Ouray Emergency Services budget report leaves commissioners hesitant about merger with Ridgway Fire
The proposal to combine Ridgway Fire and Ouray Emergency Medical Services has hit a bit of a roadblock.
Ahead of the potential merge, Ouray EMS submitted budget numbers to the county that Commissioner Lynn Padget felt didn’t quite add up.
At Tuesday’s regular Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board reviewed the 2027 preliminary budget.
EMS submitted budget figures that omitted certain expenditures and contained inconsistent figures.
This led Commissioner Padgett to issue a "vote of no confidence. She said, "I'm at the point where after looking at the EMS budget iterations that we've been given, I have a vote of no confidence for them to transfer to Ridgway Fire until we understand how their budget works while we still have oversight.”
Commissioners Michelle Nauer and Jake Niece agreed that the issues warranted concern, but were still optimistic about a 2027 merger.
Commissioner Padgett also later expressed her support for EMS, calling it a "lifesaving organization," and clarified that she concerns were solely in regards to the budget documents.
No final decision was made regarding the merger at Tuesday’s meeting, and Ridgway Fire presented its request the following day for just $1 million to facilitate the merger and run county-wide EMS next year.
But over nearly two hours, commissioners and staff could not reconcile competing budget documents.
Commissioners Neese and Davidson supported pushing for a January 1 start, but Commissioner Padgett dissented on timing and process.
The board directed staff to hold a reconciliation work session towards the end of this month to set a final general-fund number before the Dec. 8 budget adoption.
Delta County encourages residents to test for radon, offers free test kits
Delta County Public Health is offering free radon test kits to help residents ensure the safety of their homes.
Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that can build up indoors, and long-term exposure to high levels can increase your risk of lung cancer. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is produced by the breakdown of uranium, a heavy metal present in the soil. It rises and finds its way into homes through cracked foundations, gaps around sump pumps and drains, and crawl spaces.
Colorado Newsline reported earlier this year that because of Colorado’s unique geology, including mountainous regions that consist heavily of granite rock that contains uranium, radon levels are higher in Colorado than in other states.
Colorado is among the top 10 states with the highest radon levels across the country. About 50% of Colorado homes tested for radon have levels higher than the recommended threshold set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Newsline says the average level of radon in Colorado homes is equivalent to having 200 chest X-rays each year. Radon levels differ across the 64 counties in Colorado based on their geography and makeup of the soil, and Montrose and Delta counties rank among the highest.
The only way to know your home’s radon level is through testing.
You can call 970-874-2165 or email eh@deltacountyco.gov to learn how to get your free kit, and ask any questions that you may have about radon testing.
New report shows voting inequity for Native Americans
Native Americans face obstacles to voting at every step of the electoral process.
That's according to a recent report issued by the Native American Rights Fund or NARF, based in Boulder.
For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KSJD's Gail Binkley brings us the story.
MRH layoffs impact Montrose residents
As KVNF reported earlier this week, Montrose Regional Health cut 77 positions on Monday, laying off 34 employees, and says insurers owe it about 25 million dollars. KVNF's Brody Wilson met a Montrose-area man who learned that same afternoon that his workout class at a hospital gym was over.
