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Fremont commissioners criticize several state bills and local TV coverage of funeral-home enforcement
Summary
Commissioners voiced concerns about multiple Colorado bills they said would restrict local law enforcement or change county authority, and Commissioner Grantham sharply criticized KRDO's reporting on a regulatory action involving a local funeral home and the county coroner.
Several Fremont County commissioners used their reports Tuesday to highlight state legislation they said threatens local authority and to criticize recent local TV coverage of a regulatory action involving a funeral home.
Commissioner Grantham outlined multiple bills by number that he said would constrain county operations if enacted, citing House Bill 1037 and Senate Bill 70 as measures that limit law-enforcement access to certain third-party data, House Bill 1038 on commissioner redistricting, House Bill 1036 (which he described as a proposed vacant residential property excise tax) and Senate Bill 42, which he said would reclassify revenue relative to TABOR rules.
"These are completely, anti ICE kind of legislation, disallowing our local law enforcement to be able to use third party data," Grantham said, characterizing the bills as "anti law enforcement." He urged residents to watch state lawmakers closely.
Grantham also criticized local television reporting on the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies' action involving Wilson Funeral Home and defended County Coroner Randy Keller. Reading a social-media letter from a local resident, Grantham called the news coverage "yellow journalism" and said regulatory enforcement should not be framed as moral or criminal wrongdoing absent supporting evidence.
Commissioner McFaul echoed concerns about legislation from the state capital and noted cuts to the Highway User Tax Fund (HUTF) that affect county roadwork. The commissioners did not take formal votes on these positions during the meeting; their remarks were part of members' reports.
