Blaine Arbuthnot - CC Commissioner

TONIGHT! Regarding the State of Colorado Prison Utilization Study
Hosted ONLINE by Bent and Crowley County Commissioners

Please GO TO Website for Links and more info:
https://crowleycounty.colorado.gov/

HB 20-1019 directed the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to study future prison bed needs and analyze economic impacts of the prisons in Bent, Crowley and Otero Counties. At the request of the Bent and Crowley Commissioners, HB1019 also requires that local public hearings be held to solicit input from our residents on this key issue. Due to Covid, the hearings will be conducted online. These meetings will provide residents of Bent and Crowley Counties and the surrounding communities the opportunity for direct public testimony and input to their County Commissioners and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs about the impacts of the prisons in our communities. The hearings will begin with an introduction by county commissioners, followed by a brief overview of trends and current conditions by consultants and then public testimony. County Commissioners will host one online hearing for each county:
Monday November 30, 5:30 PM – Crowley County Hearing
Tuesday December 1, 5:30 PM – Bent County Hearing

Governor Polis announced the closure of bars. Bars that have taken steps to open as restaurants may continue to operate in-person service, so long as they have patrons seated with their own party only in set seating, spaced six feet apart, and with no mingling. Bars are permitted to sell alcoholic beverages to-go for takeout or delivery consumption if the alcoholic beverages are sold with food. All of the guidelines previously in place around social distancing still apply. Bars may still operate if open under a county variance pursuant to the terms of that county variance. More information can be found in the Governor’s Executive Order.

Crowley County is currently under a Stage 2 fire ban.

The Sheriff/Fire Marshall is making a special exemption for legal fireworks on the 4th of July ONLY.

Rules for this exemption must be followed: Must be 18 years or older, must be on your own private property/designated camping spot, area must be clear of debris and you must have water on site. FIREWORKS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED ON THE 4TH OF JULY. Anyone using fireworks on any other day besides the 4th of July will be issued a citation, and their fireworks will be confiscated.

Colorado state law on fireworks CRS 24-33.5-2002
Fireworks that are always illegal to use in Colorado (except for public and professional displays) are: firecrackers, rockets (including bottle rockets), roman candles, cherry bombs, mortars and similar items, such as M-80s. Sale of fireworks. Anyone selling fireworks in Colorado must first obtain a license.



Crowley County is currently under a Stage 2 fire ban.

The Sheriff/Fire Marshall is making a special exemption for legal fireworks on the 4th of July ONLY.

Rules for this exemption must be followed: Must be 18 years or older, must be on your own private property/designated camping spot, area must be clear of debris and you must have water on site. FIREWORKS WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED ON THE 4TH OF JULY. Anyone using fireworks on any other day besides the 4th of July will be issued a citation, and their fireworks will be confiscated.

Colorado state law on fireworks CRS 24-33.5-2002
Fireworks that are always illegal to use in Colorado (except for public and professional displays) are: firecrackers, rockets (including bottle rockets), roman candles, cherry bombs, mortars and similar items, such as M-80s. Sale of fireworks. Anyone selling fireworks in Colorado must first obtain a license.

This is in our office, our "To-Do" board of all the projects we have underway. It is always evolving. If you have a project you want the commissioners to consider, come tell us! It is . If we can make it happen, your idea could be on our project board.

Sent out by the Governor:
Balancing Risks and Benefits of Activities During COVID-19
Colorado remains the only state in the Pacific or Mountain time zones -- the entire western half of the country -- that is seeing a steady decline in case counts.

That is a testament to Coloradans continuing to take the pandemic seriously and take the proper precautions: wearing masks, keeping our distance from others, practicing proper hygiene, and protecting vulnerable populations like older Coloradans and those with underlying health conditions.

As the state continues to reopen, more of the burden is placed on individuals to do the right thing. We have to use common sense and consider the level of risk when participating in certain activities.

Before participating in an activity, Coloradans have an obligation to ask themselves:

How many other people will be participating in this activity?
Is the activity outside?
Can I put distance between myself and others?
How long will the activity take?
Do I feel 100% healthy?
How will I get there? Biking, walking, driving in a car are safer than public transportation.
Do I live with someone who is more vulnerable to COVID-19, and would be at high risk if I happened to bring the virus home?
And what is the value of this activity to me versus the risk I am taking?
Things like camping, hiking, biking, outdoor exercise/activities, or shopping outdoors at a farmer’s market are fairly Low Risk activities.

Things like dining out, playing on the playground, shopping indoors, or visiting a swimming pool carry a Medium Risk.

And then activities like airline travel, concerts, attending worship services in-person, personal services, bars, gyms, or large gatherings carry a Higher Risk.

So please exercise personal responsibility, use common sense, and err on the side of caution.

Visit covid19.colorado.gov/risks-benefits for more information about how we can continue to keep ourselves and each other safe and healthy.

Lifting Additional Restrictions
As we continue to balance the need to keep people safe with the need to keep our economy and society going.

Starting today:

Residential summer camps may open with groups of 10 kids indoors, 25 kids outdoors, similar to day camps
Indoor events can open up to 25% capacity with limits on the maximum number of people based on the size of the space.
Outdoor events can open up to 50% capacity with limits on the maximum number of people based on the size of the space.
Bars will be able to open at 25% or up to 50 people indoors, and must follow the same guidelines as restaurants where parties are seated and intermingling of parties is discouraged. Outdoors parties must be spaced 6ft apart, up to local capacity limits.
Personal services will be able to expand to include things like facials, beard trimming, lip waxing, etc. where the client has to take off a mask -- these services are permitted if the worker has adequate protection.
Non-critical manufacturing facilities can expand in-person workforce up to 50% or 50 people per room.
These steps can only be taken because Coloradans have been being smart and being diligent about protecting ourselves and others. Nobody wants to see the trendlines turn around. We must remain vigilant and continue to do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Risks & benefits of everyday activities | Colorado COVID-19 Updates Available languages (last updated 06/16/20): Español We recognize some people have privileges and resources that allow them to choose how and when to interact in person, while others must work to provide the goods, services, and care we depend on. Right now, you are allowed to participate in most i...

DOES AND WILL MATTER!
During the past legislative session I testified in front of the House and Senate Judicial Committees in opposition to closing the private prisons in the state. With the rapid speed of the session it was important to have the connections and knowledge needed to stop HB 2019 which would have been disastrous for Crowley and Bent Counties.
In April I was appointed by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to set on a three member board to study the prison bed needs for the state. Our private prison in Crowley County currently pays 54% of all property tax.
For several weeks the Prison Beds Study was suspended while the state searched for ways to balance their budget. With the state’s budget balanced the study will proceed. With the onset of COVID-19, our state appointed committee assumed that the study would be delayed for one year. With the state releasing prisoners at an alarming rate due to COVID-19 we felt that the studies numbers would be skewed over the past 3 months and into the future. One would wonder why the democrats in the state legislature would push the study at this time. My assumption would be that the total prisoner numbers have reduced due to the early releases, and the democrats will claim that there is no longer a need for the private prisons. I will be a strong voice for Crowley County during this process and present how important the prison is to our local economy, along with the tremendous savings to the state’s budgets. My belief is that the state should be using more private prisons for the class 3 offenders in order to put the savings towards other important programs like health care, education, roads and many other programs that benefit Colorado.

& Knowledge
During the past year one of the projects I took on was overseeing the restructuring of the Southeast Colorado Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Council. This organization granted $15000.00 per county each year to the six counties to be used by hospitals and ambulance services in the region. When appointed to the board, and after looking at the financials, I started asking questions about the county grants. For several years most of the counties did not receive the funds mandated by state law. After countless hours of investigation we dissolved the board, placed the director on administrative leave, and formed a Financial Oversite Board which I chair along with a commissioner from the southeastern counties. We discovered several hundred thousands of dollars which were misappropriated. Working in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Health, who oversees the program, we notified the state and began the process of rebuilding the organization. The SECRETAC,s budget was several thousand dollars to the negative when the financial board took over. This year we were able to grant the six counties $10,000.00 each to be used by their ambulance services, and budgeted $15,000.00 next year for each county. The original 18 member board was reappointed to provide the training and guidance for the hospitals and ambulance services throughout the region, while the Financial Oversite Board handles the finances. The SECRETAC’s reserves will be over $100,000.00 and providing the critical services we need in Southern Colorado

The uncharted navigation of COVID-19 virus has impacted many of our businesses and our citizens. They have suffered financial losses by being forced to shut down during the Governor's Stay-At-Home Order. To date, the county and the boards that I sit on, Crowley County has received over $660,000 in grants to help negate the costs that the virus has brought to our county. The commissioners have currently identified a grant source which should help businesses directly within the next month. Knowing the process and the sources give me, and Crowley County, the advantage when seeking these funds.
When our citizen's taxes are at risk of increasing, experience absolutely matters. Having the contacts in the state legislature, working relationships with other counties in the state, and which lobbyists to turn to when we need aid, allows us to go directly to the people we need to help Crowley County thrive in the midst of the challenges we face.
When you vote for a choose the candidates that have .

GREAT NEWS YESTERDAY FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS! Crowley County along with other counties in the state opposed the Colorado Legislature suspending the Homestead Exemption Act for housing. During a meeting with Colorado Counties Inc it was announced that the state balanced their budget without suspending the program. ANOTHER WIN FOR CROWLEY COUNTY.

Crowley County has a critical need for housing solutions. To get in front of the problem, the commissioners formed, organized and involved local businesses and foundations to secure the necessary revenue. Years of forming and running businesses gave me the knowledge and background needed to help form the LLC within the Crowley County Community Foundation to bring housing into the county. Possessing the has brought a housing project into Ordway that is close to completion. That is why I am running for another term for .

Vote Blaine Arbuthnot District #2

There is a threat from state legislation trying to abolish the use of the private prison, the Crowley County Correctional Facility. if the state would end buying the prison, our county would lose 54% or property taxes that we benefit from. As a result, citizens of Crowley County could experience the doubling of their property taxes. Additionally, the state is considering abolishing the Homestead Exemption Act which our seniors benefit from. Should this succeed, their taxes would go up by 175%. These risks require the candidate have commissioner . That is why I am running for another term as .

It was a rare morning in CC. Good coffee ☕ at JR's and RAIN! How much 🌧 did you get where you are?

Does experience matter?

This seems to be the big issue surrounding the commissioner campaigns in Crowley County for the primary election on June 30th. Let's examine three critical issues our beloved community is fighting against.

First, the threat from state legislation trying to abolish the use of the private prison, the Crowley County Correctional Facility. if the state would end buying the prison, our county would lose 54% or property taxes that we benefit from. As a result, citizens of Crowley County could experience the doubling of their property taxes. Additionally, the state is considering abolishing the Homestead Exemption Act which our seniors benefit from. Should this succeed, their taxes would go up by 175%. These risks require the candidate have commissioner .

Next, Crowley County has a critical need for housing solutions. To get in front of the problem, the commissioners formed, organized and involved local businesses and foundations to secure the necessary revenue. Years of forming and running businesses gave me the knowledge and background needed to help form the LLC within the Crowley County Community Foundation to bring housing into the county. Possessing the has brought a housing project into Ordway that is close to completion.

Lastly, the uncharted navigation of COVID-19. The virus has impacted many of our businesses and our citizens. They have suffered financial losses by being forced to shut down during the Governor's Stay-At-Home Order. To date, the county and the boards that I sit on, Crowley County has received over $660,000 in grants to help negate the costs that the virus has brought to our county. The commissioners have currently identified a grant source which should help businesses directly within the next month. Knowing the process and the sources give me, and Crowley County, the advantage when seeking these funds.

When our citizen's taxes are at risk of increasing, experience absolutely matters. Having the contacts in the state legislature, working relationships with other counties in the state, and which lobbyists to turn to when we need aid, allows us to go directly to the people we need to help Crowley County thrive in the midst of the challenges we face.

When you vote for a choose the candidates that have .

Who has received their mailer❓

The election is soon, so be sure to
✔ Blaine Arbuthnot for District 2.

What are concerns that you have for Crowley County's future? I want to hear your thoughts. Comment below!

The election process, like all other parts of our lives have been disrupted by the COVID-19 virus. As we fight to return to some form of normalcy the way of doing business has changed. With the virus, going door to door campaigning would not be responsible. I would look forward to visiting if you have questions about the county and projects we have been working on. My cell number is 719-980-4491 or stop by the office.

The Primary Election is on June 30th. As our county faces the battle for keeping private prisons open, my experience is critical. When the opportunity presented itself to bring the prison to the county, I was a part of the team to bring it to fruition. As a result, Crowley County has benefited from the jobs it provides and the property taxes that go into our economy.