July 2024 Larimer County Highlights
Compiled by Jorie Kramer, Larimer County Snapshot News
No Money for Public Restrooms
John Kefalas, Larimer County Commissioner and liaison to Red Feather Lakes, informed the Red Feather Lakes Planning Advisory Committee on July 25, 2024, that their request for money to operate and maintain public restrooms was not approved. The money was to come from Covid relief funds from the federal government known as American Rescue Funds. Kefalas suggested the committee ask the Red Feather Chamber of Commerce if they can assist with the operating costs. The Covid relief money has been put back into the Larimer County general fund. Currently, the only public restrooms in Red Feather Lakes are located in the public library.
County to Provide Legal Support
Larimer County Commissioners voted, on July 9, 2024, to provide legal support for two cases: Jordan Rich vs John Feyen; and Dustin Bartles vs Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. No further information on these court cases was given. However, a man named Dustin Bartles was shot by Larimer County Sheriff’s deputy, Sgt. Jackie Stimac, during an incident that occurred on January 10, 2022. Larimer County District Attorney, Gordon McLaughlin, along with the Critical Incident Response Team, investigated. In February of 2022, McLaughlin announced they had declined to bring charges against Stimac. It is not clear if this is the Dustin Bartles involved in the upcoming legal action.
Parking at Horsetooth Reservoir and Carter Lake to Improve
On July 23, via the Consent Agenda, the County Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Colorado Department of Transportation for parking areas at Carter Lake and Horsetooth Reservoir. The county’s share is $3,050,000 and the federal share is $11,250,000. Time tables for the work were not provided.
Primary Voting Statistics Revealed
Also on July 23, Tina Harris, Larimer County Clerk and Recorder, noted election data for the party primaries held in June. In Larimer County 29.5% of the voters voted. Statewide that number is 26%. There were 74,070 ballots submitted with 544 rejected. Many of these were unaffiliated voters who voted both the Democratic and Republican ballots. She encouraged people to apply to be election judges for November 5. Information for that may be found on the clerk’s website.
Closing Gas Wells Operated by Prospect Energy
In that same meeting, Assistant County Attorney Frank Haug and Community Development Director Rebecca Elliot presented an agreement with Larimer County and Prospect Energy regarding violations and enforcement through the Energy and Carbon Management Commission. Prospect Energy operates oil and gas wells throughout Larimer County that have repeatedly violated air quality regulations. Fines and fees were waived in exchange for cooperation. Haug and Elliot suggested that without the agreement Prospect would likely pursue bankruptcy and not complete the necessary action. The Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the settlement agreement, saying they hope this will put the burden of the cost of well closures on Prospect and not on taxpayers.
Larimer County Observer Corps members contributing to these reports were Nanci Wendlend and Lee Thielen. The full reports by Citizen Observers for the League of Women Voters of Larimer County are available on this Substack.
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Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended.