Q: Did the fire have any impacts to the plant community or to the rest of the site?
Response: Next week we'll be out there for the Phase 1 environmental assessment, so we're learn more from that visit. From what I understand, the site has been cleaned up as much as it can be since the fire.
Q: Why was this paid for with Lottery funds? What is the difference between this and other open space properties?
Response: This is to preserve the flexibility of the future use of the property. If the county decided to give the property to a native tribal nation, that is not an open space use and so open space funds would limit that use.
Q: The total amount is $1,160,000. The one building right is valued at $1,060,000, but that is contained within the acreage?
Response: It's just a different way of looking at it. We tend to look at values per acre, but also per building right. In this case, there was an appraisal done, so that was the number.
Q: Does the building right remain intact?
Response: The county acquires the building right, but it won't stay on the property any longer. We won't move it somewhere else to be used. Technically, it's no longer attached to the property and usable on that site.
Q: Is there a pool of trust fund money that was allocated to the county?
R: The Colorado Lottery sends 50% of the proceeds to Great Outdoors Colorado and that gets allocated out on a grant-making basis. The other 50% goes to municipalities and counties around the state. The county's allocation is around $515,000/year. At the end of last year, the fund balance was just under $4.7 million.
Q: POSAC only gives recommendations if it's open space dollars being spent?
Response: That's correct. It's written in the sales tax language. That's why we bring you everything that sales tax money is being spent on and ask for a recommendation, but we also bring you other purchases as information items. Some of these deals move quickly, and so we have more flexibility in when those other deals close instead of waiting for the next POSAC meeting.
Q: I would love to have a presentation about the county's relationships with tribal nations.
Response: We can absolutely bring you an update on that, but not right away. The county recently hired Karen Wilde to be the Native American/American Indian Relations Manager. Karen works in the County Administrator's office, but she's only been in the job for a few weeks. The BOCC is currently looking to develop a strategy for the land restoration process involving tribal groups.
Public Comment:
None