WALSENBURG — With eight members present, the Walsenburg City Council met Tuesday night and approved, in principal, a bid for the second cutting of hay at the City Ranch, by Falduto Brothers, LLC. The council voted unanimously to allow a contract to be developed that would pay the city not less than $70 per ton for the hay with the cost of cutting, baling, and hauling to be borne by the buyer. The first cutting has been done by ranch manager Butch Corsentino, with the hay stacked in anticipation of a better market later in the year. The consensus of council was to put the winter pasture bids out later this year, as usual. Details of the contract are still being negotiated. Council spent most of the evening in a finance committee work session, where topics of discussion centered on a possible future ordinance that could restrict the number of marijuana plants grown for recreational use per household within city limits. Council also discussed an issue brought up by Walsenburg Administrator David Johnston concerning the possibility of city employees being contracted for residents for private sewer/ water line work and natural gas work on private property. A set of guidelines will be developed for review. Johnston told the council
the city receives requests for this kind of work on nearly a monthly basis. School Resource Officer With the local school year moving into its third week; the WPD has announced Officer Ron Martinez is the new school resource officer for Peakview and John Mall High School. Martinez brings a wealth of experience to the position, having worked in the school resource officer arena in Pueblo County and Arvada. He has been both an SRO and DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) officer. Chief McLallen said, “Recognizing the increased need for specialized policing when it comes to our children, the school district and the police department have taken the proactive step in collaborating on a dedicated, full time SRO.”
