Posted on: September 12th, 2011

Minutes of the August 8, 2011 Town Meeting

And Jack Laughlin’s summary of the Gold Hill meeting with BC Dept. of Environmental Health people on Septic System Compliance

Next Town Meeting is Monday, October 10, 2011, 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center

The meeting was called to order by Chair Amy Hardy.  Twenty-seven people were present: Karen Simmons, Jack Laughlin, Pam Sherman, Bob Mason, Vice-Chair John Sand,  and Cherry Sand, Susan Fernalld, Chrissy McCaul, Rebecca Wilder, Stefanie Wilson, John Hilson, Marilyn & Pete Soby, Barb Barnard, Jeff Myers, Member-at-large Debra Yeager,  Max Yeager, Michael Albes, Secretary Gretchen Diefenderfer, Edie Eilender, Mary Ryan, Chris Bowen, Paula Gibson, Kris Gibson, Lisa McConnell, Treasurer Adriana Galue, and Val Crist.Minutes – were approved with Jack Laughlin’s clarification that dogs and people are always welcome on their land.

Treasurer’s Report – Adriana reports that we have a total of 21,568.13 in our account:

General Fund                        1,381.16                      Cemetery Fund                      3,562.21

Fire Fund                      15,898.32                      Community Planning                           82.00

Forest Mgmt                              75.22                      Weed Mgmt                                     526.70

Historic Zone                               11.23                      Trails                                                  31.29

Complete details are available on Google documents – Contact Adriana (adrianagalue@nullgmail.com) or me (gretchend@nullmac.com) to find out how to access Google docs.  It’s pretty easy – go to Google, from the toolbar (in black at the top of Google) select “more” and, from the drop down menu, select documents.  Set up an account and a password and bingo!  You can look at every transaction in the Treasurer’s report.   If you want me to email it to you, just contact me.

Elections – In response to a question regarding additional duties of council members this last year, Amy replied that she attends monthly Mountain Mayors Meetings (with Ward, Nederland, Allenspark, Jamestown) along with Adriana and Pam Sherman, who has set up the Safe Homes program.  John, Vice-Chair, has conducted more meetings due to Amy’s being out of town. The secretary, Gretchen, now handles the town website (https://goldhilltown.com/) and emails to the town, as well as putting out the newsletter.  The Treasurer, Adriana, handles all the income and liabilities of the town, tracks t-shirt sales, etc., and the Member-at-large, Debra Yeager, is planning an expanded bake, rummage, arts/crafts, food, etc. sale under the name of Gold Hill Gold Rush, to make up for our missing it last year due to the Fire, plus she has set up our Neighborlink system, and handles the t-shirt sales.

Nominations or suggestions of anyone willing to run for the offices were requested.  In the silence that followed, Michael moved that we re-nominate and elect the members of the present board and Jeff seconded.  Edie added that officers learn so much the first year that it’s really good for people to serve more than one year.  The motion carried unanimously with thank yous to all for serving.

Historic Zoning – Cherry reports that Boyd Brown has submitted his permit for the new shed, but no building as yet.

Jack reported that his office is almost finished except that his dark- sky lights have failed even though they would be fine in Borego Springs, where they live in the winter, and which has stringent night-sky light regulations..  The building department seems to have no clear guidelines – he’s working with them.

Cherry says the Brookharts have no formal plans as yet, but they do plan a re-do of the porch on the small cabin to create an additional room.

John reports that Boyd has applied to the County for Landmark designation for 2 buildings – one is the big house and he’s not sure of the second one.  Gold Hill buildings that presently have County Landmark status are Michelle Bar-Evan’s, Marge McClellan’s and the Museum.  One advantage is becoming eligible for matching funds for preservation and renovation.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan/Forest Management – Kris reported on the Front Range Roundtable.  Last year Gold Hill, as a fire district, applied to be a demonstration community and has been accepted as part of a group that includes 5 other districts – Boulder Rural, Coal Creek, Sunshine, Lefthand, and Boulder Mountain.  This demonstration area designation will help us obtain funding for our CWPP projects as well as GPS mapping of our district.  On August the group will tour the demonstration project area.  One of their goals is enhancing egress and ingress for possible future evacuations.

There has not been a lot of activity on The CWPP for Gold Hill recently.  We need people interested in participating.  Contact Kris Gibson or anyone on the Fire Board.

Part of what the Round Table is doing is looking at biomass and economic issues – small businesses to produce pulp products, etc., to deal with beetle trees as well as trees thinned for mitigation.  The biggest benefit to us in becoming part of the demonstration area is money to meet the objectives of the Round Table. Mitigation work now costs between $2,700 to 3,200 per acre – it used to be around $800. They will look on our behalf for money for mitigation work and defensible space.  They are looking for money for 2012.  We will probably be part of this group for 3 to 5 years.  Rebecca asked about fuels reduction and clean-up of the North Slope and Kris thought that would be looked at.  Edie added that people have been dumping slash there, which is extremely counterproductive.  Kris again stressed that locals need to help with projects – people are needed to get up to date on where we’re at on our CWPP priorities.  We need volunteers.  Many thanks were expressed to Kris for all her participation.

Fire Department – Val reports that, as always, hands-on trainings are the 2^nd Saturday of the month and the classroom trainings pertaining to the Saturdays are on the 4^th Thursdays.  All are welcome and encouraged to come.  Contact Val or Donal for information.

There is a meeting scheduled this Thursday  – bring radios for reprogramming.

The auxiliary has been doing a great job.

Weeds – Susan brought a bucket of noxious weeds to help people identify them, One thing she has heard is that they are just plants that want to live, too, but she stressed that these are from another ecosystem with its own natural controls.  Our native plants evolved in our own balanced ecosystems and these invasive plants will tend to take over, crowding out our native plants.

Yellow Toadflax  (or Butter and Eggs) can become a monoculture.

Canada Thistle is a creeping perennial with an extensive underground root system – pulling doesn’t work.

Oxeye Daisy is another creeping perennial.

Scentless Chamomile is easier to get rid of and is blooming right now, so pull it and bag it or it will go to seed.

Leafy Spurge is one of the worst ones – another creeping perennial.  Hand pulling won’t work – need to look at other measures.

There is lots of information on the town website (https://goldhilltown.com/) with pictures and            eradication/control measures.

Spotted Knapweed is a biennial (rosette the first year) with a fibrous root system.  It reproduces from            seed – whack it off when you see it.

Newer herbicides are getting more selective and less toxic.  There is now one for cheat grass that you spray in the fall and it prevents seeding.  Milestone is selective, kills Canada Thistle, and in the lowest rung of toxicity on the EPA list – doesn’t affect invertebrates, worms, bees, or birds.  Pam has some concerns about Milestone.  In response, Susan sent this:

ADDENDUM

Since the town meeting earlier this month, Bob Mason and Pam Sherman have been doing online research on the herbicide Milestone (offered in the spirit of sharing information so we can all make informed decisions for our own property and whoever else’s property ours affects).  They point out instances where Milestone has been used beyond its approved uses and ended up contaminating cropland.

Milestone works selectively and persistently on certain plant families (mainly Asteraceae and Fabaceae).  It is effective against some of Gold Hill’s weeds on Colorado’s noxious weed list, such as non-native thistles, oxeye daisy, and the knapweeds.  In Gold Hill we carefully spot spray these on town property.  We do not broadcast spray because we do not want to inadvertently affect plants such as our native wildflowers black eyed susans (Asteraceae), or golden banner and lupine (both Fabaceae).

Susan Fernalld sfernalld@nullmsn.com

Mary Ryan added that Kathleen Gilgannon has the Goat Hill Goats who will eat weeds and have been helping with the invasive weed problems.

Gretchen added that the County Land Use has received grant money and is sending crews around in the burn area.  Faulkner Merdes has been up on Horsfal Ridge near her house and will be back with crews to work on all the weeds Susan has mentioned using various methods from pulling to spraying.

Historic Gold Hill – Edie reports that the Museum has changed and grown so much.  She encouraged everyone to stop by on Saturday or Sunday from 11 to 3.  If you have a group and want to visit during other hours, contact a board member – see the town website( https://goldhilltown.com/) for Historic Gold Board Members and Museum information.

Mining – Bob reports that it’s been quiet up at the Mill.  He’s heard that they’re beating the bushes for financing and working to get the permits in order – maybe 9 months or so out before any actual mining can begin.

School – Chrissy reports that they have new carpet, they are replacing the windows over labor day and have 28 kids enrolled.  Josh Baldner is the new Principal for Gold Hill and Mesa and they also have a new Superintendent, Bruce Messinger. Living History Days is coming up and Jamestown will be coming over.

OLD BUSINESS

Bake/Rummage/Arts & Crafts Sale – Deb reports that it will be a little bigger than in the past with a few new elements.  It will be held Sunday, Sept. 18, from 10 to 3 and we will be using the Inn area – many thanks to the Finns.

Bake Sale – will be held on the porch of the Hotel- Pam and Marie are in charge of this and encourage everyone to bake their wonderful contributions.   Rummage Sale – will be in the Hotel parking lot and John Sand and Lisa McConnell will head this up.  Please pick the best items to donate and bring them that day between 8 and 9.  Pastie making – Maggie is in charge of pastie making parties.  Arts & Crafts will be in the beer garden – Gretchen is heading this up.  The fee will be $20 to participate, plus an art or craft donation for the silent auction.  Let her know if you’ll participate. Silent auction and raffle – Joanne will be handling this as well as advertising.  There will be ice cream (Joan Few), beer (Val) and, as always, we will need help cleaning up.

Lisa made a motion that the Town Meeting front up to $500 to buy the ingredients for the pasties, the ice cream, and the beer.  John seconded and it passed unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS

Septic Meeting with BoCo Dept. of Environmental Health – Jack Laughlin reported that the County sent letters to 28 people who have properties with unapproved septic systems in Gold Hill and 3 people from the County – Mark Williams, Iris Sherman-Boemker, and Wendy Blanchard – came up to this Meeting on July 19^th.  The County has set a date of Dec. 31, 2016 for compliance in Gold Hill.  The BCOH also requires a septic system evaluation in the event of a sale or transfer of ownership of the home or an application for a building permit.

Jack’s whole report is posted on the website under the Gold Hill Town Meeting (https://goldhilltown.com/category/town-meeting-minutes/) with many more details.

Jack stressed that we have to treat this seriously.  You can check on the Health Department website (www.SepticSmart.org).  This will give a listing of the approved systems and a reference to types of systems that are currently meeting OWS standards.  The County wants to work with us.  Jack says we have some time to work on solutions and suggested we should all work together to develop design concepts for different areas of town.  He is an engineer, although no longer practicing, but will be happy to help us next summer look at it all.  He thinks, if we pool our knowledge, we can go a long way down the line before hiring a licensed engineer. He can be contacted at desert.two@nullgmail.com.

In the past we did look at a community system, but that idea kind of disappeared as people got their own systems.

Town Clean-up – Gretchen reported that it went well, we filled 2 dumpsters with trash, one with wood scraps, and one with metal recycling.  The County pays for 3, and the metal recycling paid for itself.  Jack Laughlin took down a pick-up load of electronics (which we collected fees for, since they charge to get rid of them) plus Styrofoam.  It seems amazing that we still generate this much trash!  We actually made little money from donations which went into the General Fund.  Thanks so much for everyone’s help and participation.  It was a nice day.

Announcements – John reported that 2 of our residents were honored in the Daily Camera.  Rhianon Arney-Schultz was recognized by the U. S. Equestrian Federation as a 2010-11 High School Equestrian Athlete.  This means valuting, dance and gymnastics on the back of a cantering horse!

Also, Teresa Robertson was featured in an article as a nurse-midwife who transitioned to hospice work, along with a wonderful picture.

Congratulations to them both.

 

Respectfully submitted, Gretchen Diefenderfer, Secretary