Officials found out about some rules on such programs last week that make it difficult to establish one, especially this summer, the Wiggins Board of Trustees learned in last week's meeting.
Wiggins Town Attorney Melinda Culley said state laws now say that if a program has more than five children in it, it must be licensed by the Colorado Department of Human Services. That means having a school-age child care license.
Even trying to apply for such a license would probably take more time than is left in the summer.
These rules apply even if volunteers run a program, the town has a contract with someone or if it is a town-run program, said Mayor Pro Tem Karol Kopetzky.
The only real exception is if a program has a single activity such as soccer, dance or baseball.
Another exemption is possible but just as difficult. A program can be to be recognized as a neighborhood youth organization like the Boys Club and the Girls Club. Other than those groups, the only officially sanctioned neighborhood youth organization is Wiggins' Kids At Their Best.
Culley noted that Kids At Their Best did receive an exemption and the state is considering it an NYO.
The funding set aside for a recreation program could be donated to an organization, but then the town could not tell it what to do, she said.
Although the organization Kids At Their Best submitted a formal proposal and could use the money to help its programs, but one thing people are asking for are trips to the Front Range. Kopetzky said.
Kids At Their Best Director Jody Walker said that the $500 the town wants to spend would not go far toward trips.
Trustee Dan Neal said the program might want to ask for money from families for the trips.
The only way to make a recreation program happen other than through Kids At Their Best is to get an exemption.
Neal noted that even if that happened quickly the summer will be mostly be over by that time, adding he was outraged that the state would have rules that are so hard to meet for a small town. This seems like a kind of "ultimate restriction" on people's lives.
Trustee Joe Klausner wondered how many towns are complying with these rules.
Trustee Jill Olsen said it was only fair to allow a person or group a chance to make a proposal if they are willing to be certified.
Certification costs money and take time. That includes having a background check.
Wiggins' recreation program has not been popular for the last few years. Kids were not even signing up for trips to the Fort Morgan swimming pool. At one time, the town spent more money on the program.
One option is to donate the money to some other program or need, Culley said.
One suggestion was to give it to the 4th of July Blowout.
The Wiggins 4th of July Blowout will be held on Independence Day, and will feature fireworks at dusk if Morgan County Sheriff Jim Crone approves the fireworks.
Under a new statewide fire ban, any fireworks displays must be approved by local sheriffs.
If the firework display is approved the Blowout display will be held at the high school football field as usual, said Wiggins Town Clerk Craig Trautwein.
Blowout festivities begin with the annual pancake breakfast at the Wiggins Fire Hall, although the time for it was not set at press time.
The fourth annual 5K Freedom Run will begin at the Wiggins Event Center at 8 a.m.
The fun continues with the annual tractor parade on Main Street starting at 11:30 a.m.
The festival in town park will begin at noon and most will continue until about 7 p.m.
Festivities at the park will include carnival games, a water slide and bouncing houses for the kids, and a horseshoe tournament. Crafts booths will offer a variety of products, and visitors can buy food at booths.
However, they may also want to drop by the Blue Lightning BBQ Bash, which features a rib cookoff. This is sponsored by the Wiggins Telephone Association and Country Hardware. For more information call the WTA office at 970-483-7343 or go to wigginstel.com.
Festivities will also include a car show and a beer garden.
People can enjoy live music by Unleashed, a rock band, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Fireworks begin at dusk at the Wiggins High School football field, and some roads around that will be closed.
The town will also close Fourth Avenue near the park between High Street and Ridge Street from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Booth space is still available for those who want to offer products or food. Contact Wiggins Town Clerk Craig Trautwein for details at 970-483-6161.
There will be no tractor pull during the Blowout, but it will be held on Saturday and Sunday.
The board heard a request to close more streets for the parade in order to have it go by the assisted living facility at the east side of town.
However, the older people and the children in the parade find it hard to make long routes, said Wiggins Police Chief Leroy Dilka. The parade went past the facility once, but it took a toll on the marchers.
A positive part of the meeting was the announcement that the sidewalk project is done.
Another inspection will take place, but it is ready, said Wiggins Town Administrator Bill Rogers.
Kopetzky said she has already seen people using the sidewalks every day.
One down side is that one part of the sidewalks is in front of a mailbox, which obstructs delivery.
Since Wiggins is considered a "rural" delivery, mail carriers are not supposed to get out of their vehicles, Olsen said.
A mail vehicle can drive up on the sidewalk, but that will wear it out sooner, town officials said.
Although most of the paperwork to recertify the Wiggins flood levy is done, it will cost more to finally finish that project, said Tim Holbrook of Industrial Facilities Engineering, which is contacted for the certification.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency says that it needs reasonable assurance that the Colorado Department of Transportation will ensure that Interstate 76 will help contain floods.
This is a new requirement which has never been set before, Holbrook said.
This means the project will cost more than expected, but the town must finish it, Kopetzky said.
The cost for the final part is an extra $3,100, and it will take another 30 to 60 days.
The trustees approved that expenditure.
A lot of the lights at the town baseball field have burned out, but the board decided to wait on replacing them until it has a chance to refurbish the field once the new water project is done.
Replacing all the lights would cost $5,788, Rogers said, but they would last for years.
It would be no cheaper for the town to do it itself, he said.
It is possible the town could use conservation trust fund money for the lights, said Wiggins Town Clerk Craig Trautwein, however, a lot of that money has been used already.
The town could apply for a Great Outdoors Colorado grant for the project, but that will take time.
The board also:
Decided to review the possibility for an official purchasing policy. Culley had brought in some samples of how other towns run their purchasing. In a draft ordinance for such a policy, inexpensive items would only require telephone quotes, medium priced items would require three written quotes and only the most expensive items would require a formal bidding process. The board may have a work session just for this idea.
Heard that no one applied to run the concession stand at the Wiggins baseball field this summer.
Decided to ask the Morgan County Rural Electric Association to put surge protectors on buildings that need lightning protection such as the water treatment plant, town wells and the Wiggins Town Hall. That would be much less expensive than putting up lightning poles and other protection. The board approved having MCREA install surge protectors if the cost is not too high. Trustee Jim Musgrave voted against this plan.
Received drafts of the annual audit to look at before the auditor comes next month.
Approved having weeds sprayed on the 70 acres surrounding the town's augmentation ponds. The project is not to exceed $1,000. Musgrave voted against this plan.
Heard about some complaints about very low water pressure on the east side of town. Most of the time that happens due to water meters becoming plugged up, Trautwein said.
Talked about making long-term plans for which streets to top with recycled asphalt. One suggestion was to do it on the north side of town next.
-- Contact Dan Barker at email@example.com.