Prowers Commissioners OK Planning Commission Members, Carnival Contract, 911 Observance Location

Prowers County Courthouse

The Prowers County Commissioners covered a range of agenda items during their regular meeting, Thursday, January 17.  The commissioners gave a verbatim approval for the annual contract between the Fair Board and Crabtree Amusements, ensuring the carnival will be in town for the Sand and Sage Fair this year.  Cindy Bennett, Fair Board member, said the contract is identical to last year’s. 

Susan Crites, Prowers County Historical Society President, brought the commissioners up to date on developments for the museum webpage and received the go-ahead to pursue, without incurring any obligation or cost, an energy audit at the museum for heat and air conditioning improvements.   

Marsha Willhite, Holly Administrator, met with the commissioners to discuss their future support on the town’s behalf, with Holly’s dealing with the state on new landfill compliance regulations.  Willhite briefed the Holly Trustees on the matter earlier in the month, saying she would meet with the commissioners to discuss what support they could offer to prevent the extra paperwork from being enacted. 

Last year’s salute to 9/11 first responders and veterans will be repeated this coming September, but not at the county courthouse.  Doug Harbour of Voices of Southeast Colorado organized the first event last year and discussed moving the observance to the Prowers County Fairgrounds for a September 14 event.  The commissioners verbally agreed to waive the user’s fee for the fairgrounds for the event as the request did not officially appear on their listed meeting agenda.  Harbour plans to make the event more regional in scope, extending beyond organizations in the county. 

Three persons were appointed to the Prowers County Planning Commission.  David Emick was appointed to fill Jim Peterson’s seat until 2014.  Two other members, Randy Dunning and Sharon Hiner were reappointed to new terms. 

The commissioners spent some time discussing some operation changes for PATS, Prowers Area Transit Service, with director, Darren Glover.  One dealt with the daily cash handling policy of the transit service.  Another dealt with a policy change for no-show riders.  “We’re seeing a very large increase in the number of calls for service and then the rider never shows up,” explained Glover.  He said numbers have gone from 500 to about 1100 in the past year, simply because there are no consequences to the caller when they request service and then renege.  Glover proposed a policy in which repeaters receive a 90 day suspension from PATS services.  The cost of after hours service was discussed with Byron Hall, Chief Probation Officer of the 15^th Judicial District.  Hall requested PATS be available for transport for DUI offenders who need to attend court ordered classes.  He explained that because most have no licenses, and the classes are held after 5pm, PATS could help get people back to their homes.  Glover explained the additional costs would come from using a driver, vehicle and dispatcher, about $600 more a month, which was outside his budget limits.  All parties said they’d explore other alternatives to meeting the need for transportation and hold a future meeting.  Glover also mentioned, PATS had 161 riders for their New Year’s Eve service. 

The County Welnet Contract, as presented by Lisa McCullough, Public Health and Environment Account, was approved for a software program which will track student data relating to their general health developments.  The contract applies to Granada, Holly and Wiley schools, as the Lamar district is using their own program.  The LiveWell contract for 2013 continues to be tabled, pending additional review by the commissioners.

By Russ Baldwin