Board of County Commissioners Work Sessions - Regular Meeting

All right, it's 8:30 a.m. We will begin this work session of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners. Uh on the agenda today, we have two presentations. One from uh Lake County Conservation and one from I'm drawing the blank on the second one. Chamber of Commerce. Chamber of Commerce. Great. Oh, yeah. Okay. Um All right. Who was first? Presentation on the chamber. Okay.

Okay. I have some notes I'm going to follow up with here. Waiting on me. That's all you. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning everybody. Um I'm Nancy Bailey, interim president here at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce. And with me on this Zoom, we have uh Norm Ryder. Norm, can you hear us? Okay. Yes. Loud and clear.

Okay. Um Norm and I are going to kind of present um together and we will make this brief and um because we know you guys have a lot um on the agenda today. So we just want to say good morning and thank you for the opportunity to have us here today. Um just as a little recap, the chamber is 112 year old organization uh one of the oldest nonprofit institutions um here. And as most of you know um after a 5-year pause or more um late in 2024, we uh convened a group to um uh recreate uh or reimagine a chamber of commerce for Lake County. And um so I'm so sorry to interrupt you, but while you're while you're running it, can you please admit folks in the Zoom see that?

Yeah. Sorry. You'll have to do that too. Multitask. I got you. Thank you. Thank you.

Um so we we'll kind of go through this as a as a guide. Um u but more importantly, this is um also we're open for um any questions or feedback. Um, our mission really is simple and it's really to ensure that every business from Harrison Avenue to Twin Lakes has support, stability, and a seat at the table. Um, so for the last year, we've built, um, a solid foundation, um, that businesses can rely on again. Um, so, um, yeah, Norm's going to go through a little bit, um, and introduce himself, but we did want to, um, and he'll go through some of our, um, you know, accomplishments over this last year. So, Norm, why don't you go ahead?

Great. Hey, thank N. Thank you, Nancy, and thank you for the invitation to be part of this meeting. Um, my name is Norm Ryder. I'm a chamber board member and local business owner.

Um, as as Nancy mentioned, in the past year, we've really rebuilt the foundation for a functioning chamber. Um, a chamber that's now ready to start thriving. Um, we have a functional network of local business owners. So they're the employers in the county uh with the chamber and to the local government. So our board now represents a combination of local retail businesses, trades, hospitality, the creative fields, tech, and health services. Uh so we've grown over 50 active members in the first year. Really showing that the businesses want our chamber to be back and to be strong. So these businesses once again employ our neighbors are keep our storefronts open support local revenue and so once again we feel organized we're stable and we're actively engaged. Back to you Nancy.

Thank you very much. We'll go through this um a little bit, but a couple of key notes through this last year that really um kind of, you know, continues to inform us um that the business community really does want to chamber. And um you know, we've built um that connection through our leads groups, which are monthly ways for members to stay connected and talk about real-time issues and a peer-to-peer support network. uh business after hours um quarterly um has has also um been instituted here and the gatherings really foster that mentorship and that connectivity and collaboration that sometimes business owners don't get to to do because we're very busy running our own businesses. Um we have you know started from the ground up. Most of you know that. So um and if you didn't we uh we didn't you know it was the good news and the bad news. Um, we appreciated the opportunity to create a reimagined chamber of commerce uh uh more focused on business advocacy and being a real trusted partner um with our municipalities. It's very critical um that that happens um as we move on to move into you know what a future organization would look like. Um and we're now visible and most of you know can see us in social media and others and um it is just a start. We have um exciting plans um for 2026. Um but with that, I'm going to let Norm share a little bit about the advocacy side. So Norm, why don't you take it away?

Great. Yeah, thank Nancy. Um yeah, so as Nancy mentioned, we've been really bootstrapping this organization so far. Um all the board members are all volunteer. Uh as is Nancy, who fills the role as president and her um uh CEO. Um on advocacy side, we've really been able to show up. Um and we're doing this consistently at city council meetings, at these meetings with you at the county, and we participate on one community project task force. So um our focus is to really gather and share business input with you and others early, constructively um not after decisions are made, but to really help inform your decisions. And we see that as a big role that we can provide, a service we can provide to you. So, um, we've seen real improvements in how we communicate and coordinate. Certainly worked out some kinks in terms of how that's concerned, um, and and help inform some policy decisions for small businesses. We anticipate that role uh increasing over this next year. Um, for us, the economic development side is it's not abstract. It's very practical. Um, we're here to support businesses so they can stay open, they can retain their staff and employees and uh, and grow. So, Any questions so far for us? Okay, great. Moving right along. Um, we did want to share, you know, economic development is really about people and jobs. Um, and sometimes we get lost in plans and programs. Um so we want to um you know continue elevating that really important element of of the backbone of our community and that is uh the health of our job base and the uh you know positive trajectory of what kind of job growth could look like going forward. Um so you know when a business closes it's you know it's not it's a loss of stability in in a lot of ways. Um and

you know jobs keep families housed and oops sorry uh and uh keep kids in school and keep dollars circulating locally. So um the chamber really um you know we'll focus the next several years at really elevating um our you know what that looks like in our community. Um so let's see. Um I'm going to I'm not I'm multitasking here. um we we'd love to um talk about different ways that you know we could work together in the future and um and I'm going to let Norm kind of touch on this a little bit. Norm, why don't you take it away? Sure.

Yeah. So, we do see a partnership with the county as essential for what we do. We are a countywide organization. Um so, we we bring in businesses across the county including Twit Lakes and Leadville. Um, you know, we believe we have the an opportunity to align our efforts uh through shared outreach, through our ability to connect with businesses at a different level, as Nancy mentioned, through our monthly topics at our lead session, which are small group sessions with local business owners to our business after hours, uh, through our other communication mechanisms. We also meet with businesses one-on-one and we review um topics like visitor journeys through the county um and how we can make help them you know have more stickier kind of content for the visitors to uh to buy from them uh or if they're not in the services side to help them kind of thrive uh in a different way. So, you know, we're we're finding that that businesses need clarity and consistency, especially around seasonality, as you you're very familiar with, um to make sure the workforce and the costs are understood, um along with their anticipated revenue based on the seasonality of our visitor community.

Over to you, Nancy.

Thanks. We have I got to flip-flop this, but um we did want to share, we won't get into a lot of detail. um you guys can reference back our report, but there are other Colorado communities um that show what's possible with some modest chamber support. Um you know, there's ex Salida examples um with Salida, Gunnison, Route County in here that kind of, you know, gives you an idea of different ways that our local counties are supporting their chambers and overall economic development. Um and you know, just know these successes didn't happen by accident. They happen because chambers were resourced as partners. So, um that's something that um that we definitely want to grow into um as we uh you know as we continue our our journey here. Um Norm, why don't you take it away on the next next slide.

Okay, great. Yeah. So, as Nancy mentioned, you know, we've seen investment in chambers in counties um all around Lake County. We're requesting a $25,000 investment, a partnership investment from the county for our chamber that will support um not only our operations, but expanding and making sure we focus on topics that are very relevant to you as decision makers so we can help feed you information um you know ahead of your decisions and you know really to to double down and support one community project outcomes and the strategies that the chamber knows that we're well suited to pick up and move forward. So this 25K investment, it provides us year- round stability allows us to have um to create our own jobs within the chamber uh so that we can have the staff to uh support these initiatives to stay coordinated and do the basic functions that we need uh to run our operations. So it's not all about operations. We really want to focus on the outcomes that we can provide you. And that's where with that investment, we'll make sure that we are well connected with you. We get your guidance and then we get the feedback that you guys need to make your decisions. And once again, our our big focus is a healthy business network so we can businesses can collaborate so they could stay open, you know, keep jobs local um and even grow new jobs within the county. So Nancy, back to you.

Thank you. Um all right, time check. 8:42. We're going right along. Um we um it's a really exciting time I think for our community um with the groups um all working together and the business community having a voice and and a new uh county commissioners and an amazing county manager. We finally have all the ingredients um really to build a uh a resilient economy and it really starts with stabilizing our existing business community, the existing employers that are providing the jobs today. um so that we can grow jobs in the future. Um that really is the the baseline. Um and you know, we don't have to say it. When they stay open, you know, there's greater revenue and there's more investment going in um amongst the community. Um and let's see what else did I want to share on this? And I'm going to turn it back to Norm. He's going to close us out. Um but you know, a couple things. We we're not asking for a handout. This is a an investment request to uh get the chamber um at a capacity in which we can be that trusted resource because we all know there there are reasons why there are uh nonprofit chambers and EDCs in communities because we do the things that you guys can't and because you guys are focused on lots of other things. So, you know, leaning in on your trusted business organization partners are um is is what we're aiming for. We know we have a long way to go and we are, you know, continuing every day to to walk that walk and uh, you know, thousands of volunteer hours have gone into getting it this far. Um, but we can't we, you know, there's only so much we're going to be able to do before we, you know, we need some uh some guidance and investment from our municipalities. We have uh requested the same ask for the city of Leadville just uh to be transparent. Um, and we feel like this

would give us the foundation um enough to pay um a a part-time director with some acumen um and continue with additional programming on top of what we're already doing. Um and we have, you know, already plans and and things in place to to talk about that if if we move into a next step on that. Let's see. I'm gonna hand it back over to you, Norm. Okay.

Great. Thanks, Nancy. Yeah. Yeah. So, we're we consider ourselves very active partner with you and that's how we like to show up. Um we are very focused on job creation and retention and helping to make Lee County's business community and our economy strong. So, with that, we just open up to any questions you have for us. Um what conversations have you all had with Adam Garm, our TED director, about this? because it's we specifically have a department that in that works on economic development.

Um we are we are actively in conversations with Adam. Um I haven't presented this report um to him because these are just typically our um county or city organizational update reports. Um but I'm certain and I have shared those in the past with Adam. Um so um yeah. Yeah, we I just add to that we work closely with Adam on uh really leveraging the visitor use data that he or the visitor impact data that he collects or he he has access to. Um Adam participates in our monthly board meetings as a one of our partners. Um and then of course through the elevate uh Leadville Twin Lakes, we're uh working with him as one of the partner organizations there. So, we feel like we are in step with visitor tourism and um and the tourism economy um part of of what he's doing there, too.

Okay. I'm I'm only asking because he's not just tourism, he's also also economic development. And just two weeks ago, we started having conversations about how our community asks are really wonderful. and to have some of those asks go through departments as opposed to this bucket of of um extra funds or community funds like we have directors professionals working in these areas of economic development um not yet natural resources um recreation etc. So, this is I'm not expecting you all to have had this conversation. I'm only bringing it up because I personally would like to see some of these things go through our county staff as opposed to like oneoff investment requests. So, I was just curious what kind of conversations you all had had in terms of the county investing through our economic development department. That's all.

So, really great questions. Um, I will say I'll answer it this way. Um, we're more importantly here to provide you our organizational update after a year of la relaunching our chamber. That that is first and foremost why we're here.

Um, I don't if we need to go through Adam to be able to do that going forward, we're happy to follow any protocol. Um, we just wanted to be consistent with what we've done already um with you guys. Um, in terms of this request, it's the first time I think it I don't have done some research. It's been decades since municipal municipalities have invested in the chamber. So, we felt like it was um appropriate um this first, you know, um time to kind of have this conversation in front of you all um and then going forward and we're happy to, you know, work through um Adam's department. but we just felt like it was appropriate for us to be here um to hear from us. Norm, do you have something to add?

Yeah, we can and we can follow up with Adam. We'll follow up with Adam on the specific request and kind of read him into more details about what we can do with that funding on the funding request side. Yeah, that was that was not meant to be a criticism. It was just a curiosity because this is our first time doing this process and obviously we have a lot to learn and grow in seeing as how you all are in here now. Um yeah, just curious since we have folks working on that. I don't want desperate conversations. I want collaborated efforts.

Yeah. So, thank you. Um, I'm going to shoot you guys some emails with some questions um about what your bigger funding picture looks like so that we can make a better decision on what we're able to help out with. I realize this is an important component in the local community. Um, and it does need support. Um, and then the other part would uh a little more detailed, but um trying to figure out what you guys are able to do to do to help local businesses with permitting processes if they're spinning their wheels or getting lost in the process or somewhere if that's something you guys are able to help with. I do see it vaguely described in the presentation, but I'd like to ask more about that. But I'm going to do that via email at a later date cuz for time sake. Yes.

Um, so I appreciate you guys coming in. Thank you. So, oh, I'm sorry if you had any questions. Um, no, I I agree with what both you guys said. I would like to see a bigger uh financial picture, how much what your overall budget is, and then specifically what you do with with our donation. Is it mostly for a director? Would that be a part-time?

It would. It it it's we already have those written and ready. uh we just this was phase one and if you guys were interested we we can share uh what those what that kind of uh picture looks like. It's it's not all for staff. Um it is it's a lot uh into programming um and creating um and and again I I don't I don't want to speak of specifics yet um because we haven't had board approval on some on some of the things that um that are in there but um they are allocated to certain and specific programming. um in addition to staff and we do have a part-time uh contractor uh that is helping get us uh to this level here. Um and half of her time is donated by her um just as a you know courtesy until we can um you know increase our membership base and you know and I I do want to yeah I I want to mention that you know membership growth is um our goal is an organic growth strategy. Um, so that that's our that's our plan.

Yeah. Great. Well, thank you very much for your time. We really appreciate it. Yeah. Same. All right. Yeah. Thank you. Appreciate you. All right. Lake County Conservation District. Hello, Harmony. That's a tall order to do this in 15 minutes. It is. You'll get your 15 minutes. I promise. And we if we got

start our next one a little late. That's okay. ation. I did not write prepare any slides. I I did that in May. Um and I'm here just to kind of reconnect with you about um really what I think is the most important part for the county of what the Lake County Conservation District does. So um the Lake County Conservation District was founded in 1950 by uh Lyn referendum. They are special taxing district just like a water district, a hospital district, school districts. Um, the caveat there is that we do not levy any property taxes whatsoever. So, our income is only $8,000 a year by direct assistance through the state through the Department of Agriculture. In 2022, the community wildfire protection plan was written for the for the county. It was a year-long um um process. the county was in close partnership with all of the you know forestry and emergency organizations and also one of them was the central Colorado conservancy which is a land trust at a solida that covers Lake County as well. Um in the absence of a water resources department and a natural resources department the county government in central Colorado conservancy decided to partner on a building capacity for the conservation district which at the time did not have any kind of full-time staff. It was all volunteer-based. Meetings were being had in private living rooms. And as a unit of state government, you have to face transparency laws. You have to have everything open to the public notice 24 hours in advance, budgets, whatnot. So, they decided to build capacity for the conservation district. Um, the Central Colorado Conservancy received a five-year contract from the NRCS at $50,000 a year to support a full-time position. The county supported it with 25 grand a year. Um, with I started in this position in 2023 and within 6

months time NRCS pulled the plug on that contract due to administrative reasons, not based not because of my performance. I even had the local rep, the local NRCS rep vouch for me and write this beautiful letter about how I've increased landowner participation by 700% yada yada yada. Um, funding cuts, as you all know, are really hard right now. Federal the federal administration is cutting its priorities, shifting its priorities to different things. I've lost $120,000 in project funding this year alone. Um, the biggest one was the EPA. It was free soil testing for land owners that we test for heavy metal contaminants and soil. Cool. Um, so I put in your packet, three things. I gave you uh some 2024 data and from 20 to 25 data just in the types of work that we do. The grant funding I have secured for private land owners, not for myself but for private land owners. And then uh the number two in your packet is the Lake County Forest Health Council. When I started this position, I was graciously volunttoled by a commissioner that I'm now facilitating convening that group. And I do that every two months. I track and help execute and find partnership to partnerships to help find um places where we can implement forest health and fuel reduction projects in our county. Um we were trying to mimic what was happening down in Ji county. They were a few years ahead of us and we have really gained traction in 2024. I do not have 2025 data yet assembled, but I do have 24 20 2024 data is $1.3 million on private land alone. Um that does not include the work that has been done on public land. Um it's great. It's a great way to leverage outsource state and federal funding. Um and I've been keeping this this this work going. We

are now moving on to various different different places to protect the to protect the lands and the water that we love here so much in Colorado and in Lake County specifically. Um number three um I work closely with um An Schneider and her team. They send me uh they send the conservation district requests for comments when they have subdivision applications or conditional use um permit applications. We also get requests from the Colorado Division of Mining Reclamation and Safety. Um when like with the Titan AU gold to submit comments on those everything is uh everything is f focused on natural resources. So think soil health, noxious weed management, forest health, forest um fuel reduction, watershed health, whatnot. Um we've submitted comments for those. And finally at the second page I wanted to just tie into the natural resources and environment action team that the community one project is working on right now. I've been participating in those and I see uh the conservation district be a leader in both goal two and goal four which are prioritize environmental resilience in local decision-making and model environmentally conscious practices across government operations and programs. And goal four is enhance forest health while building community resilience to wildfire. Um overall I think in the few years that I've been working in this position the conservation district has really positioned itself as a leader in natural resources. We've been participating in all sorts of watershed health forest forest health projects noxious weed management. We've also dabbled in urban agricultural and some food access work. Um, and we are here just to kindly request your continued support for this position. Um, and I would just like to answer any questions you may have. Um, I do want to add one

more thing. When I asked to write the one pager for you, um, you asked me which prioriti which which priority this uh, of which board priority my work uh, addresses and I wrote down environmental and natural resources. And then later that same evening, I had my board meeting here and I looked up at this board and I noticed that that was not one of your priorities. However, I can see how it it ties it's tied to uh the airport industrial park. We are doing fuel mitigation in Idol Gulch to make sure that that whole area is resilient to wildfire because it's in high priority fuel uh area. Um and any outdoor recreation ties into this beautifully. Um so um I have just a few more minutes and I'm open for any questions

or you can of course send questions. So the your request is 25,000. My request is 20,000. Yes. What's your overall budget? Uh and how do you get paid?

I get paid mostly through grant funding. So, like I said in the beginning, it was a capacity building position through NRCS in the county to have a full-time uh FTE and um I was told during my um interview that I would have to write grants to support myself and so at this point when I write grants, I write in time for myself. Um, a lot of these a lot of the projects that I work on when I connect a land owner with uh funding it's directly with I directly connect them and I do not gain access to any of those funds. So the services I provide for land owners often just out the door. I provide those technical assistance um and that education part for free. But when I do my own projects, I did a seed cost share as you know um I'm working on an inflow stream project for the Lake Fork Creek right now. I work in my um hourly time into that so I can find um came through those project grants, but those are highly competitive at this point.

Yeah, they're going away. So, where would our $20,000 contribution go? Would that go? It would go to my time. Yes. Organizational capacity for the work I perform health council work keeping the organization in compliance with state and federal regulations. Harmony, I know we've benefited from your time that has not been funded as well. So, I I just want to say even since getting here, I'm really appreciate all the support you've offered us even without funding. So, I I see your value every day.

Thank you. And uh the question you asked um Nancy about working with I' I've worked with Ann Schneider and her team and with Bryce and I've had county commissioners attend the forest health council meetings um on a regular basis. Yeah. I've also had the parks wreck and open space director attend my board meetings as well. Yeah. Yeah. And you show up in all the right places and that's not funded time. I can tell. That's right. Yeah, that's part of the organizational capacity part. Absolutely. Yes. So, I have no question.

Um I have no questions for rate here, but I do have some more random things that I will reach out to you directly about in a future date here. Um hopefully real soon. Anything from you? Nope. I'm all set. Thank you. All right. Thank you for your time, Harmony. Appreciate you guys. I know that this is squeaking in and I appreciate that. Oh yeah, absolutely. Plenty of time. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank for coming. I didn't trust Mary. She's our um she's our board president. Right into there. I just want you guys to know that without her not where we're at. Yeah. Wonderful. Thank you. Okay. All right.

Thanks. Thanks for you guys. Right into this. All right. The fine crim.