HomeMy WebLinkAbout810813.tiff MINUTES
WELD COUNTY COUNCIL
September 3, 1981
Tape 81/102
The Weld County Council met in regular session in full conformity with
the Weld County Home Rule Charter at 915 Tenth Street, Greeley, Colorado,
September 3, 1981, at 1:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
The following members were present in person: President Patricia Anderson,
Vice President Ralph Waldo, Jr. , Robert Martin, Sr. , and Howard Foster. De Ann
Emerson was absent. Also present were two members of the press and the council
secretary, Susan Elton.
MINUTES APPROVED
Ralph Waldo made a motion to approve the minutes of the County Council 's
meeting of August 6, 198'_, as written. Councilman Howard Foster seconded the
motion and it carried unanimously.
APPOINTMENTS
Pat Anderson will attend the next Elected Officials' work session on
September 14, as representative from County Council .
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
1. Unfinished Business - motion by Ralph Waldo regarding salaried
elected officials.
2. New Business - Discussion of possible amendment to Charter.
CORRESPONDENCE
The council examined the correspondence received and various newspaper
articles. They deliberated briefly on the following subject-matter: the town of
Gilcrest' s plans to pursue contractual negotiations with the Weld County Sheriff' s
Department for round-the-clock police protection; the success of the Road and
Bridge Advisory Committee; the conflict in the Sheriff's Department involving
Sheriff Andrews and Capt. Tydings; the approval of the grant application of
$900,0000 to the Federal Avaiation Administration for improvements at the Weld-
Municipal Airport.
Ralph Waldo addressed himself to an editorial written by Commissioner
Norm Carlson in the Senior Voice, September, 1981, entitled "Commissioners Don't
Deserve County Council 's Wrath". The councilman stated, "I don't feel guilty of
extending any wrath towards the county commissioners. As a matter of fact, I
think we have better relations with them now than we've had for some time. " Mr.
Waldo continued that he was bothered by an analysis given in the article by the
commissioner which started, "The Council 's determination of that section is to
hire an investigator to be an undercover agent for the Council and attempt to
catch some County employee. . . ." The councilman said that wasn't his understanding
at all , but that "we hire an auditor to audit the operations of a department. . .and
our audit is not concerned with criminal matters at all , unless we happen to
pick up something criminal and then it is reported to the District Attorney
for handling. We have nothing to do with that."
Councilman Waldo went on to give his opinion of what happened during the
investigation of the County Communications Department several months ago, which
contradicted with what Commissioner Carlson had stated in his editorial . The
councilman said it was his understanding Gary Kampel (former councilman) was
the one that obtained that information from a third source. Gary transmitted the
information to the council 's auditor, Dan Sandy. Mr. Waldo stated that Dan Sandy
took that information and carried it through the maze of county records and obtained
all the information and in the course of that investigation, or audit, did dis-
close some things to the county Sheriff's office.
Bob Martin added that Mr. Carlson eludes to the $3,000 worth of computer
equipment that was involved in the case. Mr. Martin also stated that because
Weld is a Home Rule County he believes, in reference to Mr. Carlson's statement
on commissioner salaries, that they are dollars ahead of other Class II counties
because the council has been setting their salary every two years instead of the
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MINUTES, WELD COUNTY COUNCIL Page 2 September 3, 1981
Legislature setting the salary every four years. Also the commissioners are all
getting the same salary instead of the older ones getting less than the newer ones.
Bob Martin felt the council needed to respond to an editorial in the Keene
Valley Sun, August 13, 1981, regarding a budget cut in the council 's 1982 budget.
Pat Anderson stated that it has become increasingly evident that the council 's
budget didn't need to be as large as it had been in the past. In efforts to
cut county spending the commissioners sent out Target Budget Amounts to each de-
partment. The recommended amount to the County Council was $28,351.00, a
$28,000.41 decrease from the 1981 budget. Since the council has never spent their
allotted budget, they voted unanimously to approve the recommended amount.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Ralph Waldo made a motion, seconded by Pat Anderson, to invite each of the
elected county officials to one council meeting, one official at a time, and ask
that official to be prepared to discuss with the council the amount of the salary
that should be set for that offical for the ensuing term of office (County Treasurer,
Clerk and Recorder, County Assessor, Sheriff, and Commissioners). The motion
passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS
The council will discuss the Budget Work Session schedule at its October
meeting when all members are present, rather than at this meeting.
Ralph Waldo related his feelings that there may be a need for possible
amendments to the Home Rule Charter. He stated that it has become increasingly
evident that the provisions in the Charter are a little overly tight, making it
difficult for the commissioners to come up with the budget that can satisfactorily
take care of the county's needs. He continued that he would like to see an
amendment that would give an increase in assessed valuation instead of putting the
5 per cent on the previous year's. (Total of new assessed valuation plus 5 per
cent.
Bob Martin said he could not, in good conscious , go along with that. He
said the commissioners can come to the council and ask for extra monies. He
stated that he would be in favor of giving the county the maximum amount possible
over the 5 per cent limitation if the commissioners could "sell" the programs
involved.
Mr. Waldo said he would like more facts to determine how the commissioners
and Don Warden interpret the charter's wording on the 5 per cent limitation. He
suggested that Mr. Warden be invited to the next council meeting to discuss the
matter. The rest of the council members agreed.
Bob Martin made a motion to approve the August mileage payment to Howard
Foster in the amount of $26.00. Motion seconded by Ralph Waldo and passed unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT
At 3:00 p.m. the council voted to adjourn to executive session.
There was no further business. Upon motion made and seconded, the meeting
was adjourned. The time of adjournment was 4:12 p.m. , September 3, 1981.
The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, October 1, 1981, at 1:30 p.m.
E%O
tricia Anderson, President
Date Approved Susan Elton, Secre ary
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