President s Message...5. Executive Director s Message...6. Colorado Counties, Inc...7. CCI Foundation CCI Public Lands.23. Associates.

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2014

2 2 P a g e

3 Colorado Counties, Inc. is a non-profit membership association of and for county commissioners and consolidated city and county councilmembers and mayors. Each CCI affiliate is designed to represent and enhance the organizations ability to provide the best services and solutions available for county government, including legislative and regulatory representation, education and research, as well as venues for facilitations and the exchange of ideas. CCI is governed by a board of directors consisting of eight county commissioners from across the state, who also serve on the boards of CCI s affiliate organizations. CCI s legislative policies are determined by nine subject matter-based steering committees. CCI also has five geographically-determined districts that provide opportunities for regional discussions and cooperation. 3 P a g e

4 Table of Contents President s Message...5 Executive Director s Message....6 Colorado Counties, Inc....7 CCI Foundation CCI Public Lands.23 Associates.27 Staff Page..28 County Commissioners, Mayors and Councilmembers P a g e

5 President s Message Fellow Commissioners and Councilmembers: 2014 has proven to be another busy year for CCI! We faced a challenging legislative session and worked on several large and very important county issues including: legislation to assist with ongoing flood recovery efforts, urban renewal and tax increment financing reform, financing broadband deployment, local OHV regulation, and the ongoing discussion of oil and gas regulation that led to the formation of the Governor s Task Force. At the direction of the membership, CCI also created the Justice and Public Safety (JPS) Steering Committee to emphasize and more efficiently address county-related JPS issues like mentally-ill inmates in jails, courtroom security, and emergency management. This year the CCI Foundation hosted its first-ever Corporate Associate Reception to recognize and thank the companies and individuals who support the Foundation s efforts to make county government work better. We also held a very successful CCI Legislative breakfast at the State Capitol, where commissioners and legislators were able to network with one another on policy issues of concern to counties. Despite being confronted with a fast-paced year, we have also managed to incorporate a little fun into our work! We conducted an informative and entertaining visit to Summit County s solid waste facility that included an opportunity for commissioners to make use of the new county shooting range. We also held an auction at the Winter Conference that was fun for attendees and raised money for the Foundation to use to support an educational assistance program. During my tenure as CCI s President, I have seen many of you regularly attending steering committees, district meetings, conferences, and other CCI related events. Your ongoing participation and support of CCI is imperative to the success of the organization and is greatly appreciated! As we move forward into 2015, I encourage you all to stay actively involved with CCI. Whether it is the development of the state water plan, discussions of the oil and gas task force or any other of the many policy issues that affect counties, your input and participation are essential to ensuring that county-sensitive solutions result. Thank you all for your continuing participation and for the opportunity to serve as your 2014 CCI President! Shawn Bolton 5 P a g e

6 Executive Director s Message As Commissioner Bolton suggests in his President s Message, 2014 has been another busy year for CCI, CCI Public Lands and the CCI Foundation. It has included some noteworthy successes on longstanding issues and also some accomplishments in new directions. Colorado was fortunate to avoid another year of devastating fires and floods but Coloradans were subjected to the rigors of a particularly contentious election season. CCI was engaged on several important issues at the statehouse. In the succeeding pages, you will find information on our legislative activities, which take place at the statehouse and on an increasing basis during the interim between legislative sessions. You will also find reports on the work of the CCI affiliate company, CCI Public Lands, especially related to reauthorization of the federal payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) program and the secure rural schools (SRS or forest payment ) program, as well as its work to keep members informed about federal activities in the areas of endangered species designation and environmental protection. This report also includes information on the two successful conferences put on by the CCI Foundation that, in addition to drawing more sponsors and non-county attendees than ever before, provided important educational sessions on local authority over oil and gas operations, transportation funding alternatives and challenges, approaches to proposed endangered species designations, broadband deployment, and the ongoing development of the statewide water plan and the operation of the Colorado River Compact. We have been pleased to have Governor Hickenlooper attend and speak at both conferences and also to have an enhanced focus on national issues through the participation of Colorado commissioners in prominent offices at the National Association of Counties (NACo), as well as having NACo staff, including the NACo executive director Matt Chase, attend these statewide meetings. Finally, CCI was honored and pleased to host the executive directors of state associations like CCI from around the country for their annual meeting in El Paso County. The CCI Foundation was also delighted to work in partnership with the Department of Local Affairs and county administrators from around the state to prepare the first small and medium size county budget comparison report since While this first edition does not contain the level of detail of the budget comparison prepared by the largest 10 counties, it is exciting to breathe life back into a document that we hope will help the balance of the state s counties make better-informed budgeting decisions. It is truly an exciting time for CCI, the CCI Foundation and CCI Public Lands and we are pleased to provide this report on our activities! Sincerely, John (Chip) Taylor 6 P a g e

7 Mission: Policy development, legislative services, advocacy on state and federal issues of importance to counties; public relations and affairs; member retention and recruitment; management and support functions for all CCI affiliated entities. Governance: Comprised of eight members total, five members are elected from each regional district, a secretary and treasurer from the 50,000 plus county caucus, and the past-president. Revenue: Members dues, affinity/partnership payments, fees for services from CCI Foundation and CCI Public Lands. 7 P a g e

8 Colorado Counties Inc Legislative Priorities- CCI s legislative process begins in June of each year when counties are asked to submit their legislative proposals for the upcoming legislative session. These are discussed at steering committee meetings in July and a t the CCI District meetings around the state in August. During these meetings, commissioners and administrators have the opportunity to highlight and bring attention to their legislative issues and consider both legislative and non-legislative solutions. These are reviewed again and prioritized by the steering committees in September and receive a final recommendation at the legislative meeting in October. The final recommendations are voted on by the membership at the formal membership meeting, also held in October. During the 2014 legislative session, CCI had 14 legislative issues. Among these, CCI successfully pursued legislation in the following areas: Budget flexibility to respond to emergency road and bridge needs subsequent to the floods of 2013 and also a pair of bills to better define the allocation of wildland firefighting costs and to facilitate the use of specialized contractors to protect structures in evacuated areas. With significant, bipartisan majorities, CCI secured General Assembly approval of real urban renewal reform legislation. It would have restored some badly-needed county control over county revenues had it not been vetoed by the Governor in the eleventh hour. The extent of local authority over oil and gas operations was and continues to be a highprofile issue for the state and for CCI. It remains to be seen whether the withdrawal of several controversial ballot measures in exchange for the creation of a gubernatorial task force to recommend legislative solutions will accomplish the goal of a consensus legislative solution. CCI continues to tread the line commissioners are asked to tread in balancing the rights of mineral owners and their interest in developing their property with the rights of surface owners and their interest in appropriate surface development. Other county priorities pursued by the CCI legislative team included an increase in the compensation to counties that provide drivers license services, authorization for local governments to sell tax-exempt fuel to other local governments, and the creation of a committee to analyze the impacts of retail marijuana sales statewide. The complete 2015 legislative agenda adopted this October is available on the CCI website at ccionline.org. 8 P a g e

9 2014 Legislative Box Score - In addition to CCI s 2014 legislative priorities noted above, CCI steering committees considered and adopted positions on a total of 75 bills. Of those 60, the steering committees took a support position on 60 bills and an oppose position on 15 bills. As one method of quantifying CCI s success in influencing the legislative process, percentages of bills won or lost were calculated. The table below provides information on overall CCI s success in supporting or opposing bills during The table does not denote those bills that CCI successfully amended or moved to a position of monitor. Success Status Win Lost Total Support 52 (87% of support bills) 8 (13% of support bills) 60 (80% of total bills) CCI POSITION Oppose Total 14 (93% of oppose bills) 66 (88% of total) 1 (7% of oppose bills) 9 (12% of total) 15 (20% of total bills) 75 (100%) Other Legislative Highlights - CCI was pleased to endorse legislation initiated by others that successfully clarified a public entity s authority to charge research and retrieval fees related to open records requests, allocated state funds to clean up flood debris and to repair drinking and waste water treatment systems, increased the grants available to counties for courthouse remodeling and renovation projects, provided flexibility in the meeting requirements applicable to the largest counties, strengthened a grant program to assist counties participating in the child care assistance cliff effect pilot program and extended the permissible term of business incentive agreements used by counties for economic development purposes. Although it was not ultimately approved by the General Assembly, CCI provided support for efforts to secure better legislative representation for rural Colorado. CCI also worked to protect counties from legislative proposals that would have given pipeline companies the power of eminent domain, limited the borrowing capacity of counties by prohibiting them from pledging certain county revenues, diverted county energy impact fund and conservation trust fund allocations, and mandated outsourcing of certain county construction projects. 9 P a g e

10 Legislative Report- This year, CCI redesigned the Legislative Report to be more streamlined and reader-friendly with a format that includes brief updates on bills being tracked throughout the legislative session, as well as links to more detailed information on the Master Bill Table found on the CCI website. Additionally, we made the Legislative Report more mobile-friendly so members can read it on-the-go! Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee - In an effort to emphasize and more efficiently address issues including emergency management, fire prevention and control, law enforcement, courts, mentally-ill inmates, and judicial review, the General Government subcommittee dedicated to these issues was made a full-fledged steering committee. The creation of the Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee was approved at the 2014 Summer Conference Business Meeting by the CCI membership. A chair and vice chair for this committee will be elected for the first time in January District Meetings - CCI s regional districts meet at least three times a year. During each district meeting, commissioners and administrators have the opportunity to come together and collaboratively discuss and highlight issues that are most pressing or of most interest to their respective regions. In addition, CCI travels to each district s region during the month of August for district meetings. These regional meetings are a great opportunity for CCI to visit with commissioners from counties that are further away from the Front Range corridor. This year s district meetings included discussions of proposed EPA rule changes related to waters of the United States ; the child welfare system audit and workload study, as well as the launch of the child welfare hotline; the deployment of broadband to rural areas and the creation of a public safety broadband network; landfill regulation; fire agreements between the state and counties; and county emergency operations. NACo Participation - CCI continues to support and assist commissioners in their efforts to have Colorado counties federal concerns addressed by the national association. Once again, participation remains high and commissioners are increasingly involved in the NACo process. This year, Arapahoe County Commissioner Rod Bockenfeld was appointed chair of NACo s Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Steering Committee, Lynn Padgett of Ouray was appointed as vice-chair of Public Lands, and El Paso County Commissioner Sallie Clark was sworn in as NACo s 1 st Vice President. CCI was pleased to assist and also be a test state for NACo s initiative to do a better job letting the public know Why Counties Matter, including the creation of a draft Why Colorado Counties Matter brochure and infographic. 10 P a g e

11 Interim Committees and Studies - In the interim periods between sessions, CCI regularly helps commissioners take on issues of importance to counties as they serve on various state committees and study groups. Works Allocation Committee - Staffed jointly by CCI and CDHS, the WAC is an ongoing committee that oversees and advises the Colorado Department of Human Services Executive Director on issues pertaining to the allocation of the Colorado Works Block Grant. Joint House and Senate Human Services Committee Presenting jointly, Commissioner Cindy Domenico (Boulder), Julie Krow of the Colorado Department of Human Services and CCI Policy and Research Supervisor, Gini Pingenot presented before the Joint House and Senate Human Services Committees about the work that has been done to date to implement the Child Welfare Reform 2.0 initiatives including the Child Welfare Hotline, Child Welfare Training Academy and many more. Oil and Gas Task Force During the summer of 2014, Governor Hickenlooper announced the formation of a special oil and gas task force with the responsibility of providing recommendations on mitigating land use impacts of the oil and gas industry. Commissioner Gwen Lachelt (La Plata) was named co-chair of this task force and CCI staff has worked to ensure that the wide diversity of county perspectives are considered. Wildfire Matters Interim Committee - Andy Karsian, CCI s Legislative Coordinator, provided a report updating the wildfire matters committee members on county efforts to mitigate wildfire danger in the wildland urban interface (WUI). The report included information on updating fire codes for building in the WUI, development of wood markets, county prescribed burn policies, and updates on the wide number of hazardous fuel mitigation projects across the state. Transportation Legislative Review Committee - CCI Policy and Research Supervisor, Eric Bergman made a panel presentation with CML and DRCOG to the Transportation Legislative Review Committee (TLRC) in June. Bergman detailed the various funding sources that counties rely on to maintain and improve the local transportation systems around the state. During his presentation, Bergman reminded the committee members that counties are responsible for maintaining more than 58,000 center line miles in Colorado more than six times the miles that CDOT maintains. 11 P a g e

12 Appointments - Every year, commissioners are appointed to various boards and commissions. CCI and the Board of Directors have a significant role in many of these selections. This year, a total of 30 commissioners were appointed to the following governing boards and commissions either directly or with input from CCI. Works Allocation Committee (WAC) NACo Board of Directors NACo Western Interstate Region Board of Directors Child Welfare Allocation Committee (CWAC) Direct Distribution Oversight Committee Child Fatality Review Team (CDHS) Child Welfare Leadership Council IV-E Waiver Committee Child Protection Ombudsman Advisory Work Group Marijuana Revenues Interim Study Committee Broadband Commission Sex Offender Management Board Kevin Karney (Otero), Nancy Sharpe (Arapahoe), Eva Henry (Adams), Norm Steen (Teller), Wendy Buxton-Andrade (Powers) Sallie Clark (El Paso), Keith Goodwin (Otero) John Martin (Garfield), Rachel Richards (Pitkin) Sallie Clark (El Paso), Dave Potts (Chaffee), Rose Pugliese (Mesa), Wendy Buxton-Andrade (Prowers), Rocky Samber (Logan) John Martin (Garfield), John Kinkaid (Moffat), Shawn Bolton (Rio Blanco) Casey Tighe (Jefferson), Lew Gaiter (Larimer) Jack Hilbert (Douglas), Sallie Clark (El Paso), Cindy Domenico (Boulder), Steve Johnson (Larimer), Barbara Kirkmeyer (Weld), Nancy Sharpe (Arapahoe) Steve Johnson (Larimer) Cindy Domenico (Boulder) Sal Pace (Pueblo) Mike Brazell (Park) Pam Bricker (Rio Grande) Left: Commissioner Rachel Richards (Pitkin) and Commissioner Dave Paul (Teller) Right Jonathan Houck (Gunnison) and Paula Swanson (Gunnison) at the Foundation s 2014 Winter Conference. 12 P a g e

13 Metro Area County Commissioners - Comprised of the seven metro area counties Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, City and County of Broomfield, City and County of Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson-- this group of commissioners meets the last Friday of the month to discuss relevant policy and legislative issues. This year, the MACC wrestled with oil and gas issues, toured the NREL facilities and co-hosted a very successful Legislative Reception at the Denver Art Museum, along with the Metro Mayors Caucus. Additionally, the MACC has begun to collaborate with the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments to find common ground on statewide water plans. While the MACC is not a formally chartered entity of CCI, staff provides scheduling, planning, and research assistance to the MACC. CCI Board of Directors-standing: Thomas Davidson (Summit), Lew Gaiter III (Larimer), Dave Paul (Teller), Keith Goodwin (Otero); seated: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Weld), Dennis Hisey (El Paso), Shawn Bolton (Rio Blanco), and Trent Bushner (Yuma) 13 P a g e

14 Colorado Counties Financials Revenue - 84% of CCI s annual revenues are received from county member dues. Additionally, CCI receives administration fees from CCI Public Lands and the CCI Foundation, as well as NACo services payments and interest income. CCI Revenue CCI - Dues and Assessments 84% CCI - Public Lands Administration 2% CCI - Foundation Administration 9% CCI - NACo Service Income 4% CCI - Other Income 1% Expenses - CCI s commitment to legislative policy development that best fits counties needs and priorities, as well as education and communications, is reflected in CCI s expense allocations below. CCI Expenses CCI - Conferences, Training and Education 12% CCI - Communications 13% CCI - General and Administrative 31% CCI - Depreciation 5% CCI - Legislative/Policy Development 28% CCI - Research/ Technical and Legal 6% CCI - Building 5% 14 P a g e

15 2014 CCI Board Members Shawn Bolton, President- Rio Blanco Trent Bushner, President-elect-Yuma Dennis Hisey, Secretary-El Paso Barbara Kirkmeyer, Treasurer-Weld Lew Gaiter III, Board Member-Larimer Dave Paul, Board Member-Teller Keith Goodwin, Board Member-Otero Thomas Davidson, Past-President-Summit 15 P a g e

16 Mission: To provide training and educational programs for better county management and understanding of county issues; conduct semi-annual conferences; and facilitate county information sharing and problem solving. Governance: CCI Board of Directors plus four members of the community elected by the CCI Board of Directors. Revenue: Associate dues, gifts, grants, and donations. 16 P a g e

17 CCI Foundation Summer and Winter Conferences - Each year, the CCI Foundation hosts a summer and winter conference, giving county officials an opportunity to learn and share new ideas to help better govern their counties. The conference content is developed in consultation with the Board of Directors based on input received from all county members during the course of the year. As part of CCI s efforts to help counties be as effective and efficient as possible, the conference also connects commissioners with private enterprises and vendors that help counties do business. Highlights from Summer Conference 2014 Interactive tours of the Summit County Shooting Range and Landfill Opening Session featuring keynote address from Governor Hickenlooper Why Counties Matter presented by NACo Executive Director Matt Chase Law of the Colorado River-History and Future Broadband deployment in rural Colorado Endangered Species designation and ESA reform efforts Highlights from Winter Conference 2014 Part One of New Commissioner Orientation-CCI 101 and Budgeting 101 Keynote Remarks featuring Governor Hickenlooper Open Meetings and Records Law TABOR lawsuit debate Oil and gas task force report and feedback Transportation Funding Challenges CCI Associates Reception - In January, the CCI Foundation hosted its first ever Associates Reception. Associates and commissioners were able to come together and network with one another, as well as celebrate the ongoing business and relationships many of the associate members and commissioner enjoy. This event took place during CCI s first (and most-attended) round of steering committee meetings in order to provide the best opportunity for interaction. County Visits - CCI continues to reach out to individual county members by visiting with commissioners in their own counties. Each year, Executive Director Chip Taylor visits with commissioners about achievements and concerns facing their county. During these visits, commissioners also have the opportunity to make specific recommendations about how the CCI family of companies can better serve their needs. These meetings are invaluable in helping CCI understand county issues better and how the association and its affiliates can help address them individually and collectively. 17 P a g e

18 Small and Medium Budgeting Tool In furtherance of a longstanding priority, the CCI Foundation has partnered with the Department of Local Affairs to re-create the small and medium county budget comparison previously offered by DoLA but discontinued in The first installment of this project was released in early October, giving commissioners and administrators a preliminary tool and a structure for future versions. Ultimately, this tool could contain more detailed budget comparisons of the 54 small and medium counties, with a focus on issues and data points identified and selected by the participating counties. Publications - In an effort to keep commissioners updated on topics of county interest, CCI publishes a bi-weekly electronic newsletter - ecounty Lines - that includes items of ongoing county interest, including appointments to committees and advisory boards, availability of workshops and educational programs, upcoming meetings, opportunities to comment on proposed federal and state rules, and other news and announcements. This electronic edition supplements the printed County Lines, which is produced twice a year and summarizes the activities and presentations made at each of the CCI Foundation conferences. Each year, the CCI Foundation compiles a comprehensive list of county elections results which is available to media contacts and other interested parties. Foundation staff also produces the Colorado County Officials Directory, a directory of county elected officials, staff, and their contact information, and the County Officials Handbook for commissioners and county administrators with information concerning areas of county powers and responsibility. Additionally, the Foundation generates policy reports, surveys and white papers as requested by members. New Commissioner Orientation - Split into two sessions, the first session during the 2014 Winter Conference and the second planned for January 2015, new commissioner orientation offers training to newly-elected commissioners on the wide variety of responsibilities they have made taken including the basics of county budgeting, health and human services, road and bridge operations, interactions with other elected officials, and the operations of CCI. Right: Eva Henry (Adams) and Barbara Kirkmeyer (Weld) Left: Amy Lathen and Lew Gaiter III (Larimer) at the Foundation s 2014 Winter Conference. 18 P a g e

19 CCI Executive Director Chip Taylor, Governor John Hickenlooper, and NACo Executive Director Matt Chase at the Foundation s 2014 Summer Conference. Webinars and Workshops - In keeping with CCI s commitment to enhancing awareness, understanding and education of county issues, the CCI Foundation participated in workshops and put together several in-house presentations concerning county activities and issues. In an effort to make these more accessible to counties outside the Front Range, we have been experimenting with providing these workshops via online webinars. Partnering with the Colorado Department of Human Services, Gini Pingenot, shared CCI s Health & Human Services 2015 legislative priorities via webinar on November 5, The CCI Foundation partnered with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the Colorado Municipal League, and the Special District Association to conduct a workshop in Fruita for municipal and county government officials. The workshop featured sessions on budgeting, intergovernmental cooperation, economic development and human resource issues. Presenting at the Special District Annual Conference, Executive Director Chip Taylor and CCI staff Gini Pingenot spoke to the ongoing efforts to address the impacts of tax increment financing on counties, special districts and schools. 19 P a g e

20 Invited by Action 22 to their Annual Conference in Pueblo, CCI Legislative Coordinator Andy Karsian presented a legislative roundup of CCI s positions on a variety of statewide topics ranging from TABOR refunds to oil and gas regulations. In addition to webinars put on by CCI for Colorado commissioners, CCI Policy and Research Supervisor Eric Bergman made several presentations to audiences around the country on the Colorado experience with legalized marijuana. Starting at the Rural County Representatives of California Annual Conference in Squaw Valley, California, Bergman spoke to the county experience of regulating recreational marijuana in Colorado. Bergman spoke on a panel in October at the National Council of County Association Executives conference in Colorado Springs about the challenges of legalizing medical and recreational marijuana facing local governments in Colorado and Washington State. Finally, Bergman presented the county perspective on marijuana legalization during a webinar conducted by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Legislature is considering legislation to legalize and regulate medical marijuana. Commissioners Lynn Padgett (Ouray), Gwen Lachelt (La Plata), Councilmember Sam Taylor (Broomfield), Mayor Randy Aherns (Broomfield), and Lew Gaiter III (Larimer) visit at the CCI Foundation 2014 Summer Conference in Keystone. 20 P a g e

21 CCI Foundation Financials Revenue - 89% of the CCI Foundation s annual revenue is derived from the two annual conferences held in the summer and winter each year. Additionally, the CCI Foundation also receives dues from associate members who wish to support the enhancement of county government in Colorado. Foundation Revenue Foundation - Summer Conference 38% Foundation - Winter Conference 51% Foundation - Associate Dues 9% Foundation - Other Income 2% Expenses - Foundation expenses for the 2014 year are largely devoted to educational programs, including conferences, training sessions, and workshops, but also include expenses for administration, as well as research, technical and legal assistance. Foundation Expenses Foundation - Conference, Training and Education 73% Foundation - Communications 7% Foundation - General and Administrative 15% Foundation - Research/ Technical and Legal 4% Foundation - Building 1% 21 P a g e

22 2014 CCI Foundation Board of Directors Shawn Bolton, President- Rio Blanco Trent Bushner, President-elect-Yuma Dennis Hisey, Secretary-El Paso Barbara Kirkmeyer, Treasurer-Weld Lew Gaiter III, Board Member-Larimer Dave Paul, Board Member-Teller Keith Goodwin, Board Member-Otero Thomas Davidson, Past-President-Summit Burt Burrows, Board Member-Nationwide Retirement Solutions Chris Castilian, Board Member-Anadarko Petroleum Ryan Headley, Board Member-Wagner Equipment Company Scott Hutch Hutchings, Board Member-Waste Management Company 22 P a g e

23 Mission: To provide policy development and advocacy related to public lands issues important to members; to help develop and foster public relations and affairs; and to recruit and retain membership. Governance: Comprised the CCI Board of Directors and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the CCI Public Lands Steering Committee. Revenue: Public Lands member dues. 23 P a g e

24 CCI Public Lands CCI Public Lands Is both a CCI steering committee and a CCI affiliated 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation. As a steering committee, Public Lands has responsibility for determining CCI positions on state legislation, identifying state legislative priorities, and adopting a policy statement on its areas of concern. As an affiliated company, CCI Public Lands is actively engaged at the federal level through participation in NACo, the NACo Western Interstate Region, and other regional forums, as well as special lobbying activities such as PILT fly-ins. Public Lands Steering Committee Commissioners John Martin of Garfield County and Commissioner Rachel Richards of Pitkin County were re-elected as chair and vice-chair of the 2014 and 2015 Public Lands steering committee. In addition, CCI Public Lands elects six other commissioners to represent Colorado at the national level. This six-member delegation, together with the steering committee chair and vice-chair, ensure that Colorado has the maximum representation allowed on the NACo Public Lands Steering Committee and, consequently, a strong voice in national debates about public lands policy. Payment in Lieu of Taxes PILT remained a top priority for CCI Public Lands in As almost every county in Colorado has some amount of federal land ownership, PILT funds are essential in assisting the counties in managing these lands and the impacts associated with them. U.S. Senators Udall and Bennet visited with county commissioners at a 2014 Public Lands meeting at CCI s offices to discuss the importance of finding funding for PILT and Secure Rural Schools. These two federal funding streams offset the loss of county tax revenue on non-taxable federal lands for vital county functions such as search and rescue, wildfire mitigation efforts and maintenance of county roads. As a result of the Senators efforts and commissioners playing a key part in supporting the National Association of Counties lobbying, Colorado received more than $40 million in Unfortunately, funding for 2015 is still uncertain and CCI Public Lands continues to educate legislators and appropriators about the importance of full funding for PILT in both the short and long term. Endangered Species Counties continue to work with the federal government in developing conservation plans that allow for responsible management of animal and plant species without a Fish and Wildlife Service endangered listing. CCI Public Lands worked with the New Mexico Association of Counties to provide information about Colorado s efforts at developing conservation plans for the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. Nine counties in southern Colorado share habitat with New Mexico counties across the state line. Colorado s efforts at implementing an MOU for conservation of the species may be a template for other counties to follow in the future. 24 P a g e

25 CCI Public Lands Register Last year, CCI Public Lands began producing a quarterly newsletter that helps commissioners across Colorado stay up to date on the most pertinent information concerning public lands. The publication is timed to coincide with NACo s legislative and annual conferences, as well as the State s legislative session. CCI Public Lands Revenue CCI Public Lands is funded exclusively through county membership dues assessed to counties that have federal public lands within their borders. As the federal government owns more than 24 million acres of land in Colorado, counties recognize the importance of continuing education and collaboration with the federal government and assess their dues based on the amount of PILT each county receives annually. The 2014 Public Lands budget was $140,386. CCI Public Lands Expenses -Expenses cover the costs of eight county commissioners, elected by their peers, to travel to various National Association of Counties (NACo) conferences to sit on the NACo Public Lands steering committee. Colorado s eight seats on the committee represents the largest presence of any state and helps to ensure continued input on federal policies affecting constituents here in Colorado. The other major area of expense in the CCI Public Lands budget covers CCI administration and support for the elected representatives who serve on NACo s Public Lands steering committee, members who participate in fly-ins and other activities, and staff time during the year that is devoted to researching, developing and advocating on public lands issues. Left: Keith Montag (former Eagle County Administrator) State Representative Millie Hamner, Commissioner Steve Child (Pitkin), and Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier (Summit) Right: Commissioners Cindy Domenico (Boulder) Thomas Davidson (Summit), and Deb Gardner (Boulder). 25 P a g e

26 2014 CCI Public Lands Board of Directors Shawn Bolton, President- Rio Blanco Trent Bushner, President-elect-Yuma Dennis Hisey, Secretary-El Paso Barbara Kirkmeyer, Treasurer-Weld Lew Gaiter III, Board Member-Larimer Dave Paul, Board Member-Teller Keith Goodwin, Board Member-Otero Thomas Davidson, Past-President-Summit John Martin, Public Lands Chair-Garfield Rachel Richards, Public Lands Vice Chair, Pitkin 26 P a g e

27 Associates The companies listed on this page have an interest in the work of counties and believe it is beneficial to stay connected with them through CCI and its affiliates. The CCI family of companies greatly appreciates the time and involvement of the companies listed on this page. Fourteener Founder American Fidelity Assurance Company Transpan Bridges Wagner Equipment Company Pioneer Colorado Barricade Company Tri-State Generation and Transmission Verizon CRL & Associates, Inc. Encana Corporation Trailblazer 4RiversEquipment, LLC ACE/EATON Metals AngloGold Ashanti BIAS Corporation Big R Bridge Bohannan Huston, Inc Broadnet Teleservices Butler Snow CCOERA CenturyLink CSU Office of Engagement Developmental Pathways Eide Bailly FirstSouthwest George K. Baum & Company Hall & Evans, LLC Honnen Equipment Iconergy Innovage Jviation Lombard & Clayton, Inc. MOTOROLA Solutions Reiter & Associations SAMBASafety Skyline Steel Suncor United Power, Inc. Vicente Sederberg Waste Management 27 P a g e

28 2014 Staff John (Chip) Taylor-Executive Director Kristin Dunn-Deputy Director Eric Bergman-Policy and Research Supervisor o Transportation & Telecommunications o General Government Jeanne DeHaven-Administrative Associate Brandy DeLange-Policy and Research Associate o Tourism Resorts & Economic Development Andy Karsian-Legislative Coordinator o Agriculture Wildlife & Rural Affairs o Justice & Public Safety o Land Use & Natural Resources o Public Lands Annie Olson-Conference and Communications Coordinator Gini Pingenot-Policy and Research Supervisor o Health & Human Services o Tax & Finance Susan Scott-Administrative Assistant Lombard & Clayton, Inc. Tony Lombard and Bill Clayton-Legislative Liaisons: o Transportation & Telecommunications o Taxation & Finance Ratliff & Associates Consulting, Inc. Pat Ratliff-Legislative Liaison: o Health & Human Services o General Government 28 P a g e

29 2014 County Commissioners, Mayors and Councilmembers Adams County Erik Hansen Eva J. Henry Charles (Chaz) Tedesco Alamosa County Darius Allen Marianne Dunne Michael Yohn Arapahoe County Rod Bockenfeld Nancy Doty Bill L. Holen Nancy Jackson Nancy Sharpe Archuleta County Clifford Lucero Steve Wadley Michael Whiting Baca County Spike Ausmus Peter Dawson Dean Ormiston Bent County Lynden Gill Bill Long Tom Wallace Boulder County Cindy Domenico Deb Gardner Elise Jones City & County of Broomfield Randy Aherns, Mayor Wayne Anderson Martha Derda Liz Law-Evans Dennis Harward Kevin Jacobs Todd Schumacher Mike Shelton Greg Stokes, Mayor Pro-tem Sam Taylor Sharon Tessier Chaffee County Dennis Giese Frank Holman Dave Potts Cheyenne County Nancy Bogenhagen Rod Pelton Patrick Ward Clear Creek County Phil Buckland Tom Hayden Tim Mauck Conejos County Mitchell Jarvies Steve McCarroll John Sandoval Costilla County Dolores Burns Joe Gallegos Lawrence Pacheco Crowley County Tobe Allumbaugh Gary Gibson Frank Grant Custer County Lynn Attebery Allen Butler Kit Shy Delta County Doug Atchley Bruce Hovde Mark Roeber Dolores County Julie Kibel Doug Stowe Ernie Williams Douglas County Jack Hilbert* Roger Partridge Jill Repella David Weaver* Eagle County Kathy Chandler-Henry Sara Fisher Jill Ryan El Paso County Sallie Clark Darryl Glenn Dennis Hisey Amy Lathen Peggy Littleton Elbert County Larry Ross Robert Rowland Kurt Schlegel Fremont County Debbie Bell Ed Norden Tim Payne 29 P a g e

30 Garfield County Tom Jankovsky John Martin Mike Samson Gilpin County Connie McLain Buddy Schmalz Gail Watson Grand County Gary Bumgarner Merrit Linke James Newberry Gunnison County Phil Chamberland Jonathan Houck Paula Swenson Hinsdale County Cindy Dozier Susan Thompson Stan Whinnery Huerfano County Art Bobian Ray Garcia Max Vezzani Jackson County Ben Clayton Jim Murphy Lanny Weddle Jefferson County Faye Griffin Donald Rosier Casey Tighe Kiowa County Bill Koehler Donald Oswald Dick Scott Kit Carson County Dave Gwyn Dave Hornung Gary Koop La Plata County Gwen Lachelt Bobby Lieb Julie Westendorff Lake County Michael Bordogna Bruce Hix Dolores Semsack Larimer County Tom Donnelly Lew Gaiter III Steve Johnson Las Animas County Anthony Abeyta Gary Hill Mack Louden Lincoln County Greg King Ted Lyons Doug Stone Logan County Dave Donaldson Gene Meisner Rocky Samber Mesa County Steve Acquafresca John Justman Rose Pugliese Mineral County Don Hollenshead Scott Lamb Ramona Weber Moffat County Chuck Grobe John Kinkaid Tom Mathers Montezuma County Steve Chappell Keenan Ertel Larry Don Suckla Montrose County Gary Ellis Ron Henderson David White Morgan County Brian McCracken Laura Teague Jim Zwetzig Otero County Jim Baldwin Keith Goodwin Kevin Karney Ouray County Don Batchelder Mike Fedel Lynn Padgett Park County Mike Brazell Mark Dowaliby Dick Hodges Phillips County Don Lock Joe Kinnie Harlan Stern Pitkin County Steve Child Rob Ittner George Newman Michael Owsley Rachel Richards Prowers County Wendy Buxton-Andrade Joe Marble Henry Schnabel Pueblo County Terry A. Hart Liane Buffie McFadyen Sal Pace 30 P a g e

31 Rio Blanco County Shawn Bolton Jeff Eskelson Jon Hill Rio Grande County Pam Bricker Doug Davie Karla Shriver Routt County Tim Corrigan Steve Ivancie Doug Monger Saguache County Jason Anderson Ken Anderson Linda Joseph San Miguel County Elaine Fischer Art Goodtimes Joan May Sedgwick County Gene Bauerle Jim Beck Glen Sandquist Summit County Thomas Davidson Dan Gibbs Karn Stiegelmeier Teller County Marc Dettenrieder Dave Paul Norm Steen Washington County David Foy Terry G. Hart Lea Ann Laybourn Weld County Sean Conway Mike Freeman Bill Garcia Barbara Kirkmeyer Doug Rademacher Yuma County Trent Bushner Robin Wiley Dean Wingfield * Indicates commissioners who resigned or where appointed to their seat. 31 P a g e

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