by Carol Dunn
LA VETA- Four members of the Huerfano County Historical Society, dressed as 1870s saloon girls, were at the April 21 La Veta Town Board meeting to represent a special events permit application for Saloon Night at Fort Francisco on June 6. Although Mayor Mickey Schmidt shook his gavel at the group, the application was approved.
The Board approved two fund disbursements for the water system improvements: $29,758.79 to Pate Construction and $19,385.81 to GMS Consulting Engineers. A GMS representative told the Board the paving will continue through next week.
The Board accepted an application by Jane Waldrep for a special use permit to open a Bed & Breakfast at 113 W. Virginia, where she resides. The requisite public hearing will be held May 5 at 6:45 pm at the Community Center.
Maggie Watson and Kit Pogue, who want to open a grocery/deli/handcrafted gifts store on the northeast corner of Main and Ryus, were at the meeting to apply for a commercial development permit. They are trying to navigate through the permit process, while at the same time trying to fulfill County Health Department regulations. After a bit of discussion, Mayor Pro-tem Dawn Blanken offered to meet with the applicants and review the Health Department regulations as compared to the Town code to determine the proper categories for the permit application.
Trustee Davis told the Board, “I’d recommend we get the streets bladed while the moisture is good.” Since the maintenance crew is busy reading meters, the Board voted to hire a contractor at an approximate cost of $2,000. In order to reduce the washboard effect at the intersection of Virginia and Poplar, the Board decided to remove the eastbound stop sign to keep traffic flowing.
The Board voted to replace four tables – three with peeling tops and one for guest speakers – in the community center, and no one was interested in Trustee Dale Davis’ dead-pan suggestion that the tables could be painted. The Town will install a phone line at the water treatment plant, at the request of Rob Saint Peter.
Mayor Schmidt told the Board the Town is currently negotiating with the State Health Department over the effluent standards for ammonia at the sewage treatment plant.
The Board will hold a workshop on April 28, and in a final item, Main Street will be closed from Garland to Moore for the July 4th parade, which will begin at 10 am.
