County ponders Lakeside repairs, no-booze policy

County ponders Lakeside repairs, no-booze policy

Mar. 1, 2001

By Jim Mimiaga
Journal Staff Writer

The Montezuma County commissioners on Monday heard plans to repair a long-standing sewage problem and pleas by local business owners to encourage the Iron Horse Motorcycle Rally to move to the area in 2002.

Plans to finally repair — and vastly improve — a failing waste-water treatment system at the troubled Lakeside Mobile Home Park were introduced to the board.

Rick Johnson Engineering presented its proposal to install an aerating, recirculating mechanical-package plant with chloride disinfection at the 50-unit park near Totten Lake.

The current waste-lagoon system has been plagued by numerous problems over the last several years. The ongoing breakdowns have left standing ponds of waste within the rural neighborhood and bacteria-laden discharge illegally flowing in the McElmo Creek drainage.

A cease-and-desist order was issued by state health department inspector Greg Brand to park owner Tom Norton in November 2000. The order was issued for alleged violations of state health standards, and for failure to comply with clean-up requests. But the order was later dropped after park ownership quickly switched hands. The park is now owned by DMLT, LLC.

Progress is being made, the commissioners were told. Johnson said that the initial analysis of what is needed to bring the system into compliance with safety standards is complete. And a permit application for the new treatment plant has been turned in with the state department of health and environment, which will be approved once the system is on-line, Brand said.

Construction of an additional lagoon, pond lining, aeration equipment, and new and replaced piping should begin by August, pending financing, Johnson said. Completion of the $600,000 project is tentatively scheduled for December.

The expanded plant will also accommodate more housing planned for the park. The current system generates 25,000 gallons per day. It will eventually be able to handle 75,000 gallons per day, Johnson said.

County Commissioner Gene Story was skeptical of having a new plant go on-line without an operator to maintain it.

"Then we’ll be right back where we started. Not having an operator on-site has been the problem," he said. "We need to have that assurance."

"That’s true," Johnson said. "Without someone to maintain and operate it, any new plant is basically worthless."

The requirement that DMLT operate and maintain the plant can be stipulated through the county planning process, which the company must follow to obtain approval for any future expansion.

Also Monday, the commissioners discussed forming a committee to study the viability of lifting the alcohol ban at the county fairgrounds. The controversial idea has been proposed to accommodate the Four Corners Iron Horse Motorcycle Rally, whose organizers want to move the massive event to the fairgrounds in 2002 from Ignacio.

Last year the event brought 30,000 cyclists to the Sky Ute Downs in Ignacio.

It is really a two-tier decision, the commissioners noted. If the liquor ban is lifted, then whether to allow the rally, and when, would need to be decided as well, especially since Labor Day weekend is traditionally booked by the Ute Mountain Ute High School Rodeo. The rodeo has already booked that weekend for 2002.

Rudi Baeumel, owner of Main Street Brewery, and Pete Montano of Francisca’s Restaurant came before the board to support hosting the rally and lifting the alcohol ban.

"We want to offer you the encouragement to make the right decision," Baeumel said. "We have never had a problem with bikers; they are always well-behaved."

Commissioner Kent Lindsay agreed, but added, "The high-school rodeo is a group of people we need to encourage also."

Carol Haygood, a sponsor for the rodeo club, said recently that the students need to decide on whether to give up their traditional time slot at the fairgrounds to make room for the rally.

"It is a value question that needs to go to the kids because it is their club, yet no one has approached us," Haygood said. "The students take great pride in having their own rodeo and have fought hard to keep it. (Labor Day) is the only weekend for it and there is not another place that can accommodate so many contestants and their families."

Story said a "broader view" should be taken about alcohol at the fairgrounds, and allowing liquor could provide a source of funding to replace shrinking lottery money.

"We need to get the community to buy in on drafting a policy for when alcohol sales are appropriate and when they are not," he said.

Another rally supporter said the event’s myriad activities are one of the few opportunities for young people to see live music and boxing, and that after 10 p.m. underage participants are escorted out.

At last year’s rally law-enforcement officers in La Plata County complained of lurid after-hour performances, lewd public sex acts, and rampant drug use. They admitted, though, that much of the rowdiness and arrests could be attributed to local trouble-makers, not rally participants.

Story said that if the rally is allowed, the contract would be only for one year in case there are major problems.

"As time goes on it is clear the fairgrounds is not just for livestock any more, as it is funded by the community as a whole," Story said.

Large motorcycle rallies attract a party atmosphere, complete with sexually explicit "variety shows." Such raucous scenes appear to contradict entertainment standards cited in the master contract for users of the county fairgrounds.

Contract language states, "No performance, exhibition or entertainment shall be given or held on any part of the County Fairgrounds which is illegal, indecent, obscene or immoral, which is wholly without redeeming social value, pornographic, or which contains sexually oriented material."