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Ouray County Newsletter
May 2024
Connecting Ouray County Government with Ouray County
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IN THIS EDITION:
- Welcome, Kara Rhoades!
- OPEN HOUSE - Emergency Evacuation Plan
- Baldy Mountain Prescribed Fire Information
- Ouray County Alerts
- Who is Ouray's John Doe?
- Sheriff's Office Baseball Camp
- Employee Spotlights
- Treasurer's Office Update
- On the Road with Road & Bridge
- Crystal Reservoir Closure Order
- Land Use moves to CloudPermit system
- Master Plan Update Meeting Schedule
- Weed of the Month
- Community Rummage Sale
- Coming Soon - Mountain Echo Podcast
- Volunteer Opportunities
- And more!
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County Office Closures:
County Offices will be closed on the following dates in May:
Thursday, May 16 from 11AM-4PM for our Employee Appreciation Luncheon
Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day
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New Deputy County Manager
Ouray County is pleased to introduce our new Deputy County Manager, Kara Rhoades. Kara officially started her new role on May 1, and has eagerly jumped in to learning all about Ouray County Government. Kara lives in Ouray County with her husband and their three children. Welcome, Kara!
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EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN
OPEN HOUSE
In an effort to enhance the safety and well-being of its residents, Ouray County is creating a comprehensive evacuation plan for the City of Ouray, Town of Ridgway, and the unincorporated areas of the county. Recognizing the importance of preparedness in the face of potential emergencies, the County is committed to creating a robust plan that addresses the unique needs and challenges of this area.
Evacuation plans are critical to support the safety and security of where we live and work. Natural disasters, unforeseen emergencies, and evolving threats require communities to be proactive in safeguarding their residents. An effective evacuation plan ensures a swift and organized response, minimizing risks and ensuring the safety of all community members. The development of this evacuation plan is a collaborative effort involving local emergency services, government agencies, and community stakeholders. By engaging in this process, you can help create a comprehensive and inclusive plan that considers the diverse needs of our communities.
For more information, please contact Ouray County Emergency Management at 970-325-7273
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Baldy Mountain Prescribed Fire
On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the Ouray Ranger District and BLM Uncompahgre Field Office were able to successfully implement the first of nine planned prescribed fire units associated with the Baldy Mountain Landscape Resiliency and Habitat Improvement Project. The 112-acre unit comprised of masticated oak, pinyon, juniper and aspen. It had been mechanically treated and prepped this past fall under a keystone agreement with the National Forest Foundation. Firefighters used a combination of hand and aerial ignitions with an UAS to conduct the burn. Fire managers state that the effort succeeded in producing the desired effects to meet project objectives.
Project objectives are to reduce the severity of wildfires, protect local communities, create higher quality wildlife habitat and improve the health and resiliency of the landscape. Prescribed burning reintroduces and maintains fire within a fire-dependent ecosystem, helping to stabilize and improve the resiliency of forest conditions while increasing public safety. Once ignited, firefighters will monitor and patrol the units until they declare the fire out.
Planning and implementation for this project have been a collaborative effort between the GMUG National Forests’ Ouray Ranger District, BLM-Uncompahgre Field Office, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the West Region Wildfire Council, the Mullin’s Ranch and multiple other landowners. The project area includes lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, BLM and private landowners. The National Forest Foundation (NFF) has been a key partner in coordinating the project.
The safety of firefighters and the public is the most important factor considered when planning prescribed fires. Fire managers have developed a detailed prescribed fire plan and obtained smoke permits from the State of Colorado. For more information on how prescribed fire smoke may affect your health, please visit https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health
***The Baldy Mountain Landscape Resiliency and Habitat Improvement Project is located in Ouray County, approximately 2 miles southeast of Ridgeway, CO and 4.5 miles north of Ouray, CO.***
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Ouray County Alerts is used to communicate critical public safety topics including evacuations, wildfire, flooding, and other emergency notifications.
Ouray County Alerts is also used to communicate other general messages, such as Road & Bridge Maintenance Updates, Avalanche Mitigation Notices and Controlled Burn Notices.
During the registration process, you can choose the types of alerts/updates you receive and how to receive them, including: landline phone, cell phone, text/SMS message, and email.
All residents, visitors, and family members living in Ouray County are encouraged to sign up for alerts. You can register HERE
View our FAQs if you have questions.
Already Registered? Log-in HERE to check your account.
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Message about blasting in Ouray
We understand that the alerts about the blasting in the city of Ouray aren't relevant to everyone in the County - however, the messages do need to go out for public safety reasons. Please do not unsubscribe from Ouray County Alerts. This alert system is used for a variety of reasons - but the most important are public safety. Thank you for your understanding!
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Who is Ouray's John Doe?
Did you know that Ouray County Sheriff's Office and the Ouray County Coroner's Office have a cold case they are trying to solve? Did you know that you can potentially help solve it? How? By donating to Othram, we can raise the funds to have Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® done through DNASolves. A crowdfund account has been created to raise funds for the remaining casework costs. Othram and DNASolves work together to provide crowdfunding opportunities to agencies that do not have supplemental funds in their budget to address these types of cases. Anyone can contribute. Help us spread the word, help us solve this case and help families get the answers they deserve.
Learn more below and visit: https://dnasolves.com/articles/ouray-county-john-doe-1987/
***Ouray County Sheriff’s Office and Othram Team to Identify a 1987 John Doe - Investigators are working to identify a man whose remains were found in Ouray County, Colorado in 1987***
In November 1987, the skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in Ouray County, Colorado. It was determined that the partial skeletal remains were that of a male. The remains were transported to the University of North Texas for further testing where anthropologists estimated that the man stood 6’1” in height and was between twenty-five and fifty years of age at the time of his death. However, investigators were unable to make other determinations about the man, including his ancestry, weight, eye color, hair color, or cause of death.
Since the discovery of the unknown man’s remains, law enforcement investigators have diligently pursued various leads about the unknown man’s identity. Following the discovery of the remains in November 1987, the case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as case number #UP60579. Despite the exhaustive efforts of law enforcement, the man’s identity has remained a mystery. With few leads for investigators to pursue, the case went cold.
In 2023, the Ouray County Sheriff's Office teamed with Othram to determine if advanced forensic DNA testing could help establish an identity for the man or a close relative. Anyone with information that could aid in this investigation is encouraged to contact the Ouray County Sheriff’s Office by calling 970-325-7272 and referencing agency case 19OR-2780 or NamUs ID #UP60579.
Ouray County Sheriff's Office has contributed a portion of the funds, as has the Coroner's Office ($500 each) necessary for the casework and a DNASolves crowdfund has been created to raise funds for the remaining casework costs. Anyone can contribute here. We are grateful for your support.
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Sheriff's Office Hosts Baseball Camp in June!
County Sheriffs of Colorado is excited to partner with Ouray and Montrose County Sheriff's Office to bring CSOC Youth Athletics to Montrose! Join us for a day focused on building baseball skills, growing relationships within the community, and engaging with law enforcement on an individual level. Players of all skill levels and from all baseball or softball organizations are welcome.
Members of local law enforcement including the Montrose and Ouray County Sheriff's Office will be on hand to assist in the festivities and engage with community members. Sign up now at the link below!
Who: Montrose/Ouray County area youth ages 8-12 years old
When: June 26th, 2024, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (on site check in starts at 7:30 am)
Where: Sunset Mesa Sports Complex, Montrose, CO 81401
Cost: This camp is being offered for free or on donation-based admission. Donations are not required, but all donations will allow CSOC to further the youth athletics program and continue to bring youth athletics to different counties around the state of Colorado.
Sign up today at: https://leagues.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1797260
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New Sheriff's Deputies on Patrol! | |
On the Case: Rural Caseworker Serves as a Strong Advocate for Her Community
(Special from CO4Kids)
Linnea Edwards is the ultimate advocate for rural casework. As the Deputy Director for Child Welfare in Ouray and San Miguel counties, she sees firsthand the impact child welfare has in her small community.
“You really get to know your people—in your office, in your community, in law enforcement,” said Linnea. “Because of the limited number of services we have available in our community, you learn to think outside the box when it comes to getting families what they need and showing up for them.”
One example Linnea shared was managing supervised family time. There’s no supervised family time agency within 30 minutes of either community, which requires Linnea’s team get creative about solutions. “It’s important to us to provide consistent family time, so I have caseworkers that willingly transport kids over two hours each way so they can visit in their home with kin.”
Because of size of their small team, Linnea says every caseworker, including herself, fondly call themselves generalists. “I may only have five cases, but I’m doing it all for those five cases. I find that unique and enjoyable. Those of us doing generalist frontier community work are very knowledgeable in all aspects of child welfare.”
Linnea’s journey to child welfare started over 16 years ago when she started her career in Montrose County as an ongoing caseworker, eventually serving as an intake worker and lead supervisor before moving to Boulder County. In October 2020, a role became available in Ouray and she eagerly returned to the western slope.
“Throughout my roles in casework, I’ve really learned that my job is to look at each family holistically,” said Linnea. “My job is to figure out how this family system functions and build long-term relationships to understand and support them.”
Linnea is a proponent of Differential Response (DR), the process and philosophy of engaging families that includes holistic family assessments. This approach encourages the exploration of every possibility besides removal from the home that still keeps a child safe. This includes family engagement meetings, support planning, group supervision and more – a whole set of practices focused on keeping families together while ensuring children are safe.
Often times, this includes providing support for families in the form of therapy, special economic assistance, referrals for preventative services or high-fidelity wraparound services.
“If we catch families early on through a family assessment response (FAR), we can provide support services that may prevent or discourage further involvement with the child welfare system,” explained Linnea.
Since Linnea serves in a director role and works on cases of her own, she brings a unique perspective to the regional leadership meetings she attends. “Because we’re small and doing everything for each case, it’s helpful that I can provide ‘on the ground’ feedback and input on what my families need,” said Linnea. This helps Linnea serve as a stronger advocate for greater system changes related to funding or services.
Linnea’s passion for her work, her team and her community is palpable. When asked about what her future looks like in child welfare, she smiled and said, “That’s easy—I’m a lifer.”
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Treasurer's Office Update
The Ouray County Treasurer’s office collected a total of $1,101,507.55 on Monday, April 29th, which includes both taxes and revenue. This was made possible due to a combination of processing methods including online credit cards and e-checks through Autoagent, Lockbox check processing through Alpine Bank, and the good old fashioned way of people coming to the historic Ouray County Treasurer’s office and paying by check or cash. It was a fast paced, fun and exciting day seeing our friends, neighbors and new neighbors from all over the county! I am sure we can all agree that although taxes have increased in Ouray County we are all lucky and blessed to live here.
While I am able to share that we are currently at 62% of tax collection I am unable to estimate how many bags of chocolate we have handed out since the beginning of the year, but I think it has been at least 2 bags a week!
Jill Mihelich, Ouray County Treasurer and Public Trustee
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On the Road with Road & Bridge!
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ROAD CLOSURE NOTICE
CR-361/Camp Bird Road will be CLOSED on Tuesday, May 14, near McNulty Lane from 8AM-4PM for a culvert replacement. Crews will have steel plates they can place across the trench to let traffic through intermittently. Delays are not expected to exceed 20 minutes, but please be patient. We appreciate your understanding while we take care of this repair.
Give us a call if you have any questions: 970-626-5391
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Asphalt Patching on County Road 1
Asphalt patching on CR-1 began on Tuesday, May 7 and will continue throughout the construction season. One lane will be open at all times. Please be prepared for Flaggers and Workers in this area. Please give Road & Bridge a call if you have any questions: 970-626-5391
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High Country Snow Removal Progress Report
as of May 9, 2024
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Upcoming Road Maintenance/
Closure Notice
JUNE 10-21, 2024
Rebuilding 5 miles of County Road 8
(Forest Service Road 858)
Where: Owl Creek gravel pit to Sleeping Indian Lodge
Travel Impact: Throughout the project, the road will be CLOSED and flaggers will be stationed at both ends.
Non-emergency / non-local traffic will be turned around.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE!
PLEASE CALL WITH QUESTIONS:
970-626-5391
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Closure Order Still In Place for Crystal Reservoir
On April 15, 2024, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests’ Ouray Ranger District began drawing down Crystal Reservoir to address structural concerns with Full Moon Dam. This action is being taken as a precautionary measure to mitigate potential public safety concerns during spring runoff.
Recent assessments revealed slumping of the earthen dam, indicating potential structural concerns. Although there is currently no imminent danger, in preparation for spring runoff and prioritizing public safety, forest officials decided to temporarily close access to the dam and conduct a drawdown process to mitigate potential risks.
Once the drawdown process is complete, dam engineers will conduct a more detailed inspection, which is anticipated in June. Following the inspection of the dam, forest officials will be able to assess better the next steps needed to safeguard the dam and reservoir.
The Forest Service issued a Forest Closure Order for the area, which remains inplace, including access across the dam to National Forest System Trail (NFST) #210 – Hayden trail.
“We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of the public during this critical period,” said Dana Gardunio, Ouray District Ranger. “Public safety is our top priority and our team, in conjunction with our state and local partners are working to address the situation as quickly as possible.”
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Land Use Goes Live with
CloudPermit System
Ouray County and the Ouray County Land Use Department are excited to announce the launch of a new on-line, paperless permitting system called ‘CloudPermit’. The CloudPermit system
provides staff and the public (owners, builders, architects, agents, etc.) a state-of-the-art enhanced digital tool for building permit submissions and management for unincorporated Ouray County. The new system is available now at: https://us.cloudpermit.com/login
The CloudPermit system allows applicants to apply for and see the status of an application from
anywhere, at any time, through the on-line system. Applicants can start an application and finish
it later, receive email updates on application status, request or check status of an inspection,
and maintain digital records of construction projects and permit documents. To get started
simply click on the link above or cut/paste the link into your browser window, create a new
account, and get started in the CloudPermit system.
Note that additional functionality in CloudPermit will be implemented over time including
electronic on-line payments (hard payments required until implemented), a code enforcement
management system, and a land use application management system. Stay tuned for more
updates!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Land Use staff at 970-626-9775
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Save the Date(s) and Stay up to Date with the
Master Plan Update!
The Ouray County Master Plan is a long-range guiding document that helps the County achieve its visions and goals. Since the last Master Plan was adopted in 1999, many things have changed. An update gives the County an opportunity to address these changes.
May 21, 4:00 – 6:00pm In-depth review of remaining Master Plan topics
June 4, 4:00 – 6:00pm Finish any work not completed on 5/21
June 25, 4:00 – 6:00pm Review all documents for 7/9 Town Hall
July 9, 2:00 – 8:00pm Town Hall at Ouray County Event Center
July 10, 4:00 – 6:00pm Town Hall follow up
July 23, 4:00 – 6:00pm Finalize Master Plan draft for possible DOLA review
View the Master Plan Website!
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Ouray County
Weed of the Month:
Hoary cress
In the Environment, Hoary cress causes these effects:
• Displaces desirable vegetation, as it forms dense monocultures.
• Reduces production of deep rooted, native perennial species
• Reduces soil moisture
• Causes substantial losses on agricultural land
• Mildly toxic to cattle
• Boosts populations of insect pests
Ouray County Vegetation Control & Management urges all county residents to manage Hoary cress infestations, with elimination in mind. Noxious weed control is a community effort!
See the Ouray County Vegetation Management website for an identification tool, to help you identify all weeds of concern in Ouray County.
For questions about noxious weeds, please contact Julie Kolb, Ouray County Vegetation Manager: jkolb@ourayco.gov
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How to Identify Hoary Cress
• Perennial, which means it grows back every year
• Reproduces by seed and spreading roots
• Plants are up to 2 feet tall
• Flowers April through June
• Also known as “white top”
• White flowers are 1⁄4 inch wide and four petaled, in clusters at ends of branches
• Seeds develop within heart shaped seed capsules. Up to 4,800 seeds per plant that remain viable up to 3 years
• Spreading roots can spread 12 to 30 feet per year
• Found in pastures, disturbed sites, and right of ways
• Likes to grow in moist soil
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Save the Date!
Community Rummage Sale at the Ouray County Fairgrounds
Minerva West and Ouray County are excited to bring back the always popular Community Rummage Sale! Clear out your closets and garage. Make space around the house and bring home some cash. Remember what they say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."
12 ft x 20 ft spots available. See map for sections and spot selections. Two days for $30. Bring your own tables, chairs, tents, and other needed supplies.
Food trucks and WC facilities will be available.
Learn more! https://www.minervawest.org/special-event
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Region 10 and the Small Business Development Center offer helpful workshops for entrepreneurs and business owners in May | |
Coming Soon!
Mountain Echo
a Ouray County Podcast
Bringing you updates and stories from the people working for you in Ouray County.
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Volunteers Needed for Ouray County Incident Management Team
Ouray County is seeking volunteers to be part of the Ouray County Incident Management Team.
An Incident Management Team (IMT) is a rostered group of ICS-trained personnel consisting of an Incident Commander, Command and General Staff, and personnel assigned to other key ICS positions. The level of training and experience of the IMT members, coupled with the identified formal response requirements and responsibilities of the IMT, are factors in determining “type,” or level, of IMT.
The Ouray County Incident Management Team (OCIMT) will be deployed during complex emergency incidents to provide initial response to provide a command and control infrastructure in order to manage the operational, logistical, informational, planning, fiscal, community, and safety issues associated with complex incidents. OCIMT is a type 4 team and has been developed to handle a complex incident for the first 72 hours until Mutual Aid or other assistance can arrive.
The OCIMT is comprised of County Employees and County Residents trained in specific areas of response. Those interested in becoming members of the OCIMT are reviewed by the OCIMT Review Committee comprised of the Ouray County Sheriff, Ouray County Undersheriff, Ouray County Emergency Medical Services Chief, and Ouray County Emergency Manager. The OCIMT review committee will make a recommendation to the Ouray County Sheriff who will make final decisions and appointments to the OCIMT.
If you are interested in volunteering for this team, please complete this application and reach out to Ouray County Deputy Emergency Manager, Tabitha, with questions.
Tchamplin@ourayco.gov
970-318-9615
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Ouray County Victim Services Program Seeking Volunteers
Who We Are:
Ouray County Victim Services is a shared program between the Ouray County Sheriff’s Office, Ouray Police Department and Ridgway Marshal’s Office. Crimes can happen at anytime and any day so our services are available 24/7 to provide the needed support to victims of crime. Victim Advocates help victims navigate the complicated judicial system, applying for resources, and ensuring their rights as a victim are being met.
***Annual Training Offered***
Requirements:
- Compassionate
- Desire to help
- Must be 21 years of age or older
- Possess a valid drivers license
- Have a safe and reliable vehicle
- Be able to maintain confidentiality
- Able to perform under emotional and adverse conditions while being compassionate and non-judgmental with victim crime
- Background check is required
Interested?
Please contact Victim Advocate Tabitha Champlin at tchamplin@ourayco.gov or call 970-318-9615. 70-318-9615
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Mental Health Services Provided by Axis Health Systems
In Person Services and Telehealth Options Available for Ouray County Residents!
Benefits of telehealth include:
- Remote access to providers
- Flexible appointments
- Convenience
- Comfort and privacy of your own home
- No transportation concerns
- Weather and road conditions are not a problem
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988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Available 24/7/365
Text 988 for Help
If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the 988 Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.
The 988 Lifeline is available for everyone, is free, and confidential.
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Board of County Commissioner and Planning Commission
meeting agendas, packets and Zoom credentials are available on our website. Schedules often change so it is best to double check our website for current updates/changes.
Did you miss a meeting and want to know what happened? Recorded BOCC meetings and work sessions are available to watch on our website!
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