In last weeks board meeting, the board discussed the demolition of the roundhouse in Boyle Park. The total cost to demolish it is $2,665. However, the board would like to see the building repurposed instead of torn down. Town administrator Tom Yennerell said, I think the town would be remiss if they took it down without trying to do something with it. We may find somebody who wants to buy it; we may not. The board requested that Yennerell bring a proposal to the next meeting.
The final presentation from DHM Design was made to the board about the trails plan. After hearing from the community in two meetings, Walker Christensen and Katie Feeney finalized their master plan for the trails system in and around Mancos. They showed on a map what they feel are the best ways to make use of what there already exists and what can be added. Their priorities for this are as follows:
1. Connect Boyle Park to Cottonwood Park along the Mancos River.
2. Improve the pedestrian crossing at two places Beech and Spruce Street and Willow and US 160.
3. Improve downtown sidewalks Grand Ave. from Main to the town limits; bulb-outs at Beech, Willow, Spruce and Main along Main; and finish the sidewalks along Willow and Spruce.
4. Improve the safety along County Road J with pedestrian and bicycle paths.
5. A trail system on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) property and a trail head at the old landfill site.
6. A trail along the north side of U.S. 160 and downtown trail head; a trail connecting to BLM land on the old railroad grade; and a pedestrian sidewalk along Highway 184 from the traffic light to County Road 42.
7. A multi-use trail from downtwon Mancos to Mesa Verde Visitor Center.
8. Trails at the airport property
9. A river trail connection east to the airport parcel.
The two representatives of DHM Design stressed that this would be a long process, if implemented, and there are a multitude of financing options. The board thanked them for their hard work.
A presentation was made by Gretchen Treadwell about the necessity for regulating chickens in the town limits. She submitted information from other towns about how chickens were regulated there. The board did not take any action.
The board unanimously passed the authorization for the Millwood Junctions liquor license after hearing that no objections came from the marshal and there were no violations in the last 12 months.
The board authorized a change in law enforcements surcharge ordinance to a flat 60 percent, instead of breaking down the surcharges between dispatch, technology, jail, training, crime lab and victims assistance. This gives us more latitude on how the funds are used, said Marshal Bill Knauer to the board. We can move it around more.
The board reconsidered the alley vacation request from a September board meeting. The alley is the one between The Beehive and the Raven House Gallery, that leads to the Mancos Valley Distillery. Reneata Collins recused herself from the discussion and action. The board took no action pending a letter from Joan Krajack, owner of the property on the east side of the alley, stating that she is in agreement with moving forward with an encroachment permit for the alley.
The board is having a special meeting to discuss the 2012 budget at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. It is open to the public.
