KDNK's Local Newscast airs weekday mornings at 6:41 and 7:41 during Morning Edition.
Garfield County Commissioners wlil review the proposed 2017 budget at a work session today. The county’s mill levy is controversial, particularly for municipalities within GarCo. Approximately $400,000 allocated to roads and bridges may get shifted to the general fund, which would mean it doesn’t get divided up by local municipalities. Thanks to Ryan Hoffman at the Post Independent, how this system works is a little more clear. The Town of Parachute received $50,000 in 2015 but is now anticipating zero. As reported here on KDNK, Carbondale is predicting the funds will drop from an initial projection of $175,000 to around $94,000. Rifle received about $169,000 in 2015 but is now expecting only $90,000. So those are the numbers, but what are the impacts? In Rifle, the road and bridge money from Garfield County is used for snow plowing and other basic street operations. Hoffman reports that Garfield County is far from a doomsday scenario, even with oil and gas property tax revenues projected to drop by 50% next year. The County has amassed over $128 million dollars in reserves. Governments aim to maintain one third of operating budgets in reserve. GarCo reserves are over 100% of a normal operating budget. Also on the agenda for Garfield County Commissioners today, a discussion of Affordable Housing led by Garfield County Housing Authority executive director KT Gazunis.
Several dead voters have cast ballots in Colorado, according to a recent report from CBS 4 in Denver. While Colorado’s Secretary of State says it’s not a rampant problem, any amount of fraud is too much. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.
Colorado’s General Assembly is made up of 65 Representatives and 35 Senators. Each state senator represents approximately 123,000 people during a four-year term. Carbondale and all of Garfield County are in Senate District 8. Our senator, Republican Randy Baumgardner, is running for reelection but hasn’t responded to KDNK’s interview request. Yesterday we played you part one of my interview with his opponent Emily Tracy. Here’s the second half of our conversation.
It wasn't until 1870 that the 15th Amendment gave African-American men the right to vote, and blacks are still waiting – in line, that is. Eric Galatas reports.
Mark your calendar. The Eighth Street Bridge in Glenwood Springs will be closed to vehicle traffic from this Saturday, October 8th to Tuesday, October 18th. The bridge closure will have a significant impact on school traffic. School buses cross the bridge 24 times a day. Parents and school district staff cross it hundreds of times each day. In the morning, students will be transferred from bus to bus at Glenwood Springs High School. For busloads of middle school students who live in South Glenwood, Sopris Elementary will be a transfer station in the afternoons. For more info contact the school district.
In Aspen, Main Street is closed this week from 7:30 AM to 9 PM between Galena and Spring Streets for replacement of a water line.
At the north end of the Grand Avenue Bridge in Glenwood, the right-turn to Sixth Street will be closed Monday through Friday for the next three weeks.
Morning commuters in west Glenwood Springs should expect 20 minute delays in the Exit 114 interchange of I-70 for another few weeks while the eastbound off-ramp’s in a one-lane configuration.
