01:51:03
Thanks, Bruce. Thank you, Bruce. Good luck, good luck. So we do have one last thing and that is for the agenda this morning that's 01:51:05
public comment. This would be public comment on anything that is not already previously been on our agenda. So any other public 01:51:10
comment. 01:51:16
Can you read address? 01:51:22
You brought some more back, so I'd like. I've got a couple of things I'd like to say. Go ahead. 01:51:24
Hello. 01:51:34
Regarding this regarding solar, yes, OK, real quickly if you don't mind Sir, you do. I need to restate name and address and all 01:51:38
that. Take Glenn Neal 46508 will convert 184657641018. 01:51:44
It's in regards to your statement. 01:51:51
Looking at the company that I'm dealing with and your your concern is with neighbors. If you look at that block of ground. 01:51:53
It was great to see what their contract says. We talked. 01:52:02
And we all agree that it fit the area, yeah. 01:52:05
OK, so. 01:52:08
And I'm gonna say this, not wanting to offend you. We don't need your input. 01:52:10
Without the taxes. 01:52:15
We are students of the ground. I told you that I put my sandwich back in the grass. 01:52:16
The other one that Mister Gabriel and the other one with that instruct. 01:52:22
We talked. 01:52:25
Thought it fit the area. 01:52:27
So I guess when it comes to that point. 01:52:29
Be considerate of our. 01:52:33
You know what we feel. 01:52:35
Because with the tax increases that we've had. 01:52:37
For Pete's sake. 01:52:41
I don't need somebody that's gonna charge me to oversee what I'm doing. I live out there. You don't. 01:52:43
No, it would fit, yeah. 01:52:48
Yeah, go ahead. 01:52:51
I I get what you're saying and and you and your developer have done the responsible thing of reaching out to your neighbors. 01:52:53
And what you're finding when you're doing that right is you're finding how do we make this project. 01:53:00
Compatible with our surrounding neighbors, so that. 01:53:05
They agree, yes, it too should have this use in it, right when we talk about compatibility. 01:53:08
That's what we're trying to get through and that's that partnership there. 01:53:13
Now uh. 01:53:17
We have to make sure it be. I don't know what analogy to use here, right? There's not a perfect analogy, but. 01:53:19
There is a reason why we have compatibility, right? And it's no different than changing land use for anything else. I mean, if we 01:53:28
wanted to put up a rock stage, like a rock band playing right next to your house, you may not find that compatible, right? Maybe 01:53:34
you do, maybe you haven't, you know. Right. I'm deaf, so I wouldn't hear, OK. But. But that's why we have to go through that 01:53:40
process because that change of land use. 01:53:46
Isn't a guarantee, right. And that's why we're here. But we do appreciate you and those responsible developers who are here today. 01:53:52
Right. Right. Are going through that process. OK. That's at least for me. I can't speak on behalf of anybody else. And there were 01:53:58
other comments that I would mention that's exactly, that's exactly right. And if you know the day, so. 01:54:04
My concern is that you have our solar facility that comes through. And so everything that needs our code except that you've got 25 01:54:12
neighbors that are in here just losing their mind over the fact that that's not a compatible place. And it's subjective to for us 01:54:17
to say, well, it's not everything in our code except that everybody that surrounds us is not in favor. That's where we struggle 01:54:23
with compatibility and that's why I made the statement I did. My neighbors are literally powered spray dogs and Addison get it. 01:54:29
That's why. 01:54:35
There's nobody else. That's why they should be in those people should be in the everything I forgot when I was up here is for the 01:54:41
excellent energy line that I believe you're talking about is north and is compatible with most of the companies that are in our 01:54:46
area a lot along with within 4 miles. And I believe it's the one that comes out of Piney and brushes to the South. They did their 01:54:52
homework, they really good. 01:54:57
Did you listen? 01:55:04
OK. Any other public comment? 01:55:05
Please be brief because we are way behind. 01:55:13
Well, we're that. 01:55:16
OK, Edward Wayne Grant. I'm a local Greeley guy. My father worked for Home right Power Company 2 years before World War 2 and 40 01:55:18
years afterwards it became Public Service Company of Colorado, now Excel Energy. I am one of their stockholders. 01:55:26
OK, I am on. A lot of their engineers over the years, Richard Fairley, Richard Brown, General Hawk, all of these people were were 01:55:35
managers when they were taking over Excel Energy. Even back then, after my father's been dead for 10 years, they were worried 01:55:42
about cars like the battery car, the Tesla and all that stuff. If everybody plugged in their car tonight, the whole grid go down. 01:55:50
Transformers would blow all over town. That was the concern and the tribute they had an article about how much energy we get. 01:55:57
Cool natural gas, oil and so on. Renewables are very, not very big. Part of that Excel Energy is having I get the bulletins. 01:56:05
They're having a very hard time getting quotes from Wyoming, buying enough natural gas and all that kind of stuff to do all these 01:56:11
projects to keep, make sure when you flip the switch, these lights come on. That's the problem. That's going to be a problem. It's 01:56:17
going to get worse and worse and worse. Thank you. Thank you. 01:56:22
Mr. Chairman, I know you're behind. 01:56:30
I applaud you for taking the approach that you've taken. 01:56:33
I think it sends the right message. 01:56:37
Whether it's legacy development? 01:56:39
For the new renewable. 01:56:42
So thank you for the approach that you thank. Thank you, Steve. Thank you Proactive. 01:56:45
We support business. 01:56:52
Attitude that resonates in this community and in this county will continue to do so because of the show. Thank you. Thank you, 01:56:54
thank you. Mr. Teeks, quickly, please. 01:57:00
I'm just doing 3 out of four then. 01:57:07
For the record, my name is Steve Cheeseman Greeley Number one is Life Care. Nursing Home is having to sell 25th. 01:57:15
Yeah, celebration. 01:57:24
Next Thursday from 2:00 to 6:00. So anybody? I'm sure they love to have some more people attend. 01:57:27
So that's the positive news I got. 01:57:37
OK I got in the mail is this. 01:57:41
Proposition H My notice in your agenda last week you talked about this. Unfortunately I wasn't here, but. 01:57:46
He says it's unconstitutional and must take the way the tax refund check and all that other stuff. And one other thing on this, it 01:57:58
says that there's some counties joining the lawsuit now. Since we're going to either say nay or yay for this, I don't think we 01:58:06
need to see in a teleport. Counties are something I would recommend before you think of getting on the line. Let's wait until 01:58:13
voters decide before we do that. 01:58:21
And my third thing is. 01:58:29
Since Commissioner James is a nice guy, I'm going to ask him a question. Always me tease me. 01:58:32
I wasn't able to make the NCO because of the rain and all that and I didn't want to get stuck and had to walk on the other side of 01:58:39
green. Could you give a general synopsis of that meeting, Sir? Sure. I just a bit of our conversation. We've heard reports about 01:58:45
the Front Range passenger rail a little bit. We heard a report from the deputy director of the Colorado Department of 01:58:51
Transportation Hermit Stocking or was there Herman spoke to us about the process that we're going through with the amendments that 01:58:57
was on. 01:59:03
Nashville 1101 this year that basically deals with instructing the transportation Commission to look at the boundary lines of 01:59:09
transportation planning regions. So we talked about the the, the process it's going to be instituted there, but also talked about 01:59:14
our our plan. 01:59:20
To have 10 year plan anymore, but it's it's kind of the 2050 vision per se and the projects that were put on that. 01:59:27
I am excited to see a lot of the focus going to 234 and and yes there continues to be a conversation about transit that about how 01:59:33
that will interact with with the 34 as we move forward on that I'm sorry, go move the question, I was at the City Council meeting 01:59:39
agreement last night and. 01:59:46
Councilman Olson said something about a that the state was having people at different different cities and all that and the public 01:59:53
meeting. 02:00:00
That he said something about trying to get them to come up here. Do you know anything about that? Yeah, yeah, it is. And I. 02:00:08
Is Elizabeth here can iPhone a friend It is has to do with the a transit outreach that they're doing and and Councillor Olson 02:00:17
along with Commissioner James referred to myself in the third person are big advocates in trying to get to that organization to 02:00:23
come up here and hear from greatly with transit in inputs and so that's that's our goal is to get one of those meetings out of the 02:00:29
metro area and and into other colors. I agree with that. 02:00:35
If you so choose please. Thank you. I just want to make one comment, let me initiate. So we are not going to join the lawsuit, but 02:00:43
we did pass the proposition, proposition in opposition to HR. So you're aware we're. 02:00:49
To that proposition that we are supporting the lawsuit now its tenants because I was told it's too late to join as a plaintiff on 02:00:57
that lawsuit, although I hope we can in the future. 02:01:01
And then just another question. I'm sorry, Sir, is that? 02:01:07
It it says how is it unconstitutional and this is what I guess my last question is I can respond to that courts determine whether 02:01:15
that's something is unconstitutional that board county commissioners. So I just. 02:01:22
The subject that's their argument that makes it unconstitutional. It's it's self-evident. It's unconstitutional because we have 02:01:30
several things including Tabor in our Constitution ***** and read for themselves. That's why constitution is written the way they 02:01:36
are, including the violation of single subject rule. That particular bill that passed the last minute had four subjects in there. 02:01:41
Plus the title is very deceptive. 02:01:46
And we should not be deceiving the taxpayers that would have been not accepted at the title board. But the since the state 02:01:52
legislature has the majority on both sides, they get to determine what's deceptive or not. 02:01:58
OK. Thank you. OK. 02:02:05
Anything else? OK, seeing no further business. We are adjourned. We're going to take 5 minutes and then we do have A and then we 02:02:07
do have a show cause hearing and I believe we've got a couple of landing places. 02:02:12
So can we take? 02:02:17
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