Ouray County News

Posted by: Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

Written by:

Gus Jarvis
Ouray County Watch

OURAY – With just over five weeks until President-Elect Barack Obama is inaugurated and with the national economy in a recession, it is the general consensus of the Ouray County Commissioners that the county should make a concerted effort to benefit from the economic stimulus package the incoming president may initiate.

While no formal action was taken at Monday’s regular meeting in Ouray, the conversation was sparked by the county’s Emergency Planning Coordinator Alan Staehle, who asked the commissioners if there are any steps to be taken to make sure the county would be in line if the new Congress funds infrastructure upgrades. Staehle further suggested that Colorado Counties Inc. could be a voice for the county.

“I am wondering if CCI shouldn’t be making sure that counties are in line for some that?” Staehle said. “We might have some opportunity if the president’s new infrastructure initiatives put some money into it at the county level.”

Commissioner Keith Meinert agreed, adding that before the National Governors Association meeting with Obama earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Transportation compiled a list of infrastructure projects that are engineered and ready to go if the new president initiates an infrastructure initiative. Locally, Meinert said the passing lane on Highway 550 near the Colona Gap and the Bear Creek Falls bridge are two projects that could be funded.

Commissioner Don Batchelder said chip-sealing roads to would be another immediate option but later cautioned that the county “is going to have to be conscious” about the cost of sustaining chip-sealed roads.

Commissioner Heidi Albritton added that one of the projects Obama has set his sights on is retrofitting public buildings to make them greener and more energy efficient. At some point the Ouray County Courthouse will be overhauled, she added.

“It sounds like Obama’s transition team is inclined to have stimulus that isn’t just roads, this might be something they would want to fast track,” Meinert said. “We are a long way from going forward with the courthouse but if there is money and they are looking for infrastructure projects quickly, that is the kind of thing to [inform] the governor of.”

The overarching question for the county is how to participate, if federal funding for local projects becomes available.

“I wonder what the best way to pursue this is,” Meinert asked, noting that Rep. John Salazar and Sen. Ken Salazar are sensitive to county issues and that it wouldn’t hurt to notify them that at the county-level “we have projects ready to go.”

The commissioners agreed to take steps to ensure the county is ready to act if a stimulus package is passed and Meinert agreed to draft a letter to CCI notifying them of Ouray County’s interest in the matter.

“If counties don’t get their foot in the door, the state could absorb any money without it going any further,” Staehle cautioned.