Pueblo West holds second public hearing on district rules and drought-rate language; approval pending

The Pueblo West district held a second public hearing on its draft rules and regulations that include revised drought-rate language, with staff saying the materials have been available to the public and that the board will be asked to approve the rules after the required hearings.

Staff said the rules-and-regulations update has been reviewed over several months and that drought rates are part of the package because they are technically water rates subject to a public-hearing process. Staff also said it prepared two resolutions: one approving draft restrictions tied to drought response and one adopting the district's full rules and regulations. No final approval was recorded in the meeting transcript; the item remained at the hearing/approval step.

Board members were told that the redline circulated to the board focuses on substantive changes and that many edits were organizational (moving definitions, trimming minor language). Staff confirmed the draft was posted on the district website and that a public notice ran in the local paper. The packet contains the draft rules and regulations and the two resolutions prepared for the board’s consideration.

Staff also said there were no additional adjustments expected beyond what board members had already seen. The meeting record shows the public-hearing phase is the remaining compliance step before a formal vote; the transcript does not record a motion, vote, or final adoption.

The board did not take a formal vote on the rules during this session. The item remains on the agenda for a future meeting where the board may be asked to adopt the rules and the drought-rate provisions.