November 21, 2008
Special to the Plaindealer
By OBC Chairman Charlie Berger
Ouray's holiday decorations will be more spectacular than in previous years with the inauguration of our new holiday decorations for all "cobra" lightpoles in the Ouray Business District.
This upgrade includes a full conversion from the traditional incandescent lighted decorations to new larger and more attractive decorations featuring LED lights. This is the first step in transitioning Ouray to LED lighting, a means to conserve energy, and reduce this expense to the city's treasury — an initiative that Mayor Bob Risch has been advocating and working toward since taking office earlier this year.
Supplementing these new holiday decorations will also be a second new initiative, the introduction of 18" x 36" banners, promoting a winter theme, that are mounted streetside, but still over the sidewalks, on cobra light poles, on opposite corners at all intersections throughout the Ouray Business District.
The decision to use LED lights this year was made after experimenting with them last year in locations like the Gazebo in Fellin Park, and along the fence bordering Highway 550, above the Hot Springs Pool. It was clear after last winter, an extremely severe winter, that these lights will definitely withstand the harsh winter weather conditions so prevalent in our city. It is anticipated that the LED lights will reduce the energy consumption from the old incandescent lights by approximately 75%.
On Monday, Nov. 17, and Tuesday, Nov. 18, the city's Public Works Department in coordination with the Ouray Beautification Committee, spent most of those days mounting the required hardware on the light poles, and installing the new banners and holiday decorations. Having the hardware mounted on the poles will make future installations and take down much easier and require less man hours.
During evening hours the banners, mounted between the two cobra lights, will benefit from the illumination produced by these lights enabling them to be seen. It is the intent to leave the winter banners up throughout the winter season. However, the holiday decorations will officially be lit as part of the "Light-up Ouray" evening on Saturday, Nov. 29, and they will be taken down after the holidays.
It is necessary at this point to acknowledge and thank the Ouray Chamber Resort Association for their donation of the winter banners and the attendant hardware. The Ouray Beautification Committee is recognized for keeping focused on, planning for, and for promoting the need for the city to acquire new holiday decorations and go LED.
A well-deserved thank you is also extended to the City Council for approving the appropriation for the new holiday decorations, and for approving the displays. Finally, an acknowledgment of appreciation is extended to all individuals and business owners who so generously donated money in 2006 and 2007 for the purchase of strings of LED lights to get things rolling. Will they be used again this year? You bet!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Ouray Road Tax Funded
Ouray County Road Funding Supported
November 07, 2008
Written By: Patrick Davarn
Posted By: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
Ouray County has gained voter approval to supplement its Road & Bridge budget. The proposed one-cent sales tax passed by a slim margin of 66 votes (1,464-1,398), according to unofficial counts from the County Clerk's office.
Keith Meinert, Board of County Commissioners chairman, said he was gratified the public agrees that the county must maintain road infrastructure and preserve its most valuable asset. The additional funds are specifically earmarked to the Road & Bridge Department.
"As we are also seeing at both the state and national levels, the maintenance of our roads and bridges will only get more challenging due to escalating costs of construction, high fuel costs, increased usage and decreasing fuel tax collections," said Meinert. "This additional funding from a sales tax increase will help us meet these challenges and reduce our dependence on trickle-down handouts from Denver. I want to assure the public that the county will use this additional funding wisely. I encourage the public's participation in Road Committee and BOCC meetings to help us develop the county's road maintenance strategy and prioritization."
This year's result counters last November's outcome, when voters decided 901-802 that they did not want a 3% use tax to help pay for road maintenance and improvements. The county has had a 1% sales tax, as allowed by the state, since 1985. Earlier this summer, the state legislature set new rules that allow counties to ask voters for additional sales tax revenues.
County officials told voters that the additional 1% sales tax was necessary due to projected reductions in the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF), which annually provides 40% of the monies in the Road & Bridge Department budget. The BOCC has have pledged 60% of these new proceeds toward routine road operations and 40% to improvements and capital purchases.
Total revenue in the 2008 Road & Bridge budget is estimated at $1.5 million. Of this amount, approximately 42% ($601,114) is derived from state sources (primarily HUTF) and 19% is from local property taxes ($315,729). Road & Bridge currently has a dedicated revenue source of 1.5 mils and the BOCC has historically transferred the equivalent amount of 1 mil levy ($194,401) from the General Fund. Other revenue sources include federal sources, reimbursements and impact fees utilized for capital infrastructure.
November 07, 2008
Written By: Patrick Davarn
Posted By: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
Ouray County has gained voter approval to supplement its Road & Bridge budget. The proposed one-cent sales tax passed by a slim margin of 66 votes (1,464-1,398), according to unofficial counts from the County Clerk's office.
Keith Meinert, Board of County Commissioners chairman, said he was gratified the public agrees that the county must maintain road infrastructure and preserve its most valuable asset. The additional funds are specifically earmarked to the Road & Bridge Department.
"As we are also seeing at both the state and national levels, the maintenance of our roads and bridges will only get more challenging due to escalating costs of construction, high fuel costs, increased usage and decreasing fuel tax collections," said Meinert. "This additional funding from a sales tax increase will help us meet these challenges and reduce our dependence on trickle-down handouts from Denver. I want to assure the public that the county will use this additional funding wisely. I encourage the public's participation in Road Committee and BOCC meetings to help us develop the county's road maintenance strategy and prioritization."
This year's result counters last November's outcome, when voters decided 901-802 that they did not want a 3% use tax to help pay for road maintenance and improvements. The county has had a 1% sales tax, as allowed by the state, since 1985. Earlier this summer, the state legislature set new rules that allow counties to ask voters for additional sales tax revenues.
County officials told voters that the additional 1% sales tax was necessary due to projected reductions in the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF), which annually provides 40% of the monies in the Road & Bridge Department budget. The BOCC has have pledged 60% of these new proceeds toward routine road operations and 40% to improvements and capital purchases.
Total revenue in the 2008 Road & Bridge budget is estimated at $1.5 million. Of this amount, approximately 42% ($601,114) is derived from state sources (primarily HUTF) and 19% is from local property taxes ($315,729). Road & Bridge currently has a dedicated revenue source of 1.5 mils and the BOCC has historically transferred the equivalent amount of 1 mil levy ($194,401) from the General Fund. Other revenue sources include federal sources, reimbursements and impact fees utilized for capital infrastructure.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Locals get er done!
Locals just get projects done
Written by David Mullings - Ouray Plaindealer
Posted by Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
October 31, 2008
Can do.
That's probably what I like best about living in Ouray County.
Sixteen years ago, a bunch of good people got together and formed the Mount Sneffels Education Foundation. The organization, which provides innovative programs that give students here fantastic learning opportunities, thrives today. MSEF is on its way to building a self-sustaining trust.
Seven years ago, a group of folks here saw an amazing piece of publicly owned land that was going unused. They jumped through a bunch of hoops, today, we have the Top of the Pines, an outdoor camp on Miller Mesa that serves as a dynamite outdoor education facility.
Five years ago, an emergency services shuffle squeezed the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team into a single garage bay. How did the all-volunteer group respond? With the help of a legion of supporters and some county-donated land, OMRT went out and built a wonderful two-story rescue center at the Ice Park. The team gained a certificate of occupancy last week, and plans an open house to show off the facility in mid November.
Can do.
Written by David Mullings - Ouray Plaindealer
Posted by Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
October 31, 2008
Can do.
That's probably what I like best about living in Ouray County.
Sixteen years ago, a bunch of good people got together and formed the Mount Sneffels Education Foundation. The organization, which provides innovative programs that give students here fantastic learning opportunities, thrives today. MSEF is on its way to building a self-sustaining trust.
Seven years ago, a group of folks here saw an amazing piece of publicly owned land that was going unused. They jumped through a bunch of hoops, today, we have the Top of the Pines, an outdoor camp on Miller Mesa that serves as a dynamite outdoor education facility.
Five years ago, an emergency services shuffle squeezed the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team into a single garage bay. How did the all-volunteer group respond? With the help of a legion of supporters and some county-donated land, OMRT went out and built a wonderful two-story rescue center at the Ice Park. The team gained a certificate of occupancy last week, and plans an open house to show off the facility in mid November.
Can do.
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