Posted on: May 26th, 2026

 GOLD HILL TOWN MEETING NEWSLETTER

Minutes of the April 13, 2026, Town Meeting

 Next Town Meeting is Monday, June 8, 7:00 p.m. in person and by Zoom

 The meeting was called to order by Chair Kelly Veit.  Present were Kelly, Kris Gibson, Treasurer Martha Knapp, Secretary Gretchen Diefenderfer, David Brigham, Micah Frost, Boyd Brown, Jackie Barry (Boulder Watershed Collective Forester), and Vice Chair Kaitlyn Barthell.  Attending by Zoom were Rick Sinner, Heidi Kessler and Richard Roth, Leslie Finn, Maggie Simms, Eric Kennedy (Fourmile Fire Crew Captain) Eve Atkinson, Bear Carlson and Poppy Copeland, Val Crist, Virginia Schultz, Member at Large John Hatelid, Erich Gundlach, and Deb Yeager. 

Mitigation work update – Boyd reported that a group of volunteers have been doing mitigation work up and down Lickskillet.  They have more work days scheduled and welcome anyone who can join their team. They’re working on patchwork jobs to keep up with the process we’ve had for the last 6-8 years.  This is the last year of the big grant that supported the mit. work at the Ashram, Joe Hengemuhle and Sheila Maloney’s, etc.  They’re trying to create a work party organization to keep up on regrowth, etc.  Contact Boyd or Kris Gibson.  Micah is also helping with software to get a survey out to get town input. They will file an application for another grant tomorrow with WFP.

Because this is the last year of the big grant, we’ve asked Jackie and Eric to report on the scope of the work for the town property across from the Firebarn and elsewhere.

Jackie Barry (BWC Forester) reports that he and Eric Kennedy (Fourmile Crew Chief) are collaborating to stitch together the work begun with Maya McHamer (BWS) in 2021.  They’ll be doing selective thinning and taking away all lumber and slash.  There is also a lot of diseased Lodgepole and a lot of overly thick forest.  They want to diversify growth by age and heterogeneity, which helps keep fire on the ground versus up in the canopy.  Working to figure out what makes the most sense.  The Pine Bark Beetle will mainly hit mature Ponderosa (some will survive).  We’ll see flagging and paint on trees beginning mid-May.  They’re hoping maybe a month for the crew.  Seasonal workers are coming on now and it will be a big crew.  They hope to finish the jobs in Gold Hill asap and then start on the town land.  All depends – crews can get called out on fires.  They will definitely have surplus wood – let them know if you need wood.  Also, this crew is available for 7d/week, cutting from around 10am to 4pm – will let GH decide if they are ok with that.  Bear thought it would be good to take a break on Sundays, but everyone else thought it would be best to get it done asap. The Pine Bark Beetles fly from May to September. 

Eve asked about the Atkinson property – Atkinson’s and Myer’s will be later.  Atkinson’s is mostly Lodgepole.

Val added that during the Pine Bark Beetle issue years ago, we were advised to cut and cover with plastic the infested trees.  Jackie replied he’d been in a meeting with Dan West of the Colorado Forest Service and plastic wasn’t mentioned – they will be doing a full removal of the biomass they create.  Eve added that we also gassed the piles with methyl bromide and sometimes Lindane.  Val just wondered if there’s anything we can do to help. Boyd added that chipping and removal helps and thinks the sooner we get it done and get everything out of here the better.  Erich G has heard that some things have changed but plastic is still a viable option.  For most people it’s easier to chip and haul.

Jackie added that in terms of retaining healthy trees, you can buy Verbanone pheromone packets to hang on healthy Ponderosa.  Also, private companies can inject and spray trees.  Boyd is going to spray his big trees – it’s ok for pets, birds, and insects except apparently spiders.  Talk to him if you want to spray.

Back to Regular Agenda

Minutes – Boyd moved we approve the minutes of the February meeting, Dave Brigham seconded and 15 people voted to approve.

Treasurer’s Report – Martha reported that she recently learned that accounting for non-profits allows for funds held for others, so for this report she has separated out the funds for entities that aren’t part of this town meeting.  Also, doing research on Venmo (which seems to be tied to private accounts),etc.  Our bank offers a plan that deposits money directly into our account.  There can be up to 10 people with the ability to take money with their iPhone.  They want money in the account to set it up.  There will be transaction fees – called Elavon.  Kaitlyn hopes it’s easy and Martha said just people who take money would need to download the app. 

Leslie moved we accept the credit card account and open the bank account for the purpose of putting in the money needed to set it up.  Boyd seconded.  13 in favor, 0 opposed.  So Martha sill set it up and test it.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 Cemetery – No report

Gold Hill School – Boyd reported that on May 16, from 11 to 2, a time capsule buried at the school 50 years ago will be opened.  Should be a good time.  People are also welcome to bring little things for the next one.

Mountain Stewards – Virginia reports that a report on the mitigation efforts in 2023, ’24, and ’25 has been included for the CWPP.

NeighborLink – Deb reports there’s nothing new except that she will send an email to Gretchen to notify everyone to sign up for it if they haven’t.  We’re still there – a group list that will get notified if there is an emergency.

Museum – Deb reports the Community Outreach, which is open to community members, will be on Saturday, June 20^thbeginning at 5:30 – a presentation on the music and musicians of Gold Hill. 

Senior Alliance – Val reports that January was a great brainstorming meeting.  February was a social gathering at the Firebarn for young and old, new and older residents.  And they had a special guest – a baby goat.  March was a presentation on How to Prepare for Everything!  There was also a party for St.Paddy’s at Micah’s – thank you, Micah.  Our mission is to identify and seek out resources for aging in place within the community.  The regular meetings are scheduled the first Tuesday of each month at 4:00.  Everyone is always welcome. 

Native Ecology – Kaitlyn reports that she’s been brainstorming workshops people might be interested in.  One is making native seed paper and she has all the materials to do this.  She’s part of a group called Beechickas who are interested in building native bee homes.  Also, pine needle basket weaving.  She’s been starting native plants from seeds.  And she offers a free service to help people identify invasive weeds as well as Pine Bark Beetle infestations.  Contact her at barthell3@nullgmail.com.

Historic Zoning – No report

Fire Department – Boyd reports that three firefighters including the Chief travelled to Washington State to inspect and get training on our new fire truck and we will get it this month.  We’ll stash an old one in a neighboring fire department station.

Gold Hill Business District Committee – Kelly reports they met 2 weeks ago.  The committee was formed by a vote at a Town Meeting the summer of 2024 as a place for a proactive conversation around noise and congested parking in town.  They started meeting monthly in September through December putting together their charge.  They wanted the business leaders to report on what’s worked and what didn’t to alleviate difficulties.  In December they brought a letter to the Town Meeting foe approval inviting the business leaders to participate in the Business District meetings and they have been coming.  They’ve discussed the history and what’s worked and what has not.  At the March meeting they discussed 1. Parking, fire safety, and signage, and 2. Noise concerns, congestion, frequency of events.   There was a lot of conversation and opinions expressed.  Chief Caudill has come with a parking map that has its’ own action plan.  And there is a survey in the offing to get feedback from the community about parking, noise, events, frequency, etc. and feasible actions. They would like more participants.  Contact Kelly – she also has minutes of previous meetings.  Rick sinner also suggested they need help.  It’s going slowly and feedback from the town is needed to come up with very specific things to help.  Boyd added that they need to get word out about when meetings are held.  Kris suggested that a standing meeting time would be a good idea and supported the idea of a survey.  Kelly added that they want as much feedback, perspective and diversity as possible.  Boyd acknowledged that these are tough issues – contentious – and solutions aren’t easy.  The businesses do need to make money. 

Kelly announced that she can’t keep chairing the meeting and needs someone who would like to do it.

Bylaws – Martha reported that our bylaws define who we are and who we want to be.  The old wording around qualified voters was developed in the 70s when the Town Meeting incorporated as a 501(c)4 non-profit  and later changed to 501(c)3.  We had a lot of renters and a lot of summer people and traditionally the voter definition was resident based.  Now we are looking at expanding that to include property owners.  Virginia stated that she would prefer property owners be included for issues like mitigation, etc. – property owners and business owners. Even though, as a Town Meeting, we don’t have actual authority over anyone.   Leslie stated that she would like to see “homeowners” and residents, not just property owners. David thinks they might move in 10 years or so and their son would live in the house, but they would still like to have a vote.  Boyd thinks that if someone is renting out their house, the renters would have a vote and the owners could give them input.  Concerns were raised about the definition of resident – could that include people camping west of town?  Micah asked what about if we just had a roster of residents.  Bear agreed with Dave and Virginia as did several others and some still felt it should be residents who vote.  We all looked at the preliminary survey from Martha and took a straw poll.  Leslie agreed we should send out a survey and have a bylaw discussion at the Town Meeting following.  Boyd made a motion that the survey be sent out.  He’d like to solicit as many opinions as possible.  Val seconded and the motion passed.  See https://goldhilltown.com/what-it-is/ for the current bylaws.   See https://goldhilltown.com/membership-bylaw-survey/ for the survey.

 

Respectfully submitted, Gretchen Diefenderfer, Secretary.

 

Please let me know if there is anyone who wants to receive this town newsletter and is not.  Also, if you are no longer interested, let me know that and I’ll take you off the list.  Thanks, G