News
Elbert Co 9-12-2013
Elbert County
September 12, 2013
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourelbertcountynews.com
Elbert County, Colorado • Volume 118, Issue 33
Ballot issues added Elbert County voters will consider mill levy and sales tax hikes, 51st state option By Virginia Grantier
vgrantier@ourcoloradonews.com
Bill and Ray, Belgian draft horses, are one of several teams that Pat Kelley and other ranch hands use instead of tractors on Running Creek Ranch.
Using real horsepower There aren’t tractors or four-wheelers at Running Creek Ranch in northern Elbert County, which has about 1,000 head of Limousin cattle. The ranch owners, the Freund family, use teams of Belgian draft horses, a family tradition since buying the ranch in 1970. Joey Freund, one of the ranch owners, says the horses are more efficient and reliable — and quieter — than the alternatives, and there is camaraderie with the horses.
Photos by Virginia grantier
Chad Hermes, 37, a ranch hand who lives at Running Creek Ranch, gives Ennis and Pete a cool shower after a morning of pulling the horse-drawn road-grader.
elizabeth golfers win league outing Cardinals coach feels good about season By Scott Stocker
Special to Colorado Community Media For Ross Galman and the Elizabeth golf team, the season is quite solid and the players are hitting the holes. Galman fired a 73 in the Aug. 26 Colorado 7 League outing in play against league rivals Englewood, Fort Morgan and Vista Peak. With the effort, he helped the CardiPOSTAL ADDRESS
nals fire a team total 231 followed by Fort Morgan’s 268, Vista Peak’s 291 and Englewood’s 305. “The key is that I just keep doing well with my irons,” said Galman. “I had some good birdies and I was able to keep the ball in the fairways. It was really hot out there today. I’ve won this season with a 75, an 80 and a couple of 73s, so it’s going pretty good.” Galman had fine help from his teammates in gaining victory on a hot, hot morning and afternoon at the Spring Valley Golf Course. Dave Wahlstrom came through
with a 78, Sean Hess an 80 and Adam Eveleth shot an 81. Elizabeth coach Dave Strange is feeling pretty good about the season to date, and for good reasons. The Cardinals are ranked No. 7 in the state by Maxpreps, and the coach feels there is ample opportunity for his team to improve. “We have two league matches left,” Strange said. “We have second and a third in a couple of our tournament opens this season, so the kids know they can be very competitive. They all have had a good attitude for learning and that’s certainly no problem. “Ross, a lefty, just doesn’t let down,” said Strange. “He’s creative in his play and is pretty good to always be at least shooting in the mid-70s. Dave likes to play with the old Printed on recycled 1980 irons, the Pings. He has a good swing newsprint. Please and playing much better under pressure. recycle this copy. “It’s a toss-up when it comes to our No. 3,” continued Strange. “Sean is a junior and has the great long shots — actually the best Golfers continues on Page 11
Elbert County voters will be asked in November to decide whether to beef up the county budget by approving a mill levy increase and a 1 percent sales tax on new industrial tools/machinery. And voters will be asked whether to direct the commissioners to get involved in the 51st State Initiative effort, joining other rural Colorado counties that are weighing options that include forming a new state. Elbert County commissioners voted 3-0 on Aug. 28 to put those three issues on the November ballot, Commissioner Robert Rowland said recently. Rowland said the 4-mill increase for county government, which now has a 28.137-mill levy, is needed to maintain service levels, Rowland as the county has been facing declining revenues and declining property values while service needs have increased. Elbert County Treasurer Rick Pettitt said Sept. 5 that “right now we’re ‘even’ as far as paying bills.” But Pettit said the county is short-staffed after drastic measures a couple of years ago that included layoffs, a 10 percent pay cut for remaining employees and the reduction of the work week from 40 to 36 hours. Regarding the 51st State Initiative, Rowland said he was the one who earlier this year became interested in getting the county involved in an effort led by Weld County and several other rural eastern Colorado counties. “I’m the one that raised the issue (with the other commissioners),” said Rowland, who describes himself as a “liberty activist” and founder of the Elbert County Tea Party. “I felt it was a valid thing to put on the ballot.” He said he didn’t know much at first about the initiative effort, whose supporters are proposing a couple of options, including forming a new state or annexing to Wyoming. But after studying it and having discussions with other counties’ commissioners, and after fielding a raft of calls and Facebook comments from pro-initiative residents — the most for any issue since he became a commissioner in January — “I became convinced it was right.” Rowland said while the current state government focuses on the needs of Boulder and Denver, rural counties are “feeling very disconnected.” “I believe rural Colorado, including Elbert County, over the last several years is feeling very neglected (by the governor and Legislature),” he said. He said that, for example, the state’s 20 percent mandate requiring coal-fired power plants to operate with more “green energy” sources will be more expensive for the plants — so that will result in “huge increases” in energy bills for the county’s agricultural industry and others. The state government’s position on Second Amendment and gun laws also “leaves us very frustrated,” he said.