Mill levies certif., water dist. skipped

For the fourth year in a row, the Logan County Commissioners have declined to certify the Lower South Platte Valley Water Conservancy District’s mill levy because of litigation.

The LSPWCD is in litigation over that board’s decision at the end of 2019 to raise the district’s mill levy from the 0.5 mill that had been levied since the district’s inception to the full 1 mill stipulated in the 1964 state law creating the district. The increased funds would be used to, among other things, help fund preparatory work on a project that eventually will help supply both the district and the City of Parker extra water from the lower reaches of the South Platte River. That mill levy was certified by county commissioners in the four counties that contain the conservancy district.

As the district board was planning its 2021 budget in December of 2020, however, a group of taxpayers objected, pointing to the 1996 ballot measure’s final sentence. It reads, “No local tax rate or property mill levy shall be increased at any time, nor shall any new tax be imposed without the prior approval of the voters of the LSPWCD.”

That group has since filed a class action lawsuit against the water district. Jim Aranci, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, previously told the Board of Commissioners that his group would consider settling the lawsuit if the conservancy district drops its mill levy back to one-half mill.

The district continues to collect the full 1 mill under state law because that levy was certified for the 2020 budget year.

The commissioners did certify the other mill levies, including six school districts, Aims Community College, 15 county funds, six cities and towns in the county and 12 other special districts, including the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District.

That lawsuit has found its way to the Colorado Court of Appeals after a district court previously ruled in the LSPWCD’S favor. The appeals court is expected to issue a ruling on the case soon.

The commissioners also made the following appointments to various county positions for the coming year:

• Chairman of the Board — Mike Brownell

• Vice Chairman of the Board — Joe Mcbride

• Administrative Officer to the Board of County Commissioners/ Human Resources — Diana Korbe

• County Attorney — Alan Samber

• Attorney for Human Services — Kimberlee Keleher

• Budget Officer — Debbie Unrein

• Emergency Management Coordinator — Jerry Casebolt

• Veteran’s Service Officer — Derrick Boraff

• Fair Manager — Guy Mcendaffer

• Fair Administrative Assistant — Danny Gutierrez-dutton

• Centennial Mental Health Board — Dave Long

• Northeast Colorado Health Department Board — Mike Brownell

• South Platte Regional Transportation Authority — Joe Mcbride and Mike Brownell

• Northeast Colorado Association of Local Governments — Primary: Jerry Sonnenberg; Alternate — Mike Brownell

• Board of Adjustment — Joe Mcbride; Alternate — Jerry Sonnenberg

• Logan County Economic Development — Jerry Sonnenberg

• Logan County Lodging Tax Board — Joe Mcbride

• Chamber of Commerce Board — Joe Mcbride

• CTSI: Workers Compensation Pool Board Member — Mike Brownell

• CTSI: Casualty & Property insurance pool — Joe Mcbride

• CTSI: County Health Pool — Primary — Diana Korbe

• CTSI: County Health Pool Alternate — Mike Brownell

• Official County Newspaper — Journal — Advocate