The Colorado River Fire Rescue Wildland Division has been conducting mitigation projects in the Silt area and will be continuing those efforts this week. The Garfield County Community Wildland Protection Plan has identified a few locations in the Town of Silt that should be attended to. Last fall, the Wildland Division began working on the area at the intersection of First Mesa Drive and Peach Valley Road. The initial work better protected the neighborhood from fire, as well as cleaned out the bottom of the drainage improving water flow and general watershed health. Part of that required the chipping and removal of material cut. CRFR worked with the Town of Silt to remove and reuse that material.  CRFR also works with Garfield County Vegetation Management to properly remove Tamarisk, an invasive species found in the area.

 This week, CRFR moved to the area of North 16^th Street and Stoney Ridge Drive. They will be continuing cutting operations with approximately 12-14 Wildland Division crew members in the area of North 16^th Street just after Stoney Ridge Drive along the bend before Morning Star Drive. This area was determined to be an area needing mitigation and CRFR operations may continue into the Spring here as needed.

We will continue to work with CRFR and Garfield County to ensure our efforts are beneficial to the community and effective. All current projects are only being conducted on Town of Silt property and will not come onto any private property at this time. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lieutenant Ken Hutchinson via e-mail, ken.hutchinson@crfr.us

An incident at Silt’s Eagle’s View Park this week illustrates a wide-ranging, and seemingly growing problem—vandalism at Silt parks.

On Wednesday, a group of kids, in full view of their adult minders, were seen poking and drawing in the newly poured concrete surrounding the new playground being built at the park.  An alert Town of Silt Public Works Department staffer, performing a routine check of the concrete, shooed the kids away and was able to repair the damage before it had set. 

A report has been filed with the Silt Police Department, which is investigating the case as tampering and criminal mischief.   

Vandalism at parks and public spaces is a concern for every city and town.  These crimes cost taxpayers money, mars our image and decreases real estate values. Parks and recreation departments nationally are finding that as much as 30 percent of their maintenance budget goes to vandalism repairs and cleanup. 

Silt is no different.  We see graffiti at nearly all parks, the skate park and damage to playground equipment, parking lots, restrooms and the Stoney Ridge Pavilion stage and facilities. It take lots of time and effort to remediate these crimes.  Time and effort that could be used in improving and maintaining those same facilities.  

While the Town actively looks to employ anti-vandalism measures in its parks, it is largely up to citizens to be vigilant and immediately report wrongdoing when it is seen by calling 911.  The Town also relies on citizens to report damage when noticed by calling 970-876-2353 x 106 or using the Town’s “Text My Gov” feature (see below to download the app).  This is Silt’s version of “See Something, Say Something!”.

Thanks to all of us for doing our parts to keep Silt’s parks neat and clean and something that we can be proud of!