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| The Board of Mesa County Commissioners presents information about their proposed ballot question to exempt state grants from the revenue and spending limitations of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) at a town hall meeting, July 17, at the Old Courthouse, 544 Rood Ave. |
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| “The commissioners are considering a ballot question to exempt state grants from our TABOR cap, without increasing any taxes. Most of our state grants are for infrastructure projects, so this actually grows the private sector, not county government, which should be limited," Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese said at the town hall Tuesday evening. “I believe it is time to bring Mesa County taxpayer money home to work for Mesa County residents.” |
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| Mesa County residents ask questions and participate in the discussion to exempt state grants from the TABOR cap. |
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| Great turnout at the Mesa County Commissioners' town hall regarding the proposed ballot question to exempt state grants from the revenue and spending limitations of TABOR. |
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| Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein shares with Inside Mesa County class participants how his office is organized. The DA's Office is dedicated to the pursuit of justice, the protection of victims and the prevention of crime. |
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| Mesa County Sheriff Matt Lewis and District Attorney Dan Rubinstein talk to residents about the collaboration and great working relationship between their agencies. |
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| Mesa County Sheriff Matt Lewis shares with the class participants that the physical area they cover is 3,300 square miles, which includes a variety of terrain, and the unincorporated Mesa County population they serve is approximately 72,017. |
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| Mesa County Undersheriff Todd Rowell talks about the changes and plans to expand the jail. |
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| From left, Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein, Sheriff Matt Lewis and Undersheriff Todd Rowell present to the Inside Mesa County class and discuss some of the trends they see in crime in the Grand Valley and the efforts their agencies are working on together. |
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| On Saturday, crews from Con-Sy, Inc. and United Companies poured the concrete deck for the new bridge being constructed for the 64.3 Road Corridor Improvement project. |
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| Mesa County Engineering personnel were on-site at 5 a.m. to observe the work for the new bridge being constructed near Collbran on 64.3 Road, which is approximately six miles from the Town of Collbran. It took 21 concrete trucks, 18 workers, and 8 1/2 hours to place, finish and cure the 219 cubic yards of concrete. Work was scheduled for a Saturday due to the large numbers of concrete trucks required to deliver the concrete. |
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| All production at the United Companies concrete batch plant in Grand Junction was dedicated to this job to ensure a steady flow of concrete to the site during a time-critical pour which went like clockwork. The 64.3 Road Corridor Improvement project is comprised of roadway improvements and the replacement of a functionally obsolete bridge crossing Buzzard Creek (the new bridge is pictured above). The project will also eliminate some of the sharp curves and steep grades of the current route. This $4.9 million project is partially funded by a $2 million Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant. |
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| This yellow starthistle was found in rangeland above Mesa by the Noxious Weed Management crew. Yellow starthistle is an annual plant that can produce tens of thousands of seeds per plant and is poisonous to livestock and wildlife. This high priority noxious weed is listed for eradication statewide because it can invade open spaces, crowd out native vegetation, and reduce wildlife habitat and livestock forage. |
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| Caleb Coffey, Erik Storey and Willie Wilkins with Noxious Weed & Pest Management scouted nearly 100 acres of rangeland above Mesa by foot looking for the noxious weed yellow starthistle. |
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| Noxious Weed & Pest Management crew members take a minute to enjoy the view of the Grand Mesa, Plateau Valley, and the Roan Plateau while scouting for the high priority noxious weed yellow starthistle in the Coon Creek Estates area of Mesa. |
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| Mesa County Solid Waste Director Barett Jensen points at the construction of a leachate holding pond and construction of a landfill cell at the Mesa County Solid Waste Management Campus. |
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| The construction project includes the installation of a geosynthetic clay liner system, a leachate sump, a leachate holding pond, and an access road. The Solid Waste Management team put out an RFP for this project in late February, and the project was awarded March 20. This project is meant to ensure the Mesa County Landfill is able to provide uninterrupted service for the disposal of waste generated within Mesa County. |
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| The 5.08-acre waste disposal cell project on the southernmost portion of the landfill footprint went to United Companies who was the lowest of six bidders at $1,193,305.03. |
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| The construction project includes the installation of a geosynthetic clay liner system, a leachate sump, a leachate holding pond, and an access road. |
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| In approximately two years trash will fill the area and will be at the height of the current landfills' working face, which is the hill behind the white truck pictured here. |
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| Mesa County Solid Waste Director Barett Jensen and Regulatory Compliance Manager Ryan Kyle meet with the project manager for an update. |
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| The liner is intended to be a low permeable barrier, which is being laid down under the new engineered landfill site. The liner retards migration of leachate, and its toxic constituents, into underlying aquifers or nearby rivers, to prevent spoliation of the local water. |
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| Over the top of the landfill liner, a layer of rock is placed to strengthen the barrier to prevent groundwater contamination. |
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| The newly installed geosynthetic clay liner system reflects and radiates heat, which is designed to limit the movement of liquid or gas in the system. |
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| Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Sheila Reiner talks about the efficiency and innovative methods her staff introduced that have resulted in cost savings in the Elections office. |
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| Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Sheila Reiner and Division Director Jackie Campbell share the results of their second quarterly report: In Mesa County, approximately 9,000 people saved a trip to Motor Vehicles for in-person renewals in just the second quarter of this year compared to Q2 2017 by using alternative options to do their MV errands. |
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| Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Division Director Jackie Campbell discusses the duties and responsibilities of the recording division. |
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| Mesa County Assessor Ken Brownlee explains to residents that his office is charged with four functions regarding property: discover, list, classify and assess. |
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| Work continues for the Bosley Wash Detention Basin project near Mt. Garfield. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. |
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| Dirt work continues at the Bosley Wash Detention Basin, which is a $2.5 million project and is 75 percent funded by FEMA, and 12.5 percent funded by the state, with a Mesa County match of 12.5 percent. |
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| The project is a multi-agency effort among; the State of Colorado, FEMA, the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Dam Safety, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Mesa County. |
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| A snake is spotted by a culvert underneath I-70 near the Bosley Wash Detention Basin project. |
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| Watch a news clip regarding the Bosley Wash Detention Basin project at https://bit.ly/2NxanIR. |
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| In honor of National Junk Food Day, Mesa County Employee Association (MCEA) stopped by the Mesa County Fairgrounds to recognize staff for their hard work and dedication by gifting them junk food so that they can grab a quick snack while they plug along with their hectic schedules during fair week. |
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| MCEA representatives and Fairgrounds staff pause for a picture. From left to right top row: Kassidy Flick and Ryan Sears. Middle row: Amy Joy, Linda Robinson, Amber Fitzpatrick, Madelyn Morgan, Rene Romero, Greg Linza. Front row: Donna Redd and Stacy Pinnt. |
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| The Fairground staff has plenty of junk food now thanks to the MCEA. |
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| Mesa County Fairgrounds Maintenance Technician Dustin Larsen puts out fair flags. The Mesa County Fair kicks off next Tuesday. |
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| Don't forget, this year's admission to the Mesa County Fair is FREE! |
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| The 2018 Mesa County Fair is July 24-28. Don't miss out. Be there! |