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New handrails were recently installed on the front steps of the Rico Town Hall. Windows are being refurbished on the west side of the building.

J A N U A R Y N E W S L E T T E R – T O W N O F R I C O ­ 2005

Courthouse Restoration: Phase II of the courthouse restoration is moving along quickly. The Contractor, William Granda of Durango, has already restored many of the windows and is now replacing both sets of doors in the front entry. The window restoration and installation of the new front doors should be completed by February. The remainder of Phase II work will be completed this spring, which will include re­ pointing exterior masonry and waterproofing the foundation on the north side. The total budget for Phase II is $344,450.00. The State Historic Fund has awarded a $257,963.00 grant and the Department of Local Affairs has awarded a $60,987.00 grant for the project. The Town’s cash match is $25,000.00.

Sewer Site Studies: The Town is still pursuing the “North Cemetery” site as the location for a waste water treatment facility. Various consultant studies were conducted on this site last fall, including flood plain analysis, wetlands mapping and archeological surveys. Wetlands mapping indicated that approximately ½ acre is non­ wetlands. According to the Army Corps of Engineers guidelines, the Town could potentially fill­in up to ½ acre of wetlands through an abbreviated review process. Filling in more than ½ acre would require a more extensive environmental review process.

Town Manager Vacancy: The Town Board has interviewed one candidate to fill the Town Manager vacancy. Two additional candidates are scheduled for interviews this

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week. Hopefully, a new Town Manager will be hired by the end of January. After considerable discussions, the Town Board decided to hire someone with a public works director background who has experience and certification with water and waste water systems, building permits, and utility construction management.

New Town Board Members: Debra Hefly­ Jones, Donovan Spitzman, and Megan Waterman were elected to the Town Board in November. The election was cancelled because these were the only three candidates to fill the three vacant board seats. The new Town Board Members filled the expiring terms of Steve Snelling, Bruce Kinsey and Judy Schaefer.

Town Clerk Linda Yellowman swears in the new Town Board Members

Rico Soils VCUP: Atlantic Richfield Corporation (ARCO) has completed its soil sampling throughout Town. The soil sampling program was very comprehensive and included over 80% of properties in Rico. Sampling results have been mailed to individual property owners. Town­wide results will be posted on the Town’s website within the next week. A community meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 26 th at 7:00 p.m. at the Rico Town Hall to discuss the results of the soil sampling, status of the voluntary clean­up application, and risk analysis of

Rico soils. The desired level of clean­up throughout Town will be determined this winter through a series of community meetings. ARCO has also recently submitted an application for a soil repository to be located near the St. Louis tunnel north of Town. The repository would be used for the storage of high lead content soils that are removed during the voluntary clean­up as well as storage for additional high lead content soils that are excavated during new construction in the future. Additional information will be posted on the Town’s website prior to the meeting.

Town Budget: The Town Board adopted the 2005 Town Budget in December. The budget is available for review at the Rico Town Hall as well as on the Town’s website – www.ricocolorado.org.

Dog Licenses: Dog licenses for 2005 must be purchased from the Town Clerk immediately. Enforcement will begin in February for all dog owners that have not purchased licenses. Proof of rabies vaccination is required to obtain a dog license.

West Side of Block 3 Rezoned Historic Commercial: The Town Board approved a rezoning of the entire east side of Block 3 (just north of the Conoco) from Commercial to Historic Commercial. The new zoning will require commercial design that is compatible with the Historic Commercial Zone District, including building to front lot line; utilizing a majority of window space for the groundfloor; utilizing wood lap board siding, brick or stone for the façade; and, incorporating a parapet into the roof line of the façade.

Public Notices: The Town passed first reading of an ordinance to repeal using the

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Rico Sun­Times as the official paper of record and establish the Town Hall, Post Office and the Town’s Website as the official places of posting notices. The Town Board will consider second reading of this ordinance at its regular meeting on January 19 th .

Town Receives $10,000 Historic Architectural Grant: The State Historic Fund awarded the Town of Rico a $10,000.00 grant for an architectural assessment of the historic fire station building.

The Rico Historic Society and the Town of Rico are currently pursuing the possibility of using this site for the Rico museum.

Town Denied GOCO Grants: The Town submitted two grant applications to Great Outdoors Colorado, one for a covered ice rink facility and one for improvements and expansion of the School/Town Park. GOCO denied both of these applications. The Town Board will decide whether to pursue

grant funding for these projects further at the next Town Board meeting.

Town Board denies funding request for weed control: The Rico Alpine Society requested a $2,000.00 contribution from the Town as matching funds for weed control. The Town Board denied the funding request and referred the Rico Alpine Society to apply to the Rico Center for local matching funds.

Planning Commission: The Planning Commission considered three applications at its last regular meeting in December. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the Little Ada West minor subdivision application to create a 5 acre lot west of Highway 145. This parcel is owned by Rico Renaissance who has offered to convey the site to the Town for a waste water treatment facility (the “North Cemetery Site”). This minor subdivision application will be considered at the Town Board meeting on January 19 th . The Planning Commission also recommended approval of a re­zone application to zone a portion of RGS Tract (the Pro Patria millsite) as Commercial PUD for the planned River Lodge site and zone the remainder of the RGS Tract and Roy’s Tract as public facilities for future development of community recreational facilities (area around the maintenance barn and historic water tank). The Town Board will conduct a public hearing at its regular meeting on January 26 th to consider this zoning change. The Town and Rico Renaissance are acting as co­applicants because a majority of the property is planned for conveyance to the Town as the River Corridor park. The Planning Commission reviewed a proposed minor subdivision on Hancock Street to create 3 single family residential

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lots. This subdivision application was continued.

Meetings Schedule for January: All meetings are at the Rico Town Hall unless otherwise stated. January 19 th , 7:00 p.m. Trustees ­ Regular meeting January 25 th , 6:30 p.m. Rico Planning Commission

­ Regular Meeting January 26 th , 7:00 p.m. Community Meeting regarding Rico Soils Voluntary Clean­up.

Vacancies: There are three vacancies on the Rico Planning Commission – 2 regular seats and 1 alternate seat. Persons interested in applying for these vacancies should submit a letter to Linda Yellowman, Town Clerk, by January 12 th . Letters can be delivered at Town Hall, sent to P.O. Box 56, Rico, CO 81332, or faxed to (970) 967­2861. The Planning Commission regularly meets on the last Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.