DECEMBER 13, 2022
MINUTES
Mayor Blakley brought the First Regular Meeting of the Dinosaur Town Council to order at 6:00 p.m. Those present were Mayor Richard A. Blakley, Trustees Darcie Rocque, Jeremiah Gray, Marshelle Gray, Mike Taylor, and LeRoy Trujillo. Absent was Trustee Robert Essex.
Trustee Rocque made a motion, seconded by Trustee M. Gray to approve the accounts payable as presented. Ayes: 6. Nays: 0. Motion carried.
Trustee J Gray made a motion, seconded by Trustee Taylor to approve the minutes from November 8, 2022, as presented. Ayes: 6. Nays: 0. Motion carried.
Mayor Blakley said that they have the variance for Ms. Nichole Ratcliff. The plans were pulled up for the temporary camping. He said that they are showing where they are wanting to put the campers in by the casitas and the motel. Mayor Blakley said that she is wanting to put the temporaries in three spots by the trailer, and two between the casitas and one behind the house. Ms. Ratcliff said that there would be a total of three trailers on each property. Trustee J. Gray asked if it was six trailers total. Mayor Blakley said yes. Mr. Laurance Elarton said that it is while they are doing the building repairs, and to keep rooms open at the main motel. Ms. Ratcliff said that they have been working on the house and then they will start building on the rest of it. Trustee M. Gray asked what they need. Mayor Blakley said that she needs a variance to use the campers while she is doing the remodeling. Mayor Blakley asked that once this is done it will go away. Ms. Ratcliff said yes, she is wanting to upgrade more on the properties. Mayor Blakley said that what they have done is give a six-month variance, and making sure things are moving forward. Trustee J. Gray asked if this is for temporary lodging only because she was talking about an RV Park. Mayor Blakley said he thought there was a mix-up there. Trustee Rocque said that they are going to rent out campers since the rooms are going to be closed. Trustee M. Gray made a motion, seconded by Trustee Trujillo to provide the variance to Ms. Nicole Ratcliff for six months at both locations. Ayes: 6. Nays: 0. Motion carried.
Mr. Elarton said that they have the liquor and zoning code. He said that they are getting amendments to the current codes that we have. He said that in the state rules there is liquor tasting in it. He said that there is a couple of things that need to be done. He said that Dustie would be getting the paperwork over for the resolution. Trustee M. Gray asked if they had to change something for zoning. Mr. Elarton said that the zoning was in Chapter 14 of the new codes, and it was never completed with the new codes. He said that the liquor and zoning codes are the ones that have not been adopted yet. He said that most of it follows with what we had before but there is a couple of changes that were minor. He said that one was the flood plain map. He said that the Town does not follow with FEMA Insurance, so we follow the County with the flood plain map. Mayor Blakley said that they had investigated FEMA years ago and the insurance would be high, so the Council decided not to go that route. Trustee Taylor said that the only danger we have for flood is storm water. Mr. Elarton said that there is one location, and the town has always taken care of it.
Trustee M. Gray made a motion, seconded by Trustee Taylor to approve the liquor license renewal for Loaf ‘N Jug. Ayes: 6. Nays: 0. Motion carried.
Trustee M. Gray made a motion, seconded by Trustee Roque to approve the renewal for Five Grow Retail Cultivation. Ayes: 5. Nays: 0. Abstain: 1 (J. Gray). Motion carried.
Mr. Jim Evans went over some of the changes that he made in the budget. He said that he had moved the severance tax and neu money over to the sewer fund. Mr. Evans said that the severance money was money that came in, but it was not budgeted for. He said that he had budgeted everything conservative. Mr. Evans mentioned that he added more line items to help keep track of the money and where it is being spent. Trustee J. Gray made a motion, seconded by Trustee Taylor to approve the budget as presented. Ayes: 5. Nays: 0. Abstain 1 (Blakley). Motion carried.
Mr. Evans said that in 2021 the state passed a law that goes into effect in January that big stores over 10,000 square feet must charge people ten cents per bag. He said that the municipality gets six cents and the store four cents per bag. Trustee Rocque made a motion, seconded by Trustee Taylor to opt out of the bag fees. Ayes: 6. Nays: 0. Motion carried.
Mayor Blakley said that Mr. Tom Kleinschnitz is wanting the town to give them a name for the raft trip, so they can stay in contact with them. Mayor Blakey said that he will let them know that Mr. Jim Evans would be the one to go on the trip.
Mr. Joe Flores asked if they are doing anything for the community center. Mayor Blakley said that they have all the plans for it. He said that they would like to hire local help to do demolition on it, so the money would stay in the community.
Mr. Flores asked if they are going to do anything for the kids in town for Christmas. Ms. Karren Sandoval said that Christmas is for kids. Mayor Blakley said that Love Inc usually does stuff for the kids. Ms. Sandoval said that her sister spent $260 for kids here in town. She said that Ms. Devonna Wilczek was always doing stuff for the kids. Mayor Blakey said that Niki and Tamara did that. Mayor Blakey said that the Five Department used to bring in Santa Clause and the school did when it was open. Mr. Elarton said that they would help the community. Trustee Gray asked if the citizens need to come to us with a plan. Mr. Elarton said that we can do our own plan, but all the employees have been swamped lately. He said that the Marshal Office had bought gifts for some of the kids last year.
Ms. Sandoval mentioned that the Dinosaur Days were good. Trustee M. Gray said that the town did not do that, they had their own committee. Trustee Taylor mentioned that the vendors did a good job at cleaning up. He said that when the Fire Department did the Easter egg hunt and breakfast they had volunteers, and they just asked for donations.
Trustee M. Gray said that she has had a lot of people come to her about the events, but nobody has the will power to be the leader. She said that it took a lot of time to put Stone Age together. She said that it cost a lot of money plus all their own personal time. She said that she has people come into the store wanting to do different things, but they think the town should be doing it.
Mayor Blakley said that they have the old ornaments that they used to put up. He said that they may need work. But they are going to give them away.
Mr. Evans said that they have put money in the budget for the library. Mr. Brian Nielsen asked if the hours could be changed on the town website, he said that they have changed the hours at the library.
Mr. Cabral said that there are horses outside of town on the highway. Mr. Elarton said that the Ute Tribe has been contacted.
Trustee Taylor made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:02 all were in favor.
TOWN OF DINOSAUR
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Richard A. Blakley, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Tamara Long, Town Clerk