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1)f�d 1981
MINUTES
WELD COUNTY COUNCIL
November 10, 1981
Tape 81/106
The Weld County Council met in special session in full conformity with the
Weld County Home Rule Charter at 915 Tenth Street, Greeley, Colorado, November 10,
1981, at 9:00 a.m.
ROLL CALL
The following members were present in person: President Patricia Anderson,
Vice President Ralph Waldo, Jr. , Robert Martin, Sr. , and De Ann Emerson. Howard
Foster was absent.
Also present were District Attorney Robert Miller, two members of the press,
Mr. Don Warden (for part of the meeting) , and council secretary, Susan Elton.
MINUTES APPROVED
Bob Martin made a motion to approve the minutes of the County Council 's
meeting of November 5, 1981, as written. De Ann Emerson seconded the motion and it
carried unanimously.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
The Council met in special session in order to make a decision of whether
or not to grant the Board of County Commissioners a .45% increase in the mill levy
(an amount of $57,456) , over the 5% limitation provided by the Home Rule Charter.
After discussions with Bob Miller and Don Warden, the Council went into a
brief executive session. When the meeting reconvened each council member explained
how he/she came to a voting decision.
Robert Martin felt that the commissioners 'bat down and drew up a more mean-
ingful and hurtful hit list. " (The $57,000 was originally stipulated for Road
and Bridge and now included the D.A:s Consumer Fraud pivision,some $33,000.) Martin
stated he is totally opposed to the abolition of the Consumer Fraud Division and
that other areas in the budget were "loaded with fat". He felt it is not the
Council 's job to approve or disapprove certain programs in the budget. The Council
must only look at the over-all budget and then decide if an increase in the five
per cent is totally necessary for the operation of the county. He went on to say
that it is up to the Commissioners to do with what they have to operate on the amount
of monies.
De Ann Emerson stated that the $57,456 is a nominal amount of money. She
felt that "this tiny raise in the mill levy is far less damaging than the elimination
of an entire program (the Consumer Fraud Division) , especially one that serves the
entire county. " She also stated that she would like to go on record as a County
Council member in encouraging the Commissioners to re-evaluate the Consumer Fraud
Department. She would ask that the Commissioners consider reinstating it and cutting
down in a lot of departmentsa little bit in order to save that Division, and also
that they should take a close look at the county salary increases.
Ralph Waldo admitted that all three areas (Consumer Fraud, Road & Bridge
Contract, and Road & Bridge Municipalities) on the list are favorites of his and
in need of funding. However, he stated that his only authority as a Council member
is to study the budget to the best of his ability and ascertain to the best of his
ability the needs of the county. "If I have a feeling that the needs aren't there
then I think I have a duty and an obligation to the people of Weld County and to
myself to vote my conscience and say no. If I think the county needs the funds then
I can say yes. " Councilman Waldo stated that he objects to the average 12.5 per cent
salary hike for county workers and said the commissioners could get the $57,000
by reducing each county employee's paycheck by $1 each week over the year. He went
on to say that the country is involved in an austerity program and he thinks it's up
to everyone to join in and be a part of it. 'And for that reason I cannot in good
conscience go along with this request. "
Pat Anderson stated that she did not appreciate the commissioners' list because
it is not the council 's job to decide who gets funds and in what amount. She also
felt the Consumer Fraud Division was a very important and necessary department and
that the county employees could get along without such a high salary increase. She
said that nowadays most people are willing to take less wages and less money just to
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MINUTES, WELD COUNTY COUNCIL Page 2 11/10/81
insure that they have a job, and recommended that the commissioners take another
look at the salary increases and see if they can't get the $57,456 out of that.
Ralph Waldo made a motion that the request from the County Commissioners
for the authority to levy an additional $57,456 tax for 1982 pursuant to the provisions
in the Home Rule Charter be denied. Bob Martin seconded the motion. There were
three yeas in favor of the motion with De Ann Emerson voting nay, opposed to the
motion. Motion carried by majority vote.
ADJOURNMENT
There was no further business. Upon motion made and seconded, the meeting
was adjourned. The time of adjournment was 10:19 a.m. , November 10, 1981.
The next scheduled meeting is December 3, 1981, at 1:30 p.m.
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Date Approved Susan Elton, Secretary
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