Ouray County Newsletter

May 2022

Connecting Ouray County Government with Ouray County

Road Closures on US 550 Red Mountain Pass

Electrical Reliability and Broadband Improvement Project to complete fire mitigation phase

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) issued a permit for San Miguel Power Association (SMPA) to conduct vegetation clearing operations on US 550 Red Mountain Pass over the next few weeks. San Miguel Power Association is clearing timber to mitigate the risk of wildfires in the area. The work also prepares the way for a possible power line reconstruction project. Work is taking place on the south side of the pass summit between the communities of Ouray and Silverton. Travelers will need to plan around two four-hour closures, weekdays in the mornings and afternoons on US Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray. The highway will remain open overnight and on weekends.

Gather information about weather forecasts, anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road.

● Road conditions: www.COtrip.org

● Project or travel alerts: bit.ly/COalerts

● Scheduled lane closures: codot.gov/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html

● Social media: Twitter @coloradodot and Facebook facebook.com/coloradodot

Highway 550 Construction Continues

Beginning in April, and expected to be completed by November 2022, Hwy 550 between Ouray and Colona will receive some substantial improvements. The $15 Million project is located approximately between MP 94-116. The scope of work includes a Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) leveling course and overlay with a 2-mile section to include shoulder widening between MP 98 and 100, south of Cedar Hill Cemetery. Our Road & Bridge department will be coordinating with CDOT for minor improvements along the route such as draining issues.

The new road surface will add approximately 10 years of life to the highway, provide a smoother road surface and will eliminate ruts and road damage. This will allow for an improved smoother and safer drive for motorists. The new guardrail will be 31” high instead of 27” high to help veering vehicles remain on the road more effectively, making the highway safer for the traveling public.

If you have questions or concerns or if you would like to be added to CDOTs public outreach contact list to receive construction updates:

• Project Phone Line -(970) 456-1481

• Project Email - resurfacingproject@gmail.com

• Project Webpage - https://www.codot.gov/projects/us550-ouray-to-colona-resurfacing

What can you expect?

PROJECT SCHEDULE: Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The project, starting in April, has an anticipated completion date of November 2022.

TRAVEL IMPACTS: Motorists should plan for one-lane alternating traffic, 20 minute delays and reduced speed limit throughout the work-zone.

Watch the March 22 presentation from CDOT (begins at 1:58:15)

Primary Election Important Dates!

2022 Primary Election Dates:

Friday, May 13th: UOCAVA ballots will be mailed/transmitted to eligible, active Military/Overseas Voters
Thursday, May 19th, 10am: Public Logic & Accuracy Test of the voting system’s hardware (Subject to change)
Monday, June 6th: Last day a voter may update their party affiliation to vote on another party’s ballot
Monday, June 6th through Thursday, June 9th: Ballots will be mailed to ALL eligible, active, registered voters
Monday, June 20th: Voter Service Polling Center (VSPC) opens at the Ouray County Courthouse
Monday June 20th: Last day for a voter to request a ballot to be mailed to them
Tuesday, June 28th: ELECTION DAY– Voter Service Polling Centers open from 7:00am to 7:00pm

Mail Ballot Drop Boxes:

24/7 Video Surveillance, open 7 days a week – beginning Friday, May 13th

Ouray County 4h Event Center: 22739 Hwy 550, Ridgway, CO 81432 (Northeast side of Event Center Building)
City of Ouray Community Center: 320 6th Avenue, Ouray, CO 81427 (Near the flagpole)
Town of Colona: 35 Hotchkiss Ave (County Road 1), Montrose, CO 81403 (Near the ‘Welcome to Colona’ sign and community mailboxes)

2022 Primary Election Voter Service Polling Centers (VSPC’s):

Voters can visit the Voter Service Polling Center (VSPC) in Ouray County to vote in person, request a new or replacement ballot, drop off a mail ballot, update voter registration information, register to vote or use accessible voting equipment. Locations and hours are as follows:

Ouray County Courthouse:

541 4th Street, Ouray, CO 81427

Open beginning Monday, June 20th

9:00am to 5:00pm Monday, June 20th – Friday, June 24th

9:00am to 1:00pm Saturday, June 25th

9:00am to 5:00pm Monday, June 27th

7:00am to 7:00pm ELECTION DAY, Tuesday, June 28th

Replacement Ballots

Replacement ballots are available upon request and in person at the Ouray County Elections Office: 541 4th Street, Ouray, CO 81427

Please call the Ouray County Clerk’s Election Office at 970-325-4000 for assistance or further information.

Ouraycountyco.gov

Sheriff's Office Update

It’s hard to believe how fast the year is already going and that May is in full swing! The Sheriff’s Office has responded to over 1800 calls for service to date, which includes everything from self-initiated activities such as directed patrols and traffic stops, to felony burglary, domestics, Felony thefts and cold case death investigations. No individual day is alike!

The Sheriff and Undersheriff had the opportunity to attend the Career Fair at Ridgway Secondary School, which provided an excellent opportunity to interact and speak with the students. We came away from the event excited about the caliber of fine young women and young men we have in our County.

Community Watch Programs

The Sheriff’s Office continues to expand community policing opportunities by building partnerships to solve identified problems. There are various ways this is accomplished, from formal programs and committees, to special events and meeting with local community groups. As a method of improving our immediate communications with the public, we initiated a notification system called REACH Alert, which is funded solely through donations to our community policing efforts. This system is specific to the Sheriff’s Office for information sharing throughout the county and includes dissemination of information of concern such as criminal activity, programs or projects within a neighborhood or community, and any other information that might help enhance the safety and protection of our residents and their properties.

When signed up, the member will receive notifications that pertain specifically to their neighborhood or items of concern for the entire county. As good as this service is however, if you don’t register, we can’t share important information with you. You decide if you want a text message, voice call, or an email. Each household can register up to 4 phone numbers and 4 email addresses. All you need to do is

1. Go to www.reachalert.com and click on Sign Up (upper right hand corner).

2. Network Name: type Ouray County (click on our name when it appears, making sure you don’t select Ouray Business Group!).

3. Follow the prompts and enter your preferred contact information. When you enter your address, click on it when it appears in the drop-down list.

If you opted to receive text alerts and/or emails, Reach Alert will send a confirmation message to your cell phone or computer immediately upon completion of your registration. If you do not receive this message, please call Reach Alert.

In addition to the Reach Alert communication program, we are also initiating a new program, called Ranch Watch. This program is in addition to the Neighborhood Watch program that is currently in place throughout the County. The Ranch Watch Program ® is designed to prevent criminal activities in rural and ranching communities. The program works for land and livestock owners in rural subdivisions or large ranches and those in between, through education, and information. Those using the "No Trespassing" sign have had considerably less trespass problems. The Ranch Watch Reflective Road Sign warns criminals as they travel rural county roads. Rural neighbors watching out for each other and their property is not new, but centuries old.

The signs let criminals know they are under the watchful eye of a neighbor or a Sheriff's Deputy patrolling the area. Criminals, or those about to become criminals understand what the Ranch Watch Program ® logo, handcuffs with eyes, signifies. The Ranch Watch Program ® is not only a great safety awareness program, it is a great public relations program. Ranch Watch can be used by organizations that have ties to the ranching and rural community such as; 4H, Sheriff's Posse, horse groups, Cattlemen's, Cattlewomen's and other livestock organizations.

Warning signs are one part of the Ranch Watch Program ®, the program also includes:

· Identification Program for your tack and equipment

· Extra Patrol Requests

· Signs- No Trespass, Keep Gate Closed, Equine signs, etc.

· Ranch GPS (Global Positioning System) for emergency medical fly-in

· Sheriff's Internet Web page with information on most common Fence, Trespass and other Livestock laws

· Additional training for Sheriff's Deputies in Livestock/Equipment Theft Investigation and Prevention.

And of course the Ranch Watch logo "Handcuffs with eyes ®" tells it all!

The Sheriff’s Office is currently working on beginning a new Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) that is specific and tailored to our County’s needs. This is a multi-jurisdictional team structure that allows us to respond collaboratively as a team at the initial onset of an investigation. Many cases fall apart at the beginning, and this type of team maximizes performance, quality of investigation and places all the key resources and people at the table from the get-go. We care deeply about the survivors and the trauma sustained in these cases, and want to do whatever possible to achieve a successful investigation and prosecution.

The Sheriff’s Office is also very concerned with the traffic safety of certain roads throughout our county and has begun holding traffic safety meetings in different areas. The first meeting was held on Log Hill at the Divide Ranch area, where the main issue of speeding on County Road 1 was discussed. We had our Road and Bridge Superintendent, Ty Barger, present to help identify traffic calming strategies and devices for that area. It is critical to have citizens attend the meetings, which are onsite at the impacted locations, so we can address the complaints and together formulate strategies to solve the problems. Each road and area is unique and might require its own strategy. The next meeting location and date is TBD but notices will be sent out for each well in advance.

Finally, the Sheriff’s Office wants to extend our appreciation to all our county residents and visitors who have provided us support, and the information we need to be more successful at identifying issues that allows us greater capacity to enhance the safety for all and to protect our quality of life.

Sheriff Justin Perry

Follow the Sheriff's Office on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

Tree Removal Project Completed on County Road 17

You may have noticed in April that quite a few trees were removed along the Uncompahgre River, south of the Whispering Pines Bridge. The reason for this necessary project, was there were a number of large trees along the East shoulder of CR-17 that had outgrown the diminishing and eroding banks of the Uncompahgre River. Through the processes of tree growth and bank erosion, those trees were beginning to lean towards the river and thereby threatening the Right-of-Way as their root balls are beginning to roll away from the road and compromise the road base. While our county’s trees are highly-valued natural resources, those particular trees had to be removed and replaced with a more suitable ground cover that will better protect the riverbank and road shoulder from erosion. The ground coverage that will replace the trees will be a mixture of Sagebrush, Gamble Oak and possibly some Rabbit Brush. Our vegetation department has been an essential part of this project in helping to select the most appropriate ground cover to replace the trees in this area.

Plowing Begins On High Country Roads

The much anticipated plowing of high country roads in the county began on May 3, with a number of roads opened as of this publication. Road and Bridge will continue to update as progress continues on the more challenging roads. Stay up to date with Road and Bridge on Facebook and check their website for updates as well.

Save the Date!

PaintCare Paint

Recycling Event

June 25 at the Ouray County Fairgrounds

Vegetation Management

Weed of the Month

-Myrtle Spurge-

See the Ouray County Vegetation Management website for an identification tool, to help you identify all weeds of concern in the county.

How to Identify

· Found in rocky slopes and gardens

· Has grey green leaves, 1/2 to 1 inch wide which are alternate

· Caustic sap which causes severe blisters and eye problems (poisonous)

· Flowers are yellow, plant expels seeds up to 15 feet

· Is a perennial (grows back year after year)

· Peak bud production March through August

· Grows from seeds and roots

· Seeds viable about 8 years

Ouray County Vegetation Management urges all county residents to manage any Myrtle Spurge infestations, with elimination in mind. Weed control is a community effort! Please do your part. In the environment Myrtle Spurge causes these effects.

· Severely decreases biological diversity

· Reduces availability of desired forage for livestock and wildlife

· Disrupts native plant communities

· Toxic to humans and livestock

· Lowers rangeland productivity

Myrtle Spurge is a noxious weed, which is not part of any successional vegetation cycles and is indigenous to Europe and Asia. Myrtle Spurge is a popular garden plant because of its drought tolerance and hardiness. It is difficult to control once established and toxic to animals and humans.

To reach our Vegetation Management Office, please call

970-626-9775

Need a COVID-19 Vaccine or Booster?

Vaccines are the safest, most effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, and to help avoid the worst outcomes (severe illness, hospitalization, and death) among those who do become infected.

State health officials stress that all Coloradans ages 5 and older should get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Fully vaccinated individuals who qualify for boosters or additional vaccine doses should get those as soon as possible. If you are symptomatic or have been exposed, please stay home and get tested right away.

Ouray County Public Health offers free COVID vaccines each week. Please log-on to our website at ouraycountyco.gov to schedule your vaccine. COVID testing is also available Mon-Thurs 9am-11am and 1pm-3pm at the public health office in Ouray at 302 2nd Street.

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 (four) free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. - View COVIDtests.gov to order yours.

To report your At-Home COVID-19 test results - complete this form.

Watch Tanner's May Public Health Update

County Commissioners proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

We call upon the citizens, our fellow government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools in OURAY COUNTY to commit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our citizens can take to protect their mental health, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental health conditions.

Read the full Proclamation

May is Dark Sky Month in Ouray County

Ouray County is known for its beautiful night skies. At their regular meeting on May 3, County Commissioners proclaimed May as Dark Sky Month and we thank Top of the Pines, Inc. and Town of Ridgway for their dedication to our night skies.

Dark Sky Month Proclamation

WENS is designed to instantly reach cell phones, landline numbers, email addresses, pagers and desktop alerts when an urgent County alert needs to

be communicated.

Recipients can choose to receive notification of Avalanche Notifications, Road Maintenance updates, and general notices.

In the event of an emergency, a text message, voice call, or email will be sent to the contact information you registered with the system.

You must register to take advantage of this important notification service.

Learn more HERE

Code Red is a high-speed mass notification system designed to notify residents in the event of an emergency.

This service allows us to deliver emergency or time-sensitive

messages to you via SMS/text, email, landline, cell phone, TTY, or a mobile

application push. Code Red alerts will display as originating from 866-419-5000 or 855-969-4636 on your caller ID.

If you missed any of the message details, you can also dial the number back to hear the complete message.

We might use Code Red in situations such as wildfires, evacuation notices, floods, boil water notices, criminal activity, and missing persons/children.

Learn more HERE

Sign-up today!

Board of County Commissioner and Planning Commission

meeting agendas, packets and Zoom credentials are available on our website. Schedules change often so it is best to double check our website for current updates/changes.

Good news! Recorded BOCC meetings and work sessions are now available to watch on our website - view 2022 meetings HERE.