LiveWell makes pitch for funding

WALSENBURG— It was a day of asking for money from the Huerfano County commissioners last Tuesday, when Cindy Campbell and Anton Aldretti asked for their help in funding a recreation director for the county. Campbell said when LiveWell was formed four years ago, one of its big goals was to provide for more things for Huerfano youth to do. The position would pull together all the different activities now going on, such as softball, weight-lifting, and soccer, plus come up with new ones, and make sure the kids throughout the county know about the programs and have access to them. Campbell’s estimated salary for this position, with benefits, is $50,000 a year. Campbell is going around to various entities in the county who might have a stake in creating a positive environment for youth, and asking for money. She is hoping the commissioners would contribute $15,000 towards the cause. The commissioners were polite, and asked questions, but were skeptical about kids from La Veta and Gardner being able to make it to Walsenburg for organized sports, and noted Huerfano voters had previously rejected a sales tax to fund a similar position. There was also the question of who would employ the recreation director? The commissioners noted they could handle the administration for the position, but did not want to commit to supporting the position. They took a “we’ll get back to you” position. Marge Thompson, manager of Aspen Leaf condominiums by the Cuchara ski area, asked the commissioners to help fund a study for controlling the flooding of an unnamed road, loosely called Panadero Road, which is also a forest service access road. The commissioners noted this was not a county road, even though the county had previously graded and plowed the road in years past. They told Thompson they would attend a site inspection with an engineering firm, but made no promises.