RANT!
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Oh boy! We sure have learned our lesson for voting down that new forever Mill Levy tax last November! These Commissioners (Sandy Hollingsworth and Susan Berumen) voted to increase the fees for the Rec Center, but didn’t TOUCH the fees for the Day Care program.
Marie Mornis made a motion to leave the fees for the Rec Center alone, but increase the low day care fees. She also recommended the County bring back the Annual Membership. They voted DOWN the Mornis motion.
Sandy Hollingsworth made a motion to raise the fees, (even though our county has a $20,000,000 reserve fund) adding Mornis’ proposal to bring back the Annual Memberships. It passed 2-1 with Mornis dissenting. Hmmm…we’re rich, but let’s go get the people to pay more! Even though THE PEOPLE have been hit by HUGE INCREASES in property taxes this year. To be clear…users already pay fees to use this center, which is fair. Some Seniors with health insurance pay premiums that include payments to our Rec. Center. It’s not “free” for them, as has been said by some Commissioners.
When they raise the daily drop-in fees $1.00 for each person each time your family uses the Rec Center, and increase all the other membership packages, well - you do the math! It’s not just a dollar. What do our Commissioners value? I really wish I could tell you they listened to the people’s voices and are going forward with their wishes, but - we voted nearly 2-1 AGAINST THE NEW REC CENTER TAX! They didn’t need your approval to raise the fees. They did it all by themselves.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO LEARN, GILPIN? This Board is out of control! You said “no” but they said “yes!”
Here are your increased fees that take effect 3/1/2024.
Here is a short video of Commissioner Mornis’ motion NOT to increase Rec. Center fees:
((((((((((48-second video))))))))))
Here is the motion by Commissioner Hollingsworth TO INCREASE fees:
((((((((((44-second video))))))))))
Another item…
Have any of you noticed how this county has quickly become a welfare state? It looks like we pay people to continually search for GRANTS for things we don’t even want or need (in many cases). Our country is $34 TRILLION in debt, but we keep applying for money from the State and Federal government. It’s ALL OUR MONEY!
This board voted (2-1) to install TWO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS at our Gilpin County Library! There are 11 charging stations between Nederland and Hwy. 6 already. Why do it? Well, it will be subsidized by a government grant - $65,000 Gilpin, $65,000 grant. Why not, right?
This Board is going forward with their plan to build a $1.5 MILLION 2,500 sq.ft. building for a FOOD PANTRY which is only open ONE DAY A WEEK FOR TWO HOURS AND 15 MINUTES! Why? Well, there is a grant! Plus, they plan to include a COMMERCIAL KITCHEN so they can lease it to caterers (for instance)! DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS KIND OF SPENDING?
By the way…they don’t vet all the Food Pantry patrons! If they did, they would find many of the people shopping at the food pantry are NOT the needy you would expect to utilize the facility. Many of these folks own their own homes, have reliable transportation, vacation, etc. Rich people taking free food meant for the needy, well. You decide! I, personally, don’t want to pay for rich people’s food, or subsidize their child care. And while we’re at it - since when do schools feed all the students breakfast and lunch - on OUR DIME? Oh, of course - there’s grant money! This is our new Gilpin County. WHY??????
It’s time to start speaking out, Friends. Why are you subsidizing day care for people who have double incomes?!? Did you know this County has cut programs for SENIOR CITIZENS (some who built this county), yet have budgeted $100,000 to help create another Day Care center (in the old Eagles Nest location on 119). Did you all know the county has given over $400,000 to Eagles Nest to try and help them survive - OVER AND ABOVE GIVING THEM THEIR BUILDING FOR PRACTICALLY NOTHING ($1/year) - yes, you read that right! WHY??????
Another thing…we have an amazing employee in Motor Vehicle - Jesse Hartman! This young woman called Monday to ask us if we were running a business at our address. “No, why?” Well - get ready - she discovered people from other counties/cities are using OUR ADDRESS to get license plates for their cars. YES, IT’S TRUE! She found (by THINKING, CALLING, SEARCHING) that since the early 2000’s, people have been using Gilpin County private addresses to order license plates because our taxes are lower and we don’t have emissions testing. WHAT? Jesse put a note in our file to deny any future criminals from hitting our address.
We went to the Sheriff’s Office to file a complaint and asked the deputy to contact those criminals and give them a citation - OR SOMETHING FOR COMMITTING THESE CRIMES! Nope. Not gonna happen. WHY? Because the judges will just throw it out. It’s a misdemeanor. Not a felony. So we got the message…why look into crimes like this? Just fuhgetaboutit! You may want to contact Jesse and see if YOUR address is being stolen by a criminal.
And finally - why is there no reserved Handicap parking outside the Commissioners’ board room? We have asked several times, but we are told to call ahead if we will be attending a meeting. Why should handicapped people have to request a handicap parking space in advance?!?!? Is this absurd? Ummmmmm…YES IT IS!
DO ANY OF YOU CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS, OR IS IT JUST ME?
Rant over. I’m disgusted with this county right now, if you can’t tell. Thanks for listening. If you want to share this rant and spread the truth, please do. It’s time to wake up, Gilpin!
Donna Okray Parman
Founder, The Gilpin Light
Sandy Hollingsworth extension - 11103
Susan Berumen extension - 11102
