Public speakers urge support for local deputy, request guardrail and propose drone STEM event

A series of residents addressed the Grant County Board of County Commissioners during the public-input portion of the April 10 meeting.

Steve Mitchell of Buckhorn praised Deputy Don Gatlin and urged the commissioners to support law enforcement presence in the rural area, saying Gatlin ‘‘exemplifies the spirit of the law’’ and noting the deputy’s local ties and community support. Raul Salcedo raised a safety concern about a retaining wall and a seven-foot drop adjacent to a roadway called Deadman’s Curve near his project in North Early and asked the county to inspect the site and consider installing a guardrail. He said road elevation and backfill create about a seven-foot drop from the road to his property.

A community member identifying herself as Denise described a new committee (‘‘drone by STEM’’) and asked for county support for a two-day drone event at Veteran Memorial Park in September, proposing daytime vendors and makerspaces and a nighttime drone show; she said she is coordinating volunteers and groups such as Cloudbusters and RC Barry. The meeting also included a public retirement recognition presented by the sheriff’s office for Armando Medina and a brief presentation of a certificate and shadow box honoring his service.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged the comments and directed relevant departments and staff to follow up: the county manager’s office was mentioned as the place to request future-agenda placement; the project manager and public-works staff were referenced by Salcedo as local contacts for the guardrail matter. No formal county action was taken during public input on the three matters at the meeting.