Board of Public Health & county commissioners violated state public health law with their new intergovernmental agreement

Stephen D. Daniels, new Chair of the Mesa County Board of Public Health,  violated Colorado Title 25 by giving control over the health department’s budget to the elected county commissioners. No provision in the state public health law permits that.

When the Mesa County Commissioners had the Board of Health (BOH) sign their new Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), the commissioners, County Attorney Todd Starr and all 7 members of the new BOH all either knowingly or unknowingly violated Colorado Revised Statute Title 25, Article 1, Part 5(k).

Title 25 of the Colorado Code (pdf), the Public Health Act of 2008, restructured public health throughout the state and spells out all of the rights, responsibilities and duties of county Boards of Health and health departments.

Article 1, Part 5(k) of the Act, titled “County or District Boards of Public Health,” (pdf) gives Boards of Health, and only Boards of Health, the right to accept, control and administer all state and federal money, as well as any other property and services health departments get. That includes unrestricted funds health departments get from any source. Only Boards of Health can enter into agreements regarding such money or assistance, and only Boards of Health can decide how to use these funds to advance public health in the county.

Title 25 contains no provision that gives elected county commissioners the right to any control over a health department’s budget, funding or grants, yet that’s what Commissioners Janet Rowland, Cody Davis and Bobbie Daniel have done with their new IGA, which handed the commissioners control over the health department’s budget, and which even controls what BOH members are allowed to discuss at their own meetings.

Section 5(k) of Article I of Title 25 says,

“5. In addition to all other powers and duties conferred and imposed upon a county board of health… a county board of health…shall have and exercise the following specific powers and duties:

Colorado Code 25-1-508 (2022), Section 5 (k), gives sole power to the Board of Health to receive, use, disburse all moneys allotted to the public health department for public health functions, and to enter into agreements to receive such funds. The law does not give any of this power to county commissioners. Commissioners have illicitly seized this power.

 

Commissioner Janet Rowland, in her 2020 campaign video titled “Transparency” in which Rowland says, “I believe transparency in government is absolutely critical…I believe that you, the taxpayer, should know what your government is up to…”  She and the other county commissioners just coerced the new Board of Health into signing a new intergovernmental agreement that violates Title 25, Article 1, Section 5(k) of the state public health law.

That’s a powerful statute and the Board of Health is either unaware of it, or intentionally chose to violate it.

Either all three Mesa County Commissioners, the county attorney and all seven Board of Health members are unaware of this provision in the state public health law, or they all intentionally violated it.

County residents deserve county commissioners and a Board of Heath that at the very least will abide by the law.

So far, that’s not what we’ve gotten.

 

KREX TV explores how the County seized control over all of Mesa County Public Health Department’s contracts when it only contributes 4.2% of the agency’s budget

KREX reporter Michael Loggerwell’s story about Mesa County’s new Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Health Department- Part 1

KREX-TV News recently did a two-part series about the Mesa County Commissioners’ new, post-Jeff Kuhr Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that more tightly regulates the County’s relationship with the Public Health Department (MCPHD), and how it differs from the old 2012 agreement in important ways that could negatively affect public health and safety in the county.

Why are the Mesa County Commissioners sending taxpayer money out of town?

The Commissioners used a roofing company in Keenesburg, Colorado to replace the roof on the Old County Courthouse on Rood Ave., instead of a company located in Mesa County

The Mesa County Commissioners recently had the roof replaced on the Old Courthouse at 544 Rood Ave.

They gave the job to Better Line Roofing, LLC in Keenesburg, Colorado, 279 miles from here, instead of a local roofing company.

People concerned about D-51 Social Studies Forums Nov. 15 & 16

School District 51 is holding forums today and tomorrow (Wednesday, 11/15 and Thursday, 11/16) to discuss the state’s new social studies standards. The forums are today at Redlands Middle School and tomorrow at Orchard Mesa Middle School, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. each day.

So, what’s up with these forums?

Instructor salaries at CMU remarkably low compared to state and nation

Classified ad placed by Colorado Mesa University in the 11/12/23 issue of the Daily Sentinel for a tenure-track assistant professor of nursing

Colorado Mesa University (CMU) has been advertising for a tenure-track assistant nursing professor for its Montrose campus.

The position requires teaching 12 course credit hours each semester, or 24 credits over an academic year, which is considered a standard, full-time teaching load. Applicants must also have a current RN license, plus a minimum of two years of full time professional clinical experience and a graduate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited school of nursing, with a Ph.D. preferred, as well as other requirements.

But the pay is only $55,000 – 60,000 a year.

Tina Peters sues to overturn her $15,400 campaign finance violation fine

Tina Peters in a November 2, 2023 video posted on YouTube

Tina Peters filed a lawsuit (pdf) November 8 against Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to overturn the $15,400 campaign finance violation fine an administrative law judge levied against her on October 4, 2023, claiming the fine is “unfair” and that it has “irreparably injured” her.

The Court fined her for soliciting donations to run for re-election as Mesa County Clerk in 2021-2022 without having first filed the necessary paperwork with the state that requires she report the money she raised and spent on her campaign. The fine pertained to Tina’s campaign for County Clerk that she dropped out of in 2022 to run for Colorado Secretary of State instead. Tina lost the primary election for that seat to her Republican competitor by 14 percentage points, but she is telling people in interviews that she won that election.

Craig Gallery in Palisade to host art event 11/25 to benefit HopeWest

Painting by Kay Crane of the Craig Gallery in Palisade with a bow on it like the ones that will designate art pieces that, if sold at the Nov. 25th event, will benefit HopeWest

Craig Gallery at 128 E. 3rd in downtown Palisade is hosting a holiday event called “Put a Bow on It” on Saturday, November 25, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Owner Tammy Craig says, “In the spirit of the season, ten percent of all sales and 100% of pieces sold sporting a bow will be donated to HopeWest.”

Gallery Director Kay Crane says, “We’re so happy to be able to do this.  My family has been helped and comforted by HopeWest, as have so many others in the Grand Valley.  Hospice is all about comfort — for those who are leaving and those who are staying.”

The gallery features a wide variety of artistic pieces aimed at holiday gift giving, including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewelry, photography and more. They say they have something to fit every budget and taste.

Artists featured in Craig Gallery include Dianna Fritzler, Cynthia Duff, Bud Markos, Chris Eaton, Christine Feller, Diane Anglim, DJ Janowski, Gail Evans, Gayle Garson, Gerry Jensen, Jennifer Kass, John Anglim, Kathryn McBride, Kay Crane, Lori Brietzke (Lorelei), Mary Pat Ettinger, Monica Esposito, Nancee Busse, Nina Williams, Peg Oswald, Ron Cloyd, Sandi Seckman, Shavique, Diane Saulnier, Tammy Craig and Matthew Seeds.

People reporting difficulty accessing ballot drop-off box at the Clifton DMV on election day (today)

People are reporting that construction, roped off areas and the construction workers’ vehicles are inhibiting access and causing traffic jams at the ballot drop-off box at the Clifton DMV at 3225 I-70 Business Loop, Unit A2, in Clifton. Concerns are for the ability of disabled or other-enabled people to be able to reach the box, trip and fall hazards for those stepping over the areas under construction to reach the box, traffic congestion and some people are concerned about possible voter suppression.

New Mesa County Clerk Bobbie Gross was notified of the situation, said she just noticed it on her cameras as well and was headed to Clifton immediately to address the situation.