FOR MOON LAKE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Honest l Forward Thinking l Community Oriented l Dedicated l Experienced l No Personal Agenda Ballots will be mailed April 29 with electric bills RE-ELECT BRAD CASTO Serving Rio Blanco County, Colorado since 1885 Inside: CELEBRATE OUR ww ww ww ww ww ww ww MHS Prom GRADUATES! R II OO BB LL AA NN CC OO Royalty PAGE 3A The HT is compiling supplements for the RHS and MHS Classes of 2019. Family Meeker Makeover members and businesses are welcome to project PAGE 6A place congratulatory messages. Local Sports PAGES 8-9A Email [email protected] Pike caught at for more info or call Kenney Reservoir 970-878-4017. PAGE11A Herald Tim00es Vol. 134, No. 39 u May 2, 2019 u theheraldtimes.com u $1 Building code meeting draws Be the solution to plastic pollution standing room only crowd By NIKI TURNER and choice. [email protected] Dave Wilson, loan officer at this World Migratory Bird Day Bank of the San Juans, said how RBC I A public input meeting people choose to build their homes about building codes and code is none of the county’s business. Special to the Herald Times NOAA Marine Debris Program says. risk of directly ingesting plastics. spectacular journeys that migratory Plastics harm birds in marine It’s been estimated that 80% of sea birds take as they travel between enforcement in unincorporated Rio “As a county citizen why should I environments, as well as other and shorebirds have consumed foam, nesting and non-breeding sites Blanco County resulted in a standing have to pay to see that your home is MEEKER I “Protect birds: Be room only crowd in Meeker Monday. built properly? It’s not the county’s the solution to plastic pollution” habitats. As human use of plastics pellets, thread, and other items. In around the world. Global partners at grows, so too does the amount of addition, small bits of plastic, known the Convention on Migratory Species Rio Blanco County responsibility.” is the theme for the 2019 World Commissioner Jeff Rector addressed Brian Bofinger, property Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), the plastic pollution that invades most as microplastics, pose a hazard in Bonn, Germany recognize that ecosystems around the globe. to birds and smaller organisms “World Migratory Bird Day joins our the group at the start by saying, owner, disagreed. The five-year-old only international education program “We’re not after getting rid of home he bought—with a private that celebrates the migration of voices as one for the protection of the birds we share. With raised awareness building codes entirely…we’re not inspection—off Hwy. 64 has nearly 350 bird species between their here to throw the building department required $180,000 in repairs. “If the nesting habitats in North America and of threats such as plastic pollution to birds, it is our opportunity to under the bus…we would just like to code had been held to a standard, wintering grounds in Latin America, see what the public wants.” I wouldn’t be out $180,000 on a Mexico, and the Caribbean. World Migratory take action by making changes that 2019 help birds, whether personal or more The public, which included $300,000 home.” This year WMBD will tackle the property owners, realtors, contractors Several comments centered challenges of plastic pollution in the Bird Day broadly.” Although WMBD is traditionally and interested citizens, presented the around safety factors and leaving a environment by teaching participants commissioners with a mixed bag of legacy for future generations. at more than 700 locations from celebrated in Canada and the U.S. on the second Saturday in May, in comments, some defending current Ginger DeWitt, a former Argentina to Canada about the many building department and inspector professional firefighter, said the ways that plastics can harm birds reality every day is bird day, and programs, festivals, and other events Jeff Kummer and some saying codes codes are written from a reactionary and by offering some ideas for ways are akin to government overreach point-of-view, meaning someone that people can reduce their use of occur throughout the year, whenever it works best for organizers—and and the county would be better off died because that code wasn’t in plastic items. Many of the events will without them. place. include cleanups and other habitat the birds. “Ultimately, the goal of WMBD is to connect people to The county currently operates Former RBC inspector Rich restorations as well as educational under 2009 building codes and is Garner said he believes the codes presentations, bird walks, and nature through birds,” says Miguel Matta, WMBD Coordinator in Latin looking to adopt the 2018 codes, are “for the people coming behind creative art activities. with amendments that suit the us…home inspectors can come in, Now in its 26th year, WMBD has America. This will be the 17th year that the “culture” of Rio Blanco County, they don’t see what’s inside the grown from a one-day event into a and amendments to the Land Use walls or how it’s built, they have framework underpinning hundreds White River National Forest, Blanco Ranger District is partnering with the Regulations. no way to know.” He encouraged of projects and programs year- Contractors present praised the commissioners to “look pretty round. WMBD in the Americas is Meeker School District to celebrate migratory birds. This year the Blanco Kummer for “doing his job” and said close” before they remove any coordinated by Environment for the the county’s building department codes. Americas, which provides bilingual Ranger District will present the 2019 theme in a PowerPoint presentation has improved. That said, several Other suggestions including educational materials and information in attendance would prefer to see making the town and county codes about birds and bird conservation to students in grades 4-7. In addition, students will go on walking bird- the inspection process privatized, as uniform, creating a database of throughout the Americas. Their that would provide an added level registered local contractors, and programs inspire children and adults watching trips around town and to Circle Park and learn about identifying of liability. A private inspector— making code information readily to get outdoors, learn about birds, and bonded and insured—could be held available to laypersons. take part in their conservation. birds by sight and sound. In addition, on June 1, Meeker liable for a failed system, whereas Commissioners held a similar Since plastic was introduced in the county is not held liable for the public meeting in Rangely Tuesday. the 1950s, an estimated 8.3 billion High School student Nick Massey is organizing a Community Clean-Up results of inspections or enforcement The HT will report on that next metric tons have been created. Only in the event of a suit. week. about 9% of plastic materials are Day in conjunction with this year’s theme. Massey is doing the project While the majority agreed “we The board is entering a period of recycled, leaving more than 6.3 billion can’t do away with building codes reviewing current codes and making metric tons of plastics in landfills as part of a Supervised Agricultural Design and illustrations: Arnaldo Toledo entirely,” there was also an anti- amendments. They expect this or polluting the environment. “One Experience (SAE), working with the Bird identification (bottom, left): regulation voice among the group, phase to take at least six months. Magellanic Penguin, Black Skimmer, Lesser Scaup, Chilean Flamingo, Common Tern, Northern Fulmar, Magnificent Frigatebird, of the main types of marine debris Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, Tricolored Heron, Killdeer, Prothonotary Warbler Blanco Ranger District and offered through the MHS Agricultural asserting that people need to be Public comment periods will be in the marine environment today is responsible for their own actions available throughout the process. plastic. We know fishing gear, plastic Department under MHS teacher bags, bottle caps, utensils, and other Denee Chintala. Look for flyers and plastic pieces are entangling and COURTESY PHOTO more information as clean-up day being ingested by birds. NOAA’s approaches. Marine Debis Program is pleased to “Plastic debris such as fishing line throughout the food chain due to To learn more about migratory Caerus layoffs due to "normal" review be partnering with World Migratory poses a serious risk of entangling the toxins they concentrate in the bird habitats, download IMBD Bird Day this year to help raise birds, which can entrap them and environment. educational and promotional RBC | Reports that energy company Caerus Oil and Gas awareness about plastic marine cause serious injury,” says Dr. Susan In addition to raising awareness materials in Spanish and English, laid off 20 people in the Piceance Basin prompted calls to the debris and encourage people across Bonfield, Director of Environment about issues important to bird and search for activities planned company for an official statement. the globe to be part of the solution,” for the Americas. conservation, World Migratory Bird in your area, visit http://www. The HT received an email from Caerus’s media representative, Nancy Wallace, director of the Migratory birds also have a high Day is also a celebration of the migratorybirdday.org/. Jeremy Story of GroundFloor Media, Monday which stated, “As a result of a restructuring, Caerus has eliminated 13 positions in Parachute and seven in Denver. The reductions total less than 10 percent of our total workforce. The changes came as the result Four candidates vie for district seat on MLEA board of a normal critical review of organizational structure and staffing levels—part of a larger, ongoing comprehensive review of potential By NIKI TURNER in this district,” Yankton Johnson, be used for the benefit of member- efficiencies throughout our organization." [email protected] MLEA manager of personnel and owners.” "The last two member relations, said via email.