Posted on: November 24th, 2014

GOLD HILL TOWN MEETING NEWSLETTER

Minutes of the October 13, 2014, Town Meeting

Next Town Meeting is Monday, December 8, 2014, 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center

The meeting was called to order by Chair Peter Swift.  Thirteen people were present: Michael Albes, Cherry Sand, Dina Elder, Pam Sherman, Lacey Story, Chrissy McCaul, Bobby and Member-at-Large Tony Vrba, Peter, Vice-Chair Bear Carlson, Treasurer Martha Knapp, Debra Yeager and Secretary Gretchen Diefenderfer.

Minutes were approved as published.

Treasurer’s Report – Martha reported : At the previous Town Meeting in August our bank balance was 16,815.23. Since then, $1525.71 was added and $1131.85 disbursed resulting in a new balance of $17,209.09. An additional $1500 being held for us at the Ward Church for the Community Relief Fund brings our cash assets to $18,709.09.

Activity includes the following:

The annual Gold Rush fundraising event netted $1155.71 for the General Fund. T-shirt and mug sales generated $70.  General expenses include $8.88 for a duplicate lock box key. The General Fund now stands at $3965.56.

At the last meeting a motion passed to transfer $4500 from the Community Relief Fund account to the Safe Link account for use for the community Air Link project. That brings the Community Relief Fund to $7491.95 including funds held at the Ward Community Church. Expenses for the Air Link project totaled $1122.97 bringing the Safe Link account balance to $3547.25.

The Cemetery Fund received $300 bringing its balance to $3610.21.  The remaining active account, Forest Management, saw no activity and stands at $94.12.

Community Planning/Trails – no report

Historical Zoning – Bear reported that The Committee did a site visit for Michelle Bar-Evan’s cabin and approved her new roof, siding, and windows.

Also, Martha added that she is making plans to put in a foundation that will raise her cabin 12 – 18”.

Forest Mgmt/CWPP – The free chipping event was wonderful.  Thanks to the Fourmile Crew.

Fire Department – Bobby reported that there has been a lot of training, but sparse attendence, due to lots of people being out of town.  The next Fire Board Meeting will be this coming Thursday, 7:00 p.m. here at the Community Center.  Trainings are the fourth Thursday and second Saturday of each month and the Fire Board meets the third Thursday.  They will be going over the budget for 2015.  A copy has been at the Gold Hill Store for people to look over.

Weed Management – Martha reports that we still have no leader, but she will contact the County about coming to the April Meeting to give us an update on invasive weeds.

Historic Gold Hill – The Museum is closed for the season.  The 2015 Calendar is for sale at the Gold Hill Store and Leslie DeGrassi has a supply.  They are selling fast and not that many are left.

Mining – Gretchen reports that she has seen quite a bit of activity up at the Mill and has heard that there are new investors who are working to get everything cleaned up and functional and all the required permits in order.  Peter has heard that it is for sale?

Gold Hill School – Chrissy reports that it’s going well and they are “one big happy family!”  The Fall Fiesta is Wednesday, Nov. 12 at the Gold Hill Inn at 5:00 p.m.  Living History Day was a huge success.   They brought 100 kids up and had a wonderful day.  They had an awesome ½ day at the Ranch and the afternoon in town.

She and Mishi are applying for grants to help support their projects.  They are doing classroom preparation for fieldwork on the riparian ecosystem project and have 3 scientists from the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research coming up.  They’re also meeting with the USGS and have a date with Kevin (who is working on the creek restoration after the flood) at Botasso.

Along with the Spring Ecology Projects, they also have plans to learn about Ham Radios, Archery, and will take their yearly camping trip.

The Fourmile Fire Department made a Fire Safety presentation – big exciting day.

There was no honey harvest this year, but they do have 9 good healthy hives.  The bees need all the honey they have – equity building.

They will have a Halloween parade around noon.  They have 27 kids: 13 in Chrissy’s 3, 4, 5^th grades and 14 in Mishi’s K, 1, 2^nd grades.  Open enrollment goes until Dec. 1, so it’s not final.

And, Chrissy is very excited about going to Manilla to visit Sue Kidder over Christmas!

Safelink – No report, but there will be an Airlink report under New Business.

OLD BUSINESS

Changing from a 501c4 to a 501c3 for purposes of a potential building fund and land ownership issues; follow-up – Peter brought up that the map of the Town Meeting area has some discrepancies between the description in the bylaws vs. the County map.  This issue was tabled until the next meeting.  The Council will look at maps and bring what they find to the Dec. meeting.

The 501c4 to 501c3 issue needs some research.  As no one else indicated any available time, Gretchen agreed to look into what’s needed.  Hopefully, we can figure out how to do the paperwork and run it by Rich Lopez for his approval.

Directional Signs – Tony is ½ way through with them and will put them on the lamppost in the corner of the schoolyard.

Weed Management revisited – Pam will volunteer to work with the County person on invasive weeds within certain parameters.

Porta-Potty Update – Bear has not been able to find one for sale on Craig’s List.  One alternative is Acme out of Nederland and he will find out what we could work out with them and will also check with the Finns about what company they rent from.  The idea of a separate entrance into the bathroom downstairs appears to be a non-starter.  Someone suggested that he check with the Ranch – they have constructed nice outhouses that are actually Porta-potties inside – would look better.

Safesite Shed move – update – Debra says Max will move it as soon as he has time, but he has been too busy.

NEW BUSINESS

AirLink Update – Lacey Story, Treasurer for AirLink read the following report:  Since our last town meeting in September the vision of intermountain emergency communications has become a reality.  The generous seed funds from Gold Hill have multiplied our initial investment at least 4 fold.  The Red Cross has seen AirLink as a credible and highly organized organization worthy of funding to help complete our community goals.  Our repeater is functional and we are working to improve the signal, order a backup repeater and expand our project to insure functional goals, training, and education on all community levels including the Gold Hill School, our intermountain community and our team.  Thousands of volunteer hours from the technical team comprised of Mark Elder, Zeke Yewdall, Stephen Sherman, Bill Van Matre, John Sand, Ron Lingemann, Max Yeager, and Mike Mussler from Nederland, our project manager, Dina Elder, our funding liaison, Pam Sherman and our work with SafeLink and Debra Yeager have assured AirLink’s success by their dedication to community service.  We now have a strong foundation that sets the bar high for team management and professionalism.  AirLink has created a template for other remote communities to work from.  As AirLink evolves it seeks other mountain communities to participate in the future maintenance needed.  We are in the process of procuring a battery charger, solar panels, and enclosure for environmental protection of the equipment.  Another ham radio class will be taught in our area when enough interest is shown for our great mountain venture.  It’s a rewarding endeavor and the licensing test is easy.  Hope you’ll join us.

AirLink’s financial spreadsheet is available to you today with a clear list of purchases made and future purchases necessary in columns designating source of funding.  A total of $428.59 was donated by individuals, $1332.75 from a Gold Hill grant, and $3260.60 from the Red Cross.   An additional $4364.98 is needed to complete the project and this is pending.

Thank you, Gold Hill, for recognizing the priority for providing for our community and assuring that emergency communications are a strong link on the list of priorities for our survival and mountain needs.

Dina seconded the thank you to all of us.  She added that Gold Hill has a lot of talented people.  People in the amateur radio community are amazed at what we’ve accomplished.  She passed out a propagation map showing the reach of the repeater.

Town Map Issue – Peter’s research showed that the County map, which is supposed to match our bylaws, is not correct.

Tony said that there are at least 2 issues.  One, we need to have a correct map in general.  Two, the relief fund is supposed to be for those within the Town Meeting, so we need to know what the boundaries are.

Tony also felt that some of the guidelines for the relief fund are unclear.  It was agreed that the Council should meet and clarify the form and the guidelines as we were empowered to do originally.

Revisiting the town boundaries will be on the agenda for the next meeting.

Deb suggested that we look at the FPD boundaries.  Gretchen reported that when we drew up the boundaries originally people to the far west of town , as well at Summerville, did not consider themselves part of Gold Hill and did not want to be included.  She thinks the BCFFA drew up the Fire Department boundaries.

Peter will pull together some maps and the Council will bring the information to the next meeting.  If we need to change the bylaws, that is a process that takes at least two meetings.

Welcome Buckets – Deb reported that the Gold Hill Club gave her the last $100 donation, and she needs another infusion in order to make more.  Gretchen moved that we give her $100 for new Welcome Buckets, Michael seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

With that, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted, Gretchen Diefenderfer, Secretary