 Silt Water/Wastewater Crew at the plant: Public Works Director Trey Fonner, front, with team members, from back to front, Sara Flores, Daryl Back, Victor Tellez and Casey Carbone-Marron
The Town of Silt Water and Wastewater team was awarded the Colorado Rural Water Association’s “Wastewater System of the Year” award for 2022.
Presented to Public Works Director Trey Fonner and Class A Wastewater Team Lead Operator Casey Carbone-Marron at the Association’s annual conference, held Monday through Thursday last week, it was the Town’s second such award in two years. Fonner was awarded the Association’s Manager of the Year award last year.
Fonner and Carbone-Marron are joined by Daryl Back, Sara Flores and Victor Tellez in contributing to the team’s success.
The event, held annually for 42 years, was held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel in Loveland.
The Town’s wastewater operation will take in nearly $1.3 million this year in operating revenue and spend about $1.2 million.
|
Silt Once Again Named a Tree City USA
 The Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, recently honored the Town' of Silt's commitment to forest management and the environment by awarding us a 2022 Tree City USA designation! Tree City USA awards are given to towns and cities that maintain a tree department, have tree care ordinances, host Arbor Day observance activities, and dedicate a potion of their budget to community forestry.
Planting trees in communities not only leads to better air quality and less flooding, it also increases happiness and quality of life, and engages volunteers and the public in tree planting, care, and education. Silt has once again confirmed its commitment to creating a brighter, greener future for its citizens!
Further, Silt Mesa resident Adrian Brown will this year contribute 20 Ponderosa Pine seedlings to the Town for the establishment of a “Town Forest”, to be planted on 7th Street between the Silt Town Shops and First Mesa Drive.
Arbor Day tree planting this year will be at Flying Eagle Park on Friday, April 21st at 10:00 A.M. Please join us!
 The irrigation ditch in town will begin to fill up the week of April 17th and the Town will begin filling the irrigation system. Please remember to close any open valves on your property so that the irrigation system can be pressurized correctly. Water will be available for use on May 1st.
Town Trustees Hear About Incentive Program to Reduce Irrigation Water Use; Increase Incentive to $1 per Foot of Turf Replaced
Town of Silt Trustees heard Town Staff on Monday night present progress on the Town’s irrigation system conservation efforts, including offering a new incentive program, dubbed the Turf Replacement Incentive Program (TRIP).
Participants in the program will be offered a 25 cent per square foot cash incentive for replacing their turfgrass with less thirsty native species, other plantings, and xeriscaping. Home and business owners will not only be able to qualify for the incentive, but also may qualify for lower irrigation fees, depending on how much turf they replace. The Town has budged $10,000 in 2023 for this program.
The Board discussed the program’s cost-effectiveness, monitoring and enforcement procedures, as well as targeting larger lots, new homeowners and HOA’s. In the end, the Board suggested that the incentive be increased to $1 per square foot and be given a one-year trial period.
Town of Silt Administrator Jeff Layman, starting the conversation, recapped the progress the Town has made in addressing deficiencies in the Town’s irrigation service. The Town first developed an action plan and over the last three years has been working toward accomplishing the action items.
The Town first pursued measures to increase supply such as adding a new 8” pipeline, paired with new pumps on the Cactus Valley Ditch to allow the Town to take most of what it is entitled to and transport it to homes on the system. The improvements cost about $270,000 and the Town benefitted from $200,000 in grant funds from the Federal Mineral Lease District to use. The Town has also sought better relationships with the various ditch companies so that it would better understand policies that impact its operation.
At the same time, the Town passed an ordinance focused on demand reduction. That ordinance and the resulting education and enforcement is credited with reducing the overall use of irrigation water in Town and keeping water stocks at appropriate levels.
The incentive program will kick off in the next couple of weeks. An announcement will be forthcoming in utility bills, the newsletter, the website and other Town resources.
For more information, please contact Utility Billing Clerk Mary Cleator at mcleator@townofsilt.org.
DMV Will Be at Town Hall on April 19th
Mayor Pro-Tempore Kyle Knott Resigns Seat; Replacement to be Sought
Town of Silt Mayor Pro Tem Kyle Knott resigned his seat on the Board of Trustees on Monday night, citing personal and business reasons. He said that new business opportunities would keep him away from Town more than he thought was right. He thanked the Trustees, staff, and the towns citizens for “allowing him the privilege of sitting on the Board.” He also said that he was not “leaving” Town and would hope to see everyone around.
The Town will announce the process to replace Knott on the Board soon. The Board will vote on a Pro-Tem replacement at the next Board of Trustees meeting.
eBike There Garfield County Program
|