by Carol Dunn
CUCHARA- Four people will be vying for three seats on the Board of the Cucharas Sanitation and Water District. The candidates are Henry J. Harnly, Cal Sandbeck, John R. Eland, and James P. Howard, the incumbent. Chair Leon Skaggs and Dan Brewer are not seeking re-election. Voter registration deadline is April 5. Ballot packets will be mailed April 12-16, and voted ballots are due back to the CSWD office by 7 pm on May 4. The newly elected Board will assume their responsibilities on May 14.
General Manager Bob Northup reported to the Board at its March 12 meeting that the past month has been full of snow and plowing. Regarding La Veta’s Mexican Ditch case coming up in Water Court this summer, Northup said the water attorneys for CSWD and the Town of La Veta have reached an agreement on the historical use of Mexican Ditch.
Northup said there have been a couple frozen small diameter sewer lines recently. The District owns a steamer to break up frozen plugs.
GMS Engineering has informed Northup that they intend to start the engineering and environmental impact studies on the resort water plant as soon as the first week of April. After these studies are completed, CSWD will begin looking for funding to do the work. Northup said the District has been working with GMS for about 20 years, and they may be able to help find funding.
Northup also reported that the District’s audit is scheduled for April 12.
Chairman Skaggs alerted the Board to several new legislative changes that will affect local government agencies, specifically: employer regulation of medical marijuana use; parental involvement in K-12 education; transparency notices; new construction contract requirements; new laws regarding executive sessions; and three pending initiatives which will be voted on in November. Proposition 101 would lower State income tax. Amendment 60 would require enterprises and authorities to pay property taxes. Amendment 61 would limit local government borrowing to bonded debt only.
