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Gilpin County commissioners adopt 2025 appointments, retain Mountaineer as newspaper of record; several routine measures pass
Summary
At its January 2025 meeting the Gilpin County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of official 2025 appointments, named the Mountaineer as the county newspaper of record and adopted multiple resolutions including a consulting contract for the assessor and applications for state funds. All votes recorded passed 3-0.
The Gilpin County Board of Commissioners on a 3-0 vote on Jan. 2025 adopted a package of official appointments for 2025, confirmed committee and intergovernmental representatives and retained the Mountaineer as the county’s newspaper of record.
The action, taken under resolution 25-004, formalizes leadership and staff designations including the appointment of Sandra Hollingsworth as chair of the Board of County Commissioners and Susan Brooman as chair pro tem. County Manager Ray Reers remains the county’s primary administrative officer; the county attorney appointment remained Fairfield & Woods, with Todd Messenger serving as the designated county attorney and Jack Russell as alternate. The board also confirmed department leads and administrative designees such as Joe Allaire as budget officer, Kimberly Kaufman as administrative assistant to the board, Janie Barker as Human Services director and Leon Pohl as Veterans Services officer. The board named Wells Fargo and Colorado Trust as depositories and designated the old courthouse bulletin board and the Gilpin County website as official posting locations.
Why it matters: the appointments set who can sign documents, act as the county’s representative on regional bodies and receive and publish legal notices. Naming a paper of record determines where legal notices and public filings will be published, which affects public notice reach.
Selection of newspaper of record
Two newspapers presented competing proposals to the board before the vote. Becky Osterol, identified in the meeting as managing editor of the Weekly Register, told commissioners her paper charges the “standard state rates” cited in her submission (64¢ for the first run and 39¢ for subsequent runs) and asked for a single designated contact to handle legal submissions. She said the Weekly Register has operated in the area for 162 years and reported a claimed 93% circulation rate in Gilpin County.
Barbara Hart, representing the Mountaineer, said the Mountaineer “covers everything in Gilpin County,” listing coverage that includes schools, events, government, Black Hawk, Central City, Oak Creek Canyon, Pinecliff and Rollinsville. Hart said the Mountaineer has roughly 41 contributors and a leased office on Lawrence Street in Central City. After hearing both presentations the board voted to retain the Mountaineer as the county newspaper of record for the 02/2025 posting cycle; the motion passed 3-0.
Other committee appointments and board seats
The board also assigned commissioners and staff to a long list of intergovernmental and advisory committees. Highlights include continued participation in Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI) subcommittees, Counties and Commissioners Acting Together (CCAT), Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA), the Gateway of the Rockies opioid council (with a named alternate), NoCo Places, the Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association and a shared Clear Creek Economic Development Corporation role. The board confirmed Ray Reers as the CCI voting proxy. Several appointments will be posted publicly when openings occur, including a Jefferson Center representative that will be advertised jointly with Clear Creek County.
Votes at a glance
- Resolution 25-004, adopting the county’s official appointments for 2025: passed 3-0. - Newspaper of record (Mountaineer selected): passed 3-0. - Resolution 25-001, appointing Constance Reid and Linda Eisenhardt to the Gilpin County Public Library board of trustees: passed 3-0 (see staff report and letters of interest). - Resolution 25-003, extending the county’s memorandum of understanding with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP): passed 3-0. - 02/2025 Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) application: authorized and signed by the board (motion passed 3-0); Finance/engineering staff will submit the application by the Feb. 3 deadline. - Resolution 25-002, consulting agreement renewal with Dortberg Associates for casino/commercial appraisal support to the assessor’s office (annual not-to-exceed amount disclosed in staff motion): passed 3-0. - Local liquor license renewals for Z Stop (gas station) and Last Shot (hotel/tavern): both renewals approved 3-0.
What the board said and next steps
Commissioner Sandra Hollingsworth presided over the organizational items. Commissioners and staff emphasized continuity — keeping experienced county manager and staff appointees in place — and noted that many committee assignments can be adjusted later in the year if workloads change. The board instructed staff to post openings where required, and staff will complete follow-up administrative steps such as publishing the formal resolutions and posting legal notice responsibilities.
Ending note: the resolution and roll-call votes are part of the meeting record; staff said written proposals and letters from the competing newspapers remain on file with the county clerk’s office.
