Posted on: July 31st, 2012

GOLD HILL TOWN MEETING NEWSLETTER

Minutes of the June 11th, 2012, Town Meeting

 

Next Town Meeting is Monday, August 13th, 2012, 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center.   ELECTIONS!

 

Chair Amy Hardy called the meeting to order.  Nineteen people were there: Carlos Boveres and Pamela Maston (summer visitors), Kris Gibson, Pam Sherman, Steffi Wilson, Kelley Kohl, Karen Simmons, Bobby Vrba, Debra Yeager, Adriana Galue, Susan Fernalld, Bear Carlson, Michael Albes, Bret Gibson, Edie Eilender, Amy Hardy, Gretchen Diefenderfer, Mark Jordahl and Kristin Cannon attended.

 

Minutes– Minutes of the April 19^th meeting were amended.  The Forest Mgmt. discussion was corrected to say that the Fire Ban signage at the Firebarn was not very noticeable (not the Fire Danger Rating sign).  The minutes were than approved.

 

Treasurer’s Report – Adriana reports that our current balance is $20,085.90.  A full accounting is available in the Town of Gold Hill website (https://goldhilltown.com/)

 

Fire Fund                        13,331.10                        Cemetery Fund            3,595.20

General Fund                          2,433.30                        Community Planning                 82.00

Forest Mgmt                               75.20                        Weed Mgmt                           526.70

Historic Zoning                   11.20                        Trails                                         31.30

 

Expenses from the General Fund included $154.40 for Web hosting/domain and $30.00 for the Safety deposit box.  Income into the Cemetery Fund included $33.00 from Luzie Mason.  There were no changes in the other funds since the last report.

 

Guest Speakers – Our normal agenda was changed to allow 2 guest speakers – Kristin Cannon from the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Bret Gibson, Chief of the Fourmile Department – to make presentations before our regular committee reports commenced.

Kristin Cannon, Colo. Div. of Wildlife, came mainly to talk about dealing with bears and to answer any questions.  It could be a bad year for bear activity.  It’s been dry and their food sources are diminished, so we could see more conflicts.  A shed might not be adequate protection for garbage, for instance.  She recommends we all be extra cautious.

If a bear is coming close repeatedly or has gotten into buildings or a house, we need to take action.  Please contact her: Phone 303-291-7117, cell 303-877-6094, or email kristin.cannon@nullstate.co.us.  They have rubber buckshot as well as an electric mat or a mat with nails (an un-welcome mat).  They can supply a fact sheet on how to build these and have some to lend.  We need to create a negative association for the bear.  In answer to Kris Gibson’s question, she said that,“Yes, if nothing bad happens, bear activity can escalate.”  Bears do tend to be afraid of dogs, but will attack if cornered.  We could consider electric fencing also.  They apparently don’t like the smell of ammonia – soaked rags may work to repel them.  Bears are what Pepper Spray was designed for, but it’s for a very close bear.  Deb Yeager has heard that red pepper flakes can be added to bird food – the birds don’t mind, but bears do.

Kris asked where do they draw the line on putting a bear down.  If a person is injured, probably, or if a bear breaks into a house they will want to trap them.  Relocation in our area is not practical.  If you really don’t want a bear trapped, do all you can to not attract one.  This includes garbage, birdfeeders, hummingbird feeders, or food left out for dogs, etc.

Regarding fox, they do get habituated to people.  They are probably healthy if they are alert and active.  If one has distemper, it will be drunk looking.  Don’t feed them!  It’s not specifically illegal, but it is not legal to put out food and could attract coyotes and bears as well.

Rabies?  Bats transmit rabies from bat to bat, and they have seen skunks in Larimer and Weld Counties with rabies, but not in Boulder County.  She has not heard of any others except bats.

 

Bret Gibson. Fourmile Fire Chief, came to talk about SafeSite, our community evacuation plan, and to express support from Fourmile.  Gold Hill has been awarded a Tuffshed® to store emergency equipment in.  Mike Chard of OEM wrote a grant for us because we are in a position for possibly cold, wet, muddy, upset people to evacuate to Gold Hill from lower areas, i.e., Fourmile, which could have a lot of people needing a place to go in case of flooding/debris flows, or some other emergency. The barn is now wired with a powerful antenna for our local ham radio organizations (BCARES = Boulder County Amateur Radio Emergency System, as well as MERN = Mountain Emergency Radio Network) to help with communication – a great secondary system.  Bret stressed that the Fourmile Fire Department can handle 99% of incidents and initial attacks.  In an evacuation, however, it takes a day to set up the Red Cross, so the idea was developed to have a place uphill – SafeSite – for people to go, be safe and warm, and to get information. “So, your SafeSite rocks!”

The Incident Action Plan predicts possible flooding for 5 to 10 years in the burn area.  He is making a donation to our SafeSite effort of $200.00.  Our efforts at a community level to preplan for floods after a fire are a novel idea and getting attention at a national level.  There were 3 recipients of the Tuffsheds: Gold Hill, Ward, and Sunshine at Fire Station 2.  He said, however, it’s not the building, but the people who are willing to show up.  They are working on activation protocols – how we’re called and how we’ll need to respond.  Lots of others have volunteered to provide food and houses to stay in also.  People could need a place for more than 6 hours.  Another Safesite meeting will be called when the supplies arrive and the protocols are set up.

Pam Sherman expressed thanks to Amy and Deb for their efforts as well as BCARES and Fourmile.

Bret added that there are 25 people trained as ham radio operators and there will be another training here if more people are interested.  The ham radio network lost Federal support in 1990 because it was thought that cellular communication would take its place.  Than 9/11 happened and all the cell calls collapsed the system.  The ham world has had an amazing rebirth.  Chris Finn donated all the old fire radios to the effort.  And we also have a high-powered generator to power the Firebarn and the ham radio antenna.

Bret then gave us a rundown on the High Park Fire.

SafeSite – Amy reported that the Mountain Mayors Meeting (Gold Hill, Nederland, Ward, Jamestown, etc.) meets monthly to continue emergency preparedness planning and it’s been going well.

She added that she would like to structure SafeSite under the Town Meeting, appoint a committee, and use the Community Center.  We will probably need a bank of lights stored in the shed and there may be a few more costs.  The donation from Fourmile would be kept in a separate fund in the town account.  We will need a toilet we can use.  We are not allowed to use the bathroom in the Firebarn downstairs because of liability issues.  Her goal is to go to a Fire Board meeting and present a number of solutions – perhaps a portable toilet in the interim – an outhouse on top of the cistern has been suggested as well as an entrance to the bathroom from the back of the Firebarn.  Gretchen moved that we put SafeSite under the Gold Hill Town Meeting as a standing committee and keep all funds in a separate fund.  Bear seconded and it passed unanimously.

 

Community Planning & Trails – no report.

 

Historical Zoning – Bear reports that there is no activity.  The Brookharts are still in limbo.

 

Forest Management/CWPP – Kris reports that she is reaching out to Boulder County for map support to update our CWPP and there has been some progress.  The next USFS fuels reduction project is out at the Switzerland trail and County 52 around the Fen.  There will be another date set up to meet with US Forest Service Forester Kevin Zimlinghaus,  and to meet the new District Ranger, Sylvia Clark.

 

Fire Department – Gretchen will have her notes out soon. Adriana reports that she has created a new website for the FD, because the old one collapsed, as well as Twitter and Facebook accounts and a new mailing list.  She also added links from other FDs that should be helpful.  It’s in a WordPress format under goldhillfire.org. The new board is working to get organized.  They have changed the meeting time to 7:00 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month.  She wants to bring up an initiative to have their minutes posted on their website.  She encouraged people to show up at FB meetings.  She supports the use of this space, the Community Center, as an important asset to this town.

It is still unclear how public input will be handled, but the fireboard is a governmental entity there to serve the people.  Board members can put any item on the agenda.

Bear added that he has been helping Kris with grant writing.  They are re-writing the grant for SCBA.  They got some good help from Ted Young, a representative of FEMA and are pretty optimistic.

 

Weed Management – Susan reports that the money in the weed fund is from selling wildflower seeds (cheers).  Steffi reports that Dan Gretz has received word from Ryan Ludlow, BoCo Forestry Education and Outreach Coordinator, that we have received a chipping grant of $3000.00 toward 40% of chipping costs.

Deb inquired about weeding the town garden in front of the Firebarn.  Susan answered that 3 of us “old ladies” had been doing it and had turned it over to the FD.  Chris has found someone, John Merims, to do it this year and Chris will wet the area down so it can be weeded.  She added that there are lots of weeds in the fire area, but also lots of native plants have recovered.  For weed questions call Susan: 447-0634.

 

Historic Gold Hill – Gretchen reports that we’re aiming for 4^th of July for the GH calendar.

 

Mining – Gretchen reports that she ran into Mark Steen at the Mill and asked him what’s happening up there now, but he’s not talking.

 

GH School – no report.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Town Clean-up – Gretchen reports that it’s scheduled for Sunday, June 24^th.  Amy, Steffi and Susan volunteered to help.

 

Welcome Bucket – Deb reports that she’s put together lots of information, coupons, an ornament from Nancy Mason, a sesquicentennial travel mug, mints from Deb St.Clair, and hot sauce from Leland and Caroline.  The Gold Hill Club has donated $100 toward the effort.  She asked how far back she should go to identify new people for the buckets and it was decided that anyone who came here in 2011 and 2012 should receive one.  Deb thanked Caroline for the artwork, and we all thank Deb for her initiative and hard work.

 

Cemetery – Karen brought up the need to repair the fence and the sign.  Kris said she will contact Bob Walter, Chair of the Cemetery Committee, and let him know this will come up at the next GHTM.

 

NEW BUSINESS

SafeSite – Amy is researching the liability limits of our current policy for the Community Center.  She will be bring SafeSite and other uses of the Community Center, as well as options for public facilities, to the Fireboard.  The Town Meeting has expressed willingness to contribute to upkeep and costs for the Community Center, and she will bring this up again, too.  Our information is that the SafeSite project cannot happen in the School because of liability issues.  Her goal is an amiable working relationship between the board and the town.  Another suggested potential town contribution to the FD included a recycling system.  It was suggested that the entrance to the CC is dangerous and slippery in the winter and if the exit were changed to the South vs. the North, it would melt out better.

 

Chainsaw Class – Kris announced that there would be a chainsaw class here in Gold Hill on Aug. 4.  Contact Kris for information.

 

Community Center Floor – Michael brought up that last summer he recommended the floor be repainted.  It was decided to do this with volunteers, which has not happened, so he would propose that we hire professionals to get it done.  This is another issue that needs to be brought to the Fireboard.

Respectfully submitted, Gretchen Diefenderfer, Secretary