FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6
VOLUME 33
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2021
75cI
ISSUE 5
Re-8 board may Federal I 48 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 , 2020 funds could help high-use Weld County roads look different .. T H E S E A S O N F O R S H A R I N G and soon
VOLUME 117
SSUE
District considers changes for boundaries, number of districts BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The future look of the Weld Re-8 School District board of education is up in the air. The district needs to reapportion its district boundaries so that each has roughly the same number of people based on the city’s population. One of the present boundaries has fewer than 500 people less than the average of the rest of the districts. Re-8 hasn’t reapportioned its boundaries since 2012, and the state requires a reapportionment every Weld County received funding to improve roads damaged by the oil and gas industry tanker traffic. PHOTO BY BELEN WARD four years. Also, Weld Re-8 has seven director districts. However, funds, the board received it would The Federal Mineral Lease Act the board has operated with five continue its efficient testing and District began in 2011, using pormembers for several years. also purchased two pieces of testing tions of the revenue received from The question before the present equipment. the mineral leases. The funds will school board deals with how many also be used to continue the county’s director districts it wants. Some of “This is the first year that the total water-well testing. the suggestions include keeping the given from the district has exceeded Weld County could receive $1 present seven seats, changing it to BY BELEN WARD $50,000,” said Mike Freeman, Weld million to help with improvement five with two at-large representaBWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM County commissioner and chaircosts throughout the county with tives (board member Kehle Griego man of the Federal Mineral Leasing nine road projects. Also, this year supports that option), going to a Act District. “This is a very imporA federal grant will help Weld the county could receive $52,473 to five-member panel with no at-large tant program to residents, so we County fix the roads and highways support the program and maintain seats or dropping membership to as commonly used for commercial wanted to be sure to cover the full its water-well equipment for testing, cost of the program.” little as three board members. truck traffic, the county announced according to officials. “I prefer a five-member board Residents can have their well waJan. 18. Road conditions have been damwith two at-large seats,” board ter tested at no charge and can test The Federal Mineral Lease Act aged by the heavy oil and gas indusmember Michelle Bettger said. “I twice yearly. Call the Weld County District approved and released try tankers. HARP was developed to don’t like to do a five-person board.” funds for 2021 to the Weld County Department of Public Health and construct improvements projects to “I was under the impression we Environment at 970-304-6415. board of commissioners to help the roads such as full-depth reclaimwere talking about five districts Also, residents can pay to have with selected road improvements ing of roads, paving, or treatment and two at-large seats,” said board their well water tested for metals, throughout the county’s Haul Route on gravel roads. member Matthew Adame. ions, bacteria, and pH balance. Program (HARP). In 2012 the well-water testing pro“We could continue with seven For more information on the “The traveling public expects our gram was established by the county districts to ensure certain parts of county’s water testing program, roads to be safe, efficient, and meet to offer free well-water Volatile Orthe district are represented proporvisit https://www.weldgov.com/ their overall needs,” Weld County ganic Compound (VOC) testing to its departments/health_and_envitionally,” said board member Cody Commission Chairman Steve residents. Over 1,339 free well-water LeBlanc. “But I’m fine going with ronment/environmental_health/ Moreno said. “While the county test samples have been taken to date. water_quality. More information on five (districts) and two (at large).” budgets each year for road improveEvery year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton Itand the Fort Lupton Food and Clothingthe Bank provide community saves the residents over $200,000, The voters get the final say. ments, funding from the Federal HARP can be found in the Weld members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert Change 4 Change, “If they vote no, then we’re going Mineral Lease Act District is a great according to officials. County 2045 with Transportation Plan at The public water systems are VOC https://www.weldgov.com/departback to the drawing board,” saidwith the additional resource we can to2. another organization that helps food drive. See more on use Page tested by the individual city water maintain our transportation sysments/public_works/transportasuppliers. Also with additional tem.” tion_planning. SEE RE-8, P2
Mineral lease funds could pay for free well water testing for residents
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