Community Update
July 1, 2022
Greetings!

We want to take this opportunity to provide an update on the Rainbow Family gathering currently taking place on Routt National Forest. Since the National Forest is under the USDA Forest Service jurisdiction, they have mobilized a national incident management team with experience managing these types of events. Routt County Office of Emergency Management, the Sheriff’s Office, Public and Environmental Health and additional local entities are working closely with this incident management team to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.

In addition, Routt County has initiated our local Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC is currently virtual, and includes representatives from neighboring counties as well. Each day the EOC reviews the greatest concerns and provides updates covering topics like Health & Safety, Communications, Food & Resources and Transportation.

Rainbow members continue to arrive, with an estimated 4,100 people currently gathered in Adams Park. The Forest Service anticipates the highest numbers to gather the first week of July, and then a mass exodus beginning on July 5 and 6. The surrounding communities may see increased traffic as people leave the gathering. The remaining Rainbows stay to clean up the site utilizing the Resource Protection plan provided by the Forest Service.

The USDA Forest Service has created a page for daily updates about the 2022 Rainbow gathering: https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/rainbowgathering.

Questions and concerns can be communicated directly to the Forest Service at 970-364-2201 or SM.FS.RainbowIMT@usda.gov.
County Updates
County Offices Closed on July 4: Routt County Offices will be closed on Monday, July 4. Regular office hours will resume on Tuesday, July 5.

Master Plan Moves Forward: We are in the final steps of the Master Plan process, and still on schedule for approval and adoption in August 2022. On June 23 there was a joint work session with the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners where the Planning Department was given the go ahead to present the draft of the master plan to the public. Look for more information shorty on how to provide comments and feedback. Here is the timeline as we complete the process:
  • July 11-21: Public Comment period
  • August 4: Joint Public Meeting to discuss public comment
  • August 18: Planning Commission public hearing to consider adoption of Routt County Master Plan
  • August 30: Board of County Commissioners public hearing to consider ratification of the Routt County Master Plan

Building Department Educational Update: The State of Colorado House Bill 21-1195 related to new licensing requirements for individuals or contractors installing radon mitigation systems or performing radon testing goes into effect July 1, 2022. Please take time to review the new requirements, as those who are now performing work under building permits who are installing radon mitigation systems now must be licensed individuals or contractors who meet the new requirements of Colorado House Bill 21-1195.

Help Routt County Plan for the Future: Routt County is soliciting applications to serve on the Routt County Planning Commission and the Board of Adjustment. The Planning Commission vacancy is eligible only to Town of Yampa residents; however, there will be county-wide openings to apply to for next year. These are voluntary positions but training, meals, and mileage reimbursements are provided. Find details and apply at https://www.co.routt.co.us/105/Vacancies
  • Planning Commission: Commissioners participate in land use decisions, policy planning, and make decisions on development proposals in Routt County.
  • Board of Adjustment: Board members review and make decisions on requests for variances of the Routt County Zoning Resolution.

Road Work and Closures: Visit the website at https://www.co.routt.co.us/374/Road-Work-Closures for daily updates on where the crews are working. Please contact the Road & Bridge Department at 970-870-5552 if you have questions.

Farmer's Markets are Open! Here are the details on Routt County's Farmer's Markets:
  • Hayden - Thursdays (through September 29) 5:00-8:00 pm, South Walnut Street
  • Oak Creek - Sundays (through September 4) 10:00 am-3:00 pm, Oak Creek Downtown Park
  • Steamboat Springs - Saturdays (through September 24) 9:00 am - 2:00 pm, Yampa Street between 5th and 8th streets

Hayden Daze 2022: Come enjoy live music while you play disc golf or corn hole! There will be food, drinks and family entertainment on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16. Find the full schedule of events at www.haydencolorado.com.

Wildfire Smoke Impact Study: University of Washington in Seattle is leading a study on the impacts of wildfire smoke on the immune system. As wildfire season becomes longer and more severe, there is a critical need to understand the impact of wildfire smoke on the body. It is known that smoke inhalation can trigger an immune response in the body and the aim of this study is to research the nature of this immune system activation. Interested participants can find all details here: https://depts.washington.edu/bcmelab/wildfires/

Are you signed up for Routt County Alerts? Get alerted about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for Routt County Alerts. This system enables us to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods. Sign up now at RouttCountyAlerts.com.

Stay Connected! There are lots of ways to stay connected to Routt County! For non-emergent news you can sign up for County News, follow Routt County on Facebook, Twitter Instagram or LinkedIn, and of course visit the County website.
Public Health Updates
Vaccine Bus is back in Routt: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Vaccine Bus returns to Routt County on July 5 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm in the Walmart Parking Lot, 1805 Central Park Drive. COVID-19 and flu vaccines are free, and no ID or insurance needed. If you are getting a follow-up COVID-19 dose, please bring your CDC vaccine card. Registering online is recommended, but not required.

COVID-19 Testing: As a reminder, the free community COVID-19 testing through Mako has ended. This continues the gradual transition to normalize COVID-19 testing in traditional healthcare settings and through federal programs including the Test to Treat program and free, at-home rapid tests available at COVIDTests.gov. Additional information about COVID-19 Testing in Routt County is available on the Public Health pages of the Routt County website. 

COVID-19 Update
All Routt County COVID-19 information can be found on the Public Health pages on the Routt County website. You can always check on COVID rates in Routt County by checking the COVID-19 dashboard which is currently updated weekly. It was updated June 30 at 4:00 pm to share the COVID-19 metrics and vaccination rates. 
 
Total case count in Routt County (through June 28, 2022): 7045
Total COVID-19 cases confirmed: 5284
Total Probable cases: 1761
Total tests administered: 106256
Total resident hospitalizations: 85
Total deaths: 25

Fourteen Day case count (June 15-28, 2022): 114
Percent Test Positivity per Dial 3.0 (fourteen day): 9.36%
Employment Opportunities
Find all Routt County job opportunities and apply on the Routt County website. All positions are open until filled.

Full Time Job Openings:
  • Public Safety Records Assistant
Hiring Range: $20.18 - $25.40/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Human Services Program Specialist - Fatherhood Program
Hiring Range: $20.00 - $24.94/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Planning Tech
Hiring Range: $23.31 - $31.54/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Planner II
Hiring Range: $30.41 - $32.55/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Road & Bridge Equipment Operator - District 3 Steamboat Shop
Hiring Range: $22.11 - $24.46/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Motor Vehicle Department - Deputy Clerk
Hiring Range: $20.00 - $21.41/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Coordinator
Hiring Range: $34.33 - $39.18/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Yampa Valley Regional Airport OSS Superintendent
Hiring Range: $41.10 - $45.76/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Public Health Clinical Administrative Specialist
Hiring Range: $20.00 - $21.41/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Yampa Valley Regional Airport - Office Technician
Hiring Range: $22.65 - $26.65/hr – Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Personal Property Appraiser
Hiring Range: $24.59-$28.06/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Public Safety Dispatcher I
Hiring Range: $24.75 - $26.50/hr - Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Detention Deputy
Hiring Range: $32.50 - $38.24/hr – Full Time & Full Benefits
  • Patrol Deputy
Hiring Range: $34.95 - $41.11/hr – Full Time & Full Benefits

Part-Time Job Openings:
  • Yampa Valley Regional Airport – PT/YR Passenger Service Shuttle Bus Driver
Hiring Range: $40.00/hr flat rate
  • Yampa Valley Regional Airport – PT/YR Janitorial Service Worker
Hiring Range: $20.00 - $21.41 /hr – Sick Time & Worker’s Compensation
  • Yampa Valley Regional Airport – PT/YR Operations-Safety-Security Officer
Hiring Range: $22.69 - $27.50/hr – Sick Time & Worker’s Compensation
  • Yampa Valley Regional Airport – PT/YR Passenger Service Representative
Hiring Range: $20.00 - $21.41 /hr – Sick Time & Worker’s Compensation
One Fun Thing
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Happy Fourth of July!

O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

~Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key
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