A “Tire-Some” Problem
Alamosa County Commissioner Darius Allen requested County Land Use Manager Juan Altamirano to research the idea of holding a county-sponsored tire disposal day.
Abandoned tires are not only trashy, they are potentially flammable environmental hazards and can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus or rodents that transmit other diseases. Used tires are to blame for much of the blight conditions on private property. “Illegal dumping is also an ongoing problem along public rights of way,” said Allen, according to the Valley Courier.
Allen suggested that officials might not want to set disposal fees so low that county residents would completely overwhelm them with tires.
Commissioner Michael Yohn added that potential fees shouldn’t be so high that people might be discouraged from turning their old tires in.
Every year, Americans generate roughly 290 million scrap tires, and until recently, much of that recyclable waste ended up in landfills. Now, more than three out of four scrap tires are recycled or reused, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
The Moffat Consolidated School District recently received a $45,000 grant to install a new playground surface made from an estimated 5,111 recycled tires.
No Pot in City Limits
The Alamosa city council voted on an ordinance prohibiting businesses related to marijuana production and sales within the city limits. It recently passed 6-1 on the first reading and is scheduled for an August 7 public hearing.
Councilor Marcia Tuggle was the lone vote against the ordinance, citing that regardless of how councilors personally felt about the issue, the voters had approved marijuana use, and the council should respect the voters’ wishes.
According to the Valley Courier: “The community has voted on this and we represent the community, and the majority of people in Alamosa are supportive of having a legal way to purchase marijuana,” Tuggle said.
City Attorney Erich Schwiesow said as a result of voters statewide approving Amendment 64, residents are permitted to use small amounts of marijuana recreationally and may grow their own for such purposes. That would still be allowed, regardless of what the city decided regarding retail marijuana, Schwiesow explained.
The amendment did include a provision allowing governing bodies like the city council to opt out of permitting recreational marijuana facilities and retail stores.
Team to Monitor Flooding
The West Fork Complex Fire by Wolf Creek Pass, South Fork and Creede is undergoing threat assessments in the Rio Grande National Forest to keep people safe from flooding, ash and debris.
The Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team (RWEACT) and the Burned Area Emergency Response, a national forest response team, are meeting on a regular basis in Creede to discuss keeping the Rio Grande Watershed safe and monitored.
“A lot of good work has taken place in the last week,” said San Luis Valley Irrigation District Superintendent and RWEACT leader Travis Smith about the prevention measures that will be in place through spring 2014 and beyond.
Flash floods are of greatest concern. Mineral County Undersheriff Bill Fairchild said the RWEACT emergency services subcommittee is working to finalize a three-step flash flood warning system to help people navigate through rapidly rising creeks, triggering reverse 911 calls and messaging via social media.
The teams are considering renting a “Doppler On Wheels” weather station for 40 days at a cost of $70,000, which the recent $2.5 million state relief funding should cover, to make sure no one is caught in a surprise storm now and possibly into the fall.
