OURAY – The Ouray City Council will soon choose a replacement for City Attorney Greg Clifton, who will complete his duties for the City of Ouray by the end of 2008, according to City Administrator Patrick Rondinelli.
Councilmember Sandra Stuller has interviewed at least two candidates and told the council at their Sept. 2 meeting that she was “ready to go” for a recommendation. “I think I’ve done all of the background I need to do,” she said.
Some of City’s 08 Goals Must Wait Until 09
An update of the city’s goals for 2008 revealed that some will not be achieved this year but are well on track for 2009, according to an evaluation by City Administrator Patrick Rondinelli. Rondinelli met with the council at a work session on Aug. 29 to discuss a timeline for the unmet goals.
One of the high-priority goals, a Home Rule initiative to form a charter commission, is on schedule and will be presented to the voters in November.
One of the items includes the city’s plan to install a new water line from the Box Cañon spring to the city’s hot springs pool, incorporating additional springs in the area. Success will depend on whether a grant application is approved in October. The application was submitted on Aug. 1 to the state Department of Local Affairs to fund engineering for the project.
An effort by the city to have the U.S. Forest Service revise an appraisal for a 40-acre tract, which the city contends was overvalued at $870,000, was unsuccessful. The city will pursue an alternative plan to obtain only 24.2 acres that encompasses the Ice Park and water tank. “In the mean time we are exploring funding options to acquire these pieces either through money, donations or grants,” Rondinelli wrote in the report.
The affordable housing solution has been aggressively pursued in 2008, and the city has received the appraisal of city-owned properties on 6th Street and 8th Avenue. According to Rondinelli, city staff is also working to develop housing projects on Lot 169 as well as the Cascade catchment basin.
The planned adoption of the Parks Master Plan for Fellin and Rotary parks has not been completed, and that effort will likely extend into 2009. One of the components of the plan is to finalize the future location of the Highgrader’s Holiday; a meeting with event organizers will be scheduled by the end of 2008.
Historic Preservation
In other business, the council approved a letter asking for the City of Ouray to become a “Preserve American Community.”
“We will apply with the state historical society advising of our interest in proceeding with this,” said Mayor Bob Risch on Sept. 2. The city already meets most of the requirements to be considered, which will expand grant opportunities for the preservation of public buildings.
The request was prompted by two local citizens who asked for the PAC designation in their effort to obtain a grant to preserve the Wright Opera House.
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