Weston County approves multiple utility right-of-way easements after debate over road names

The Weston County Board of Commissioners voted to allow county signatures on multiple utility right-of-way easement agreements with telecommunications companies after a lengthy discussion about inconsistent road names and missing establishment records in the county road book.

The board approved a motion to sign easement agreements with Sage Communication Corporation of Colorado (listed in the motion as “Sage telecommunications corporate Colorado”) covering several county roads, including Kenwood Drive (County Road 81), Kantel Drive, Morrissey Road and Barton Road. One commissioner voted against final approval, saying the county should first verify legal descriptions and whether the county had authority to represent the affected roads.

Commissioners and staff spent more than an hour reviewing the county road listings and digital maps during the discussion. Staff reported that certain roads that appear on the county map show subdivision names (for example Painted Hills and Fairgrounds Road) and that the county’s road book and older records do not clearly document when or how some county road numbers were assigned. Marty Vergilli (staff member) and others told the board they could not find paperwork for some of the older assignments and that map layers sometimes show an older name even though the clickable map gives the current county road name and number.

Commissioners said residents had been allowed to keep older mailing addresses where renaming would have required address changes. That history, they said, complicates the county’s role in signing easements when the written legal description does not match signage or residents’ addresses.

A motion to approve the chairman’s signature on the Sage Communications easements was made and seconded; the motion passed with a majority vote and one commissioner opposed. Commissioners directed staff to correct the county road listings where descriptions are wrong and to bring any necessary clarifications to a future agenda.

Separately, the board approved a telecommunications right-of-way use agreement for Range Telephone along U.S. Highway 85. That item was presented and approved without extended debate.

Commissioners emphasized that while the easement applicants used the best available county information, the county must update its road book and legal descriptions so future agreements reflect correct names and authorities. Several commissioners asked staff to research formal establishment records and to return with clearer documentation when it is available.

The board moved on after the votes to other agenda items; staff said updated maps and corrected descriptions would be added to a future agenda for formal adoption.