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HomeMy WebLinkAbout780333.tiff l RESOLUTION RE: DESIGNATION OF WELD COUNTY AS A DISASTER AREA DUE TO GRASS- HOPPER INFESTATION AND APPOINTMENT OF STAN BOYES, WELD COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT AS WELD COUNTY'S REPRESENTATIVE IN THE STATE SPRAYING PROGRAM. WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS, an invasion of grasshoppers threata'rs the destruc- tion of 2 .5 million acres of grass and crop lands in the State of Colorado, and WHEREAS, by Proclamation and Executive Order of Richard D. Lamm, Governor of Colorado, the Colorado Department of Agricul- ture is to plan and implement a grasshopper infestation eradica- tion operation in cooperation with the affected counties, and WHEREAS, Weld County has been designated as an affected county, and WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners deems it advisa- ble and in the best interests of Weld County, Colorado to declare Weld County a disaster area and to participate in the state grasshopper infestation eradication operation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners that Weld County be, and hereby is , declared to be a disaster area due to a grasshopper infestation, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Board that Weld County parti- cipate in the state grasshopper infestion eradication operation, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Board that Stan Boyes, Weld County' s Extension Agent, be and hereby is, appointed as Weld County' s representative in the state grasshopper infestation eradication program. The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made p.K....i ��e� 750333 L0 , • and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 10th day of July, A.D. , 1978. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WELD COUNTY, COLORADO ATTEST: 1' Imo} 44 ,% Weld County Clerk and Recorder d Clerk to the B d Deputy Coun C erk ct: TO FORM• ee0 County Attorney Date Presented: July 17 , 1978 _Alan � AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION • Richard D.Lamm - . _. ,. Governor ... -. �i _ Clarence Stone.Center V lea` William A.Suphena.Gybswn �r Vies-CMimten J. Even GouldingCommissioner COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE wn E"°"'"• Hotchkiss John L.Malloy, Denver 406 .STATE SERVICES BUILDING .. M.C. MCConni°k.Holly 1525 SHERMAN STREET . - - Elton Miller. Fon Lupton DENVER, COLORADO 60201 Kay D.Morison.Flaming Donald L. Svetlmen - William N.Webster, Greelay Deputy Commissioner _ Kenneth G.WHmore, Denver . July 8, 1978 • COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN COUNTIES EFFECTED BY GRASSHOPPER INFESTATION Dear County Commissioners: As you are undoubtedly aware by now, the call has gone out for a special session of the Colorado General Assembly, to convene at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 10, 1978, for the purpose of considering the appropriation of funds for a major grasshopper eradication program. Attached to this letter is a copy of a Proclamation which has been issued by Governor Lamm this day establishing certain basic ground- rules for the implementation of the eradication program. • In summary, procedure is for the County Commissioners in any affected county to notify the Agriculture Dept. that an infestation of disaster proportions exists, and request the participation of the state in dealing with the problem. Upon receiving this request, and upon receiving a confirmation report from the Colorado Department of-Agricul- ture, the affected county would be declared a disaster county for the ' purposes of grasshopper eradication_* the Governor. - Upon receiving this declaration, the Board of County Commissioners should certify the area or areas within the county, of 8;000 or more contiguous acres which are infested,,_and also certify that money has or will te collected from the owners of at:least 75 percent of the land...included, to reimburse the-state for 50 percent of the cost of spraying cropland, or 33 1/3 percent •of the cost of spraying rangeland which the Federal Government is committed to"participate-on.- - Upon receiving this certification, the Colorado Department of Agriculture will immediately move into action in accomplishing the spraying of the designated lands. - County Commissioners Page 2 • July 7, 1978 The costs that we are working with at this point are approximately $1.50 per acre on rangeland, and approximately $4.00 per acre on cropland. Inasmuch as we do not have completely accurate. acreages nor firm bids, these figures must be approximate, and may increase or decrease slightly as more detailed information becomes available. We are taking all possible steps to be ready to start spraying as early as Wednesday, July 12, in those areas which have been certified by the counties. The special session of the Legislature will be considering the problem of liability for the spray operations, and we expect that the Legisla- ture will enact measures to limit the liabilities which now exist under the Colorado Disaster Emergency Act. I and members of my staff serving as the lead agency in making arrange- ments for spraying. If you have questions or problems relative to your county participation, please call me or Bob Sullivan, Director of our Plants Industry Division, telephone number 839-2838. Department of Agriculture fieldmen are now in several of the counties performing onsite surveys. They will be in communication with your local Extension Agents and Soil Conservation Service fieldmen. If they can be of any assistance to you in evaluating the scope of problems existing within your county, please don't hesitate to call upon them. We will continue to keep you informed as the special session proceeds and as further preparations are made. Sincerely, Rea, Evan Goulding Commissioner JEG:pb Encl. -Gn74 y x,NE e Statedli rr, E JUL ". 19'18 axseutIVt CHA ►eaeRa ELECTIONS DIVISION, SECRETARY. OF. STATE DENVER RICHARD D. LAMM Governor E X E C U T I V_E., ORDER c.Y • PROCLAMATION CALL FOR SECOND EXTRAORDINARY SESSION FIFTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY !' WHEREAS, Section 9•of Article IV of the Constitution of the State of Colorado provides that, "The Governor may, on extraordinary occasions convene the General Assembly,- by Proclamation, stating therein the purpose for which it is to assemble; but at such special session no business shall be transacted other than that specially named in the procla- mation", and Section 7 of Article V of the Constitution provides that, "The General Assembly shall meet at other r times when convened in special session by the Governor", and WHEREAS, In the opinion of the Governor, an extraordinary occasion has now arisen and now exists as a result of a grasshopper infestation thr'atening range land and crop land in Colorado; and WHEREAS, Immediate preventive action must be taken to limit and control the spread of this infestation, and WHEREAS, Legislative action is required to'insure the availability of financial resources-to meet this problem and to assert the sovereign immunity of the State of Colorado in its efforts to control this infestation; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Richard DL Lamm,` Governor of the ' proclamation State Of Colorado, do by this roclamation convene the Fifty-First General Assembly of this State, and. hereby summon the members thereof to meet in Special Session at the State Capitol , in the City and County of Denver, on the 10th Day of July, -A.D. , 1978, at 10:00 o'clock A.M. r,- The Purposes for which the General Assembly is convened are as follows: To consider measures and appropriate funds for combatting the grasshopper infestation afflicting Colorado; and To limit liability for acts committed for the purpose of combatting the grasshopper infestation; and To appropriate funds for the conduct of this Extraordinary Session of the Fifty-First General Assembly. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Colorado to be affixed hereto, at Denver, Colorado, this Seventh Day of July, A.D. , 1978. Ri and D. amn Go rnor of the State of A Colorado Attest: Mary Estill Buchanan • Secretary of State .. may iLtie3/4 .,%ate EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS DENVER RICHARD D. LAMM Governor EXECUTIVE ORDER PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, an invasion of grasshoppers threatens the destruction of 2.5 million acres of grass and crop lands; and WHEREAS, this infestation places the economic viability of agricultural communities in Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, . . ,Crowley, Custer, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Las Animas, ' / Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, FA Pueblo, Sedgwick, Washington, Yuma, and Weld Counties t c in serious and imminent jeopardy; and- WHEREAS, immediate preventive action is required to meet this threat; and WHEREAS, these conditions do create an emergency within the intent of Article 2 of Chapter 28, Colorado Revised Statutes, 1973 as amended; NOW, THEREFORE, it is found, determined and declared that an emergency exists due to the aforesaid infestation, and such area is declared to be a Disaster Area requiring aid, assistance and relief available pursuant to the provisions of -State Statutes. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Colorado Department of Agriculture • immediately plan and implement a grasshopper infestation eradication operation, in cooperation with the affected counties. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the program shall observe the following prodedures: 1 . Eligibility for participation is limited to the following counties: Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, Crowley, Custer, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, Pueblo, Sedgwick, Washington, Yuma, and Weld. Boards of county commissioners are to notify the Commissioner of Agriculture of their intention to participate in this program. The Commissioner is charged with investigating whether a serious grasshopper infestation exists or is imminent in the applicant county. Officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture shall have free access to all public and private lands and premises, and are hereby authorized to enter thereon for the purpose of making such an investigation. The Commissioner shall report his findings to the Governor. Upon a finding by the Governor that a major grasshopper infestation has occured or is imminent, the county or that portion of the county shall be declared a disaster area eligible for participation in this program, provided the county has provided reasonable assurance to the Governor of financial participation by local governmental units of the areas affected. 2. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall determine the manner in which the counties participate in this program. Each participating county will be liable for contributing fifty percent of the cost per crop acreage as determined by the Department of Agriculture and one third the cost per acre for range acreage to pay for the extermination of the grasshoppers which are infesting the designated area. The counties, in turn, are to collect these sums from the participating landowners. In the event that the landowners fail to meet their required contributions, the State of Colorado will hold the participating counties liable for the differential . Counties have 15 days after the commencement of spraying operations to remit their share of the costs to the State Treasurer. All moneys received by the State Treasurer are to be placed in the Disaster Emergency Fund, or any other fund determined by the Colorado General Assembly. In the event the Federal government fails to participate in the range land program, the landowner share will be fifty percent of the cost per acre as determined by the Department of Agriculture. No county will be eligible to participate in this program unless and until it has informed the Commissioner of Agriculture of its consent to meet these financial obligations. All administrative costs incurred in collecting these obligations from the landowners are to be born by the participating counties. The Commissioner may promulgate additional financial rules as he sees fit. 3. The Commissioner of Agriculture is authorized to determine the procedures for designating areas suitable for eradi- cation operations. The Commissioner of Agriculture is authorized to make a determination of priority areas for the implementation of the eradication program. 4. All persons authorized to carry out emergency measures directed under the provisions of this program shall have free access with prior approval of the board of county commissioners to all public and private lands and premises within the specified areas and are authorized to enter thereon and to perform such work, and take such measures as directed without the consent of the owners thereof. 5. Whenever practical , the landowner or tenant shall be notified at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of crop, range land or other spraying operations by radio, newspaper or other means of public communication. 6. By the powers reserved to the Executive in the Emergency Act, those provisions in the Pest Control Statutes relating to grass- hopper infestations (35-5-116 to 35-5-121 , Colorado Revised Statutes, 1973 as amended) that conflict with the provisions of this Proclamation are hereby waived. Restrictions in these statutes relating to range lands, the requirement of establishing grasshopper control districts, and any other provision that conflicts with the emergency aid plan are declared inoperative. 7. All rulemaking or contracting procedures that would inhibit the Department of Agriculture in responding to the grasshopper infestation are hereby waived. This waiver is limited specifically to actions related to the grasshopper infestation. 8. In any area where landowners and county officials have agreed to meet the terms for designation of treatment set forth by the Department of Agriculture, all landowners in the designated treatment area, regardless of whether they initially consented to participate in the eradication program, will be considered liable for contributions of their share of the eradication program costs. The State of Colorado will hold the counties liable for collecting these funds. I , /—,, t , 9. The Commissioner of Agriculture is hereby appointed to the Disaster Emergency Council for the duration of the grasshopper infestation crisis. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Executive Seal of the State of Colorado to be hereunto affixed at Denver, Colorado, this Eighth Day of July, A.D. , 1978. ; :c, i `t Richard D. Lamm i ti „ �C�''{ Governor, State of Colorado t Y e- , . ! ( I %t 4../i`�1fr1 t y �.., Hello