Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Signage topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Juan County asks for mine‑safety disclaimer, tables permanent placement of visitor kiosks
Summary
County staff and residents discussed placing volunteer-made trail maps and kiosks in Gladstone and Eureka but agreed to table final approval until mine owners and land managers sign off on safety disclaimers and placement.
San Juan County commissioners and staff discussed a proposal to place community-made informational kiosks and trail maps at Gladstone and Eureka, and agreed to table a final decision while they work with mine owners and land managers on safety and placement language.
County Attorney said the county should require a clear disclaimer on any kiosk or map that warns against entering private property and abandoned mines. The attorney said the county must consider liability and suggested including notice of trespass penalties and explicit warnings that ‘‘entering mines is dangerous.’’
Willie, county planning staff, told commissioners the kiosks are currently on a mix of Bureau of Land Management, county right-of-way and private land, and that a BLM‑run toilet project may relocate the sign area in a year or two. Willie said the county and the kiosk organizers had discussed the practical difficulty of updating locked kiosk interiors and noted some kiosks are difficult to open and repair.
Norman, a local printer who offered to make disclaimers and signs, said he can supply printed notices and add information to the project website if the county provides the final language, size and placement instructions. Residents and commenters urged the county to require a prominent warning about private property, no‑trespassing, and the hazards of going underground.
Commissioners and staff emphasized two recurring concerns: (1) preventing the county from appearing to endorse access to private property or to reclamation sites, and (2) avoiding unintended competition among groups seeking to post maps on the same kiosk. Several speakers recommended a single, county‑approved disclaimer be posted on the kiosks and on the project website.
The board did not vote on the kiosk placement. Instead, commissioners asked staff to draft disclaimer language and to solicit input from mine owners and other stakeholders before returning the item to a future meeting. The county attorney said that approach would allow the public and property owners to review the wording and reduce liability concerns.
The discussion also covered maintenance and durability: staff said some kiosks are watertight and difficult to open, and that practical change-out procedures should be clarified before signs are approved for long-term display. Norman said he can provide replacement signs and QR codes that users can save on phones for later access when service is unavailable.
The county will return the kiosk proposal with proposed disclaimer text and with documentation of outreach to mine owners and BLM, and the item remains tabled until that follow-up is completed.
