Q: Do staff mind having their driving monitored by the vehicle tracking system?
Response: We did hear a lot of concerns initially, but I think staff has acclimated to it and our safety record has improved. I think staff also know that it also can protect them against erroneous reports.
Q: What kind of driving complaints come in from the public?
Response: We receive various complaints, but we find that oftentimes it wasn't a county vehicle, but city or another entity. If our staff are responsible, we speak to them about it.
Q: Is the Platt property with the prairie dog issues an agricultural property?
Response: Yes, it had been leased to an agricultural tenant who gave up the lease due to the prairie dog pressures and the degraded land. The new tenant wants to grow organic crops and so we need to get them irrigation water and help them remove the prairie dogs
Q: How much of the entire Parks & Open Space budget is the $7.3 million for CAST?
Response: Our whole budget is about $45 million.
Q: You said this is the most this line item has been. Is this an increasing trend every year?
Response: Yes, it is growing. It includes big projects, like Prairie Run implementation which is $2 million. We've been spending money to bring our rental houses up to code. We're hoping that once we get through projects like that on our maintenance backlog, it will level off.
Q: How much of this increase is dependent on the revenue that came in the previous year, and how steady is that revenue stream?
Response: Our revenue stream is about $36 million per year. We have a very healthy fund balance, so we are using some of the money in the bank to pay for some of this.
Q: Can you give more information about the Mill Water Quality project?
Response: We purchased the Cardinal Mill years ago and spent money to restore the mill. The county did not conduct the mining; we purchased the mill after the mining had stopped. We have been using a consultant to monitor the water quality monthly. Recently, there have been new spikes of zinc and lead. Because of that we are out of compliance. We have RFPs out to find long-term solutions. There is a Sept. 6 site visit to Cardinal Mill scheduled with the BOCC that you are all welcome to attend.