Charlene Stevenson went before Nucla’s town trustees in the public comment over concerns about leaks with Mustang Water. She wants the board to not waste time on repairs or maintenance. She had a leak report in hand and told the board there are grants and loans available from the USDA and state.
New mayor Paula Brown officiated the meeting. Brown was previously mayor pro tem and elected by the popular vote April 1 to replace former mayor Kirk Yerke when he stepped away this spring.
At last week’s meeting, trustees approved Tim Pierce as mayor pro tem.
Trustees are also seeking to fill a vacant trustee seat now. Letters of interest are due by April 21 and interviews for the seat will be held the first week of May.
Brock Benson appeared before the board with ideas for summer programming. His business Paradox Cycle has sponsored a family fun night in Naturita that includes some biking and then food with an outdoor movie afterward. He works closely with Bri Bonacquista, of the Nucla school. He’d like to move the events from Naturita to Nucla this summer, since the storage unit for the bikes is in Nucla proper, and he’s thinking Wednesdays, as not to compete with gymkhana.
Trustees weren’t sure about the insurance coverage for bike events in the park, but Benson said his group could at least ride trails and end up at the park for the food and movie. Town Manager Melissa Lampshire is looking into insurance. Benson will put his events on the Nucla calendar.
“Thank you for doing that for our community,” Mayor Brown said.
Trustees approved an intergovernmental agreement with Montrose County for continued law enforcement services.
Later, Jamie O’Hern went before the board with concerns of a mulberry tree that was cut down on 3rd Avenue, which is an alley street that’s unpaved. She asked about the work and if a dog park were going in at the end of 3rd Avenue. Mayor Brown said trustees have never discussed a dog park in the boardroom.
“We have plenty on our plate without putting in a dog park,” Lampshire said.
O’Hern asked about the work in the alley and why it was being done. Trustees said the work is just regular town clean-up of rights-of-way and alleys and has been on the agenda. It’s not formally scheduled and depends on when Public Works can get to it.
Aimee Tooker suggested checking with the Apple Core Project before cutting any other trees down.
Trustees approved paying Williams Construction $210,812.93 as the first payment request for the Main Street repairs. They also discussed the Zoom meeting policy, but that hasn’t been looked at by the town attorney. They’re also setting up an executive session to speak with the attorney about the cell tower issue.
The Nucla Community Clean Up Day is May 10. For that, the town is trying to see if students through True North Youth Program might want to earn service hours for helping elders clean up their properties. Additionally, trustee Penni Berry said she’d be assisting with a truck and trailer and will help any elders not able to get to a dumpster.
There’s a groundwater issue at 6th and Heron that the board is discussing. They could install a culvert to drain it. As many as 13 deer come to the spot to drink, and the excess water been ongoing for years.
Related to water, Dean Naslund said for 15 years on the east side of Lincoln there’s been an irrigation issue and the culvert is plugged. He said he’s altered the way it’s irrigated, but he’s done doing that. He said if it floods the hell out of everybody, that’s the way it’s going to be. He’s going to quit trying to help, if the town won’t do its due diligence.
