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Broadband Proposal Changes Dramatically, Now Requires Some Matching Funding From Town – Hotchkiss Council Renews Double J Trash Contract

October 1st, 2015

Filed under Community, Featured, Hotchkiss, News

Koontz, Wendell -council 12-14

Hotchkiss mayor Wendell Koontz (foreground)

Broadband Proposal Changes Dramatically, Now Requires Some Matching Funding From Town

Hotchkiss Council Renews Double J Trash Contract

By Thomas Wills

Hotchkiss Town Council – Special Meeting

September 29, 2015

Present:  Mayor Wendell Koontz, Tom Wills (this reporter), Dustyn Foster, Lindee Cantrell, Larry Jakubiak, (mayor pro-tem)Carrie Wingfield and Jim Roberts. Staff:  Town Attorney Bo Nerlin, Town Clerk – Marlene Searle, Deputy Clerk – Ginger Redden, Public Works Director-Mike Owens,   Marshal Dan Miller and Town Engineer Joanne Fagan.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Broadband Plans Change Dramatically

                Trustee Dustyn Foster reported that according to discussion at a September 24 meeting hosted by Delta County including municipalities and other stakeholders that the plan to provide high speed broadband to the Towns has changed.  Previously DMEA approached the Town for support for a proposal to provide direct-to-the-home high speed 25 mbs plus broadband service, with DMEA being the ISP provider. The Town Council was very supportive of the idea and agreed to provide a statement of support.

Foster reported that since then the plan has changed with DMEA providing fiber for commercial high speed broadband to a point near each Town (the electric substation or closer) and then money from a DOLA grant with matches from the County and Towns building a backbone of fiber into each Town with several anchor points such as Town Hall and schools. A preliminary estimate of the Town’s share came to $171,000 but Foster said it would probably end up being much less.  Delta County will be committing $54,090 to buildout in Hotchkiss according to an e-mail from County Administrator Robbie LeValley.  Basic costs would be about $11 per foot for cable and $5,500 for equipment for each anchor point (where ISPs could extend service from). “Hand loops” could also be installed for easy installation of future anchor points.

The work would be done in 2016-17 with the Town’s share being included in the budgets for those years.

This new plan adds importance to the coordinated election (including Hotchkiss) on the November ballot  regarding Senate Bill 05-152, which, in 2005, added a section to State Revised Statutes “Competition in Utility and Entertainment Services” that requires municipalities that wish to provide, or partner in the provision of, cable television, telecommunications and advanced services to first hold an election to approve the provision of (or partnering to provide) such services by local government.  This applies to broadband Internet service.  Without a vote approval of the opt-out any local government money invested in fiber infrastructure would violate SB 05-152 and nix the project until such approval is obtained.

As of the Council meeting the big question was: who will build the final mile service to all homes and businesses?  And when? And at what cost? If the opt-out of 2005-152 is voter approved technically the Town could build the connections themselves or solicit private companies, such as TDS, to provide the service. The backbone would be available to any ISP to utilize.

Delta County wanted a more formal list of anchor points within the Town by October 9 in order to develop solider budget numbers. The Town Council will hold a special meeting on October 1 at 5 p.m. at Town Hall to discuss what the anchor point list should look like.

Trash Fees to Go Up One Dollar, Two Dollars With Toter

The Hotchkiss Trustees unanimously awarded a new five year contract to Double J Disposal of Austin. The new contract calls for once a week residential trash service to increase from the current $11.50/$12.50 w/96 gallon toter a month to $12.50/$15.00 with toter.  The prices includes a two dollar per account administrative surcharge to cover the costs of the Town’s billing.

There were only two bidders for the Town trash service contract; Double J and national company Waste Management, which submitted a bid of $17.25 for once a week residential service.

Town Population to Double, If You Count Sheep

About October 10 or so the town’s population will double from about 1,000 to 2,100 with the addition of some 1,100 of local rancher Dan Bolton’s sheep.

“They’re pretty small,” Bolton said.

Approving a temporary grazing permit for an in-town pasture property on upper western Willow Heights below the Towns lower water tank is a regular annual occurrence. There were no neighbor concern and two neighbor submitted letters of support. Bolton said that this year there will be a herder with the sheep but no guard dogs since they were a concern in the past.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                At the conclusion of the voting portion of the special meeting the Council recessed into a half-hour, closed-to-the-public executive session to receive advice from their attorney.

They then adjourned into a work session with Town attorney Bo Nerlin and fellow J. David Reed attorney Sarah Abbot where they received a refresher course on the duties, responsibilities, and dangers, of being a public official.

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