Foreclosures in County down from 2009 to 2010

by Bill Knowles
WALSENBURG— The annual Huerfano County Treasurers report on foreclosures in the county show a slight decrease from 2009 to 2010.  Debbie Reynolds reported that 2010 saw 47 foreclosures down from 55 in 2009.
    The county commissioners heard from Joan Hatcher concerning T-1 wiring for the Workforce Center.  The Colorado Department of Labor requires that local workforce centers have a secured hardwire phone and internet line protecting sensitive information including clients’ birth dates and social security numbers.
    The Workforce Center is located in the Huerfano County Community Center in Walsenburg and the only way to secure a line would be to bore under the parking lot which was recently resurfaced.  Commissioners voiced concern that and earlier idea of cutting a trench through the parking lot would cause problems with the surface. 
    They advised Hatcher to acquire the necessary bids and during the process to have the contractors get with the County Administrator, John Galusha, to determine the best route for boring.
    Hatcher also requested some financial help from the county for the project but was turned down because of a tight county budget.
    Cathy Carley from Forest Wise spoke with the county commissioners about a letter of support for fire mitigation work that Forest Wise is planning for Black Hawk Ranch.  Forest Wise presented the county with a wildfire protection plan.  The letter of support is needed for Forest Wise to finish a grant request to the Colorado State Forest Service.
    Forest Wise will be able to employee eight persons for one year with the grant.  The county has $30,000 in Title III money set aside for wildfire mitigation plan implementation, the source for the grant funding Carley is seeking.  The county’s letter of support was approved by the commission on a 3-0 vote.
    The Huerfano County Ambulance Service has a new ambulance that was on display for a photo op, Wednesday in the north parking lot of the Huerfano County Courthouse.