PHOTO: Sunland Asphalt & Construction at work on Talisman Drive, Pagosa Springs, August 23, 2023.
I forgot to mention, yesterday in Part Six, that today’s 5pm Board meeting at the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) offices is open to the public. Potential rate increases will be discussed, perhaps at some length, but it’s not clear if members of the public will be invited to testify during that specific discussion.
But there is a defined agenda item at the beginning of each PAWSD Board meeting, welcoming public comment.
Disclosure: I currently serve on the PAWSD Board of Directors, but I’m not speaking for the Board here… I’m sharing only my own opinions.
Back in the late 1940s, President Harry Truman displayed a sign on his desk: “The Buck Stops Here.”
He believed you’re not entitled to pass the buck, when you’re President.
How about, when you’re a local elected official…?
Based on the cost of the $40 million Snowball Treatment Plant that the PAWSD Board approved this past spring, it seems to me a foregone conclusion that PAWSD water fees will increase gradually over the next 10 years, and that my fellow PAWSD board members and I are directly responsible for approving any increased fees. No buck-passing allowed.
I assume that all other governments in Archuleta County will increase their fees over the next ten years. Property taxes will also see an increase, at least for the next couple of years.
When governments build infrastructure, or assume public responsibility for infrastructure built by private developers, we understand that the infrastructure — roads, water lines, gas lines, bridges, schools, office buildings, jails, landfill facilities, parks — that all this infrastructure has a lifespan, and that during that lifespan, it will require ongoing maintenance, and perhaps upgrades.
Speaking as a person who has been writing about government infrastructure projects in Archuleta County for almost 20 years, I find it disturbing, how rare it is to hear government leaders express concerns about the long-term maintenance and replacement costs of public infrastructure.
I did hear those kinds of concerns expressed by former Town Manager Andrea Phillips, however, during the Town Council’s retreat on July 13 and 14… a concern that the Town is continuing to add public infrastructure without a clear idea of how much that infrastructure will cost to maintain over the long haul, and ultimately, what it will cost to replace. Ms. Phillips has since left her post at the Town.
Some of the infrastructure that requires regular maintenance here in Archuleta County is 320 miles of County roads, most of which are gravel (or dirt) but some of which — about 40 miles worth — are paved. Paved roads hold up to traffic better than gravel roads, but are more costly to repair… and much more costly to replace when they’ve reached the end of their useful life. A total of $4.7 million was budgeted for County paving projects in 2023.
Pavement was a topic of concern at the Tuesday work session for the Archuleta Board of County Commissioners.
“A topic of concern” might be putting it mildly.
According to County Manager Derek Woodman during a Daily Post interview yesterday, certain unauthorized County paving projects had taken place over the summer, that had been arranged by now-departed Public Works Director Kevin Pogue… outside of the official road maintenance plan for 2023… without official contracts… and without funding appropriated in the 2023 budget.
Mr. Pogue and the County parted ways about two weeks ago. Following Mr. Pogue’s departure, the County leadership (ie. Manager Derek Woodman and our three County Commissioners) discovered the road project anomalies.
As a result of the unexpected (and unauthorized) paving and repair work, the Road and Bridge Department was apparently headed for a budget overrun of about $1 million. Additionally, according to Mr. Woodman, the County road crews had invested staff time and materials preparing the (unexpected and unauthorized) paving jobs, and as a result, had failed to complete some of the gravel road maintenance scheduled for 2023.
Apparently, Mr. Pogue had also hired independent gravel haulers at a cost of $150 per hour, which was also outside the 2023 budget.
Mr. Woodman said the County will address the potential budget overruns by cancelling road projects scheduled for 2023 in the Vista and Trails subdivisions.
During our interview, Mr. Woodman also discussed some ongoing issues at the County Landfill — which, like all landfills, is a potential environmental hazard site and is thus regularly inspected by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Back in June, the County received a preliminary report that appeared to indicate “No Violations”. But on July 10, a letter arrived from CDPHE outlining six critical health and safety issues that the County needed to address at the landfill.
According to Mr. Woodman, the July 10 letter was received by Public Works Director Kevin Pogue but, for whatever reason, was never shared with the rest of County leadership.
From that letter:
The Division advises you that information gained during the inspection [on June 21] indicates you may have violated Coloraqdo’s solid waste laws. A copy of the inspection report is attached…
The letter then lists six deficiencies to which “civil penalties” could apply, if they are not addressed. A written response was requested by August 9. Apparently, that written response was never sent.
One might wonder why a Public Works director would fail to disclose such an important letter to County leadership?
During our interview, Mr. Woodman and I discussed the possibility that the Archuleta County landfill might, in the near future, be closed for perhaps two weeks to allow the County to complete ongoing repairs. Obviously, such a closure would greatly inconvenience trash haulers, households, and building contractors.
I expressed the hope that the community would get plenty of advanced warning of such a closure.
Meanwhile, several current paving projects are continuing.
As far as I know, none of our County Commissioners has a sign on their desk, reading, “The Buck Stops Here.” Yet.
That might be a good addition.
Mr. Woodman did not explain why Mr. Pogue is no longer working for the County. His position — Public Works Director — is currently open and being advertised, along with another open position: Road and Bridge Manager.