Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Date:04/06/2010
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:34 PM to 02:59 PM
Acree
X
Apuan
X
Place:HCR 0111
Bradford
X
Liston
*
This Meeting was called to order by
Massey
X
Representative Peniston
McKinley
X
Priola
X
This Report was prepared by
Schafer S.
X
Raegan Robb
Vigil
X
Soper
X
Peniston
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HCR10-1001
SB10-174		Postponed Indefinitely
Referred to the Committee of the Whole


01:34 PM

The committee chair, Representative Peniston, called the meeting to order.


01:35 PM -- House Concurrent Resolution 10-1001

Representative Weissmann, prime sponsor, presented House Concurrent Resolution 10-1001, concerning submitting an amendment to Sections 8 and 15 of Article XIV of the Colorado Constitution to authorize the board of county commissioners of each county, rather than the General Assembly, to set the salaries of the officers of that county including the county commissioners, clerk and recorder, sheriff, coroner, treasurer, assessor, and surveyor. Representative Weissmann provided background on county salaries and discussed the recommendations of the County Elected Officials' Salary Commission for the 2010 legislative session. Representative Weissmann addressed questions from the committee concerning the history of county salaries and how other states establish the salaries of their elected officials.


01:41 PM

Dr. Robert Bux, El Paso County Coroner, representing the Colorado Coroners Association, testified against the resolution and discussed the important role of county coroners. Dr. Bux addressed questions from the committee members and discussed the potential for counties to decrease the standards and salaries of county coroners if the resolution was adopted.








01:45 PM

Sandra Damron, El Paso County Treasurer, representing the Colorado County Treasurers' and Public Trustees' Association, testified against the resolution and addressed questions from the committee concerning inconsistencies in county salaries.


01:48 PM

Jim Everson, Jefferson County Assessor, representing the Colorado County Assessors' Association, testified against the resolution, talked about the importance of autonomy for county elected officials, and addressed questions from the committee.


01:54 PM

Peg Ackerman, representing the County Sheriffs Association, testified against the resolution and explained the importance of autonomy for county sheriffs, and responded to questions from the committee concerning the history of salaries for county sheriffs.


01:56 PM

Andy Karsian, representing Colorado Counties Inc., testified against the resolution and explained that the resolution was widely opposed by county officials throughout Colorado and explained the negative consequences that could result if counties were allowed to set their own salaries for elected officials.


02:00 PM

Nancy Doty, Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder, representing the Colorado County Clerk and Recorders Association, testified against the resolution and explained the importance for county clerk and recorders to remain independent from influence by a board of county commissioners.


02:01 PM

Dave Wissel, Park County Assessor, representing himself, testified against the bill, discussed the history of county salaries in Colorado, and discussed the negative consequences that could result from allowing counties to set the salaries of elected officials.


02:03 PM

Representative Weissmann entered closing comments on the bill.








BILL:1001
TIME: 02:03:33 PM
MOVED:McKinley
MOTION:Moved to refer House Concurrent Resolution 10-1001 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion failed on a 4-7 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Apuan
VOTE
Acree
No
Apuan
Yes
Bradford
No
Liston
Yes
Massey
No
McKinley
Yes
Priola
No
Schafer S.
No
Vigil
Yes
Soper
No
Peniston
No
Not Final YES: 4 NO: 7 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL
BILL:1001
TIME: 02:13:58 PM
MOVED:Acree
MOTION:Moved to postpone House Concurrent Resolution 10-1001 indefinitely. The motion passed on a 7-4 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Bradford
VOTE
Acree
Yes
Apuan
No
Bradford
Yes
Liston
No
Massey
Yes
McKinley
No
Priola
Yes
Schafer S.
Yes
Vigil
No
Soper
Yes
Peniston
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS






02:15 PM -- Senate Bill 10-174

Representatives Massey and Scanlan, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 10-174, concerning the regulation of geothermal resource development. They explained that the bill authorizes federal mineral lease revenues derived from geothermal resource development on federal lands to be used to provide grants to state agencies, school districts, and political subdivisions affected by geothermal development and production. Representative Scanlan discussed the importance of geothermal energy in the state, and Representative Massey explained that the bill specifies that the property rights to geothermal resources are part of surface ownership unless these rights are "severed" or separated from the land and sold or leased. In cases where geothermal resources are severed, the bill provides the geothermal resource owner the right to reasonably access these resources. Representatives Massey and Scanlan addressed questions from the committee concerning the need to develop geothermal energy facilities in the state.


02:20 PM

Susan Kirkpatrick, Director, Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), testified in support of the bill and described how the department implements grants and explained that the department would allocate federal mineral lease revenues that are generated from geothermal resources to local governments. She discussed the different policy of providing direct distribution of federal mineral lease revenue verses distributing grants for areas affected by geothermal development and production.


02:24 PM

Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc., addressed the committee to explain that Colorado counties would prefer direct distributions of federal mineral lease funds for geothermal energy rather than grant distributions allocated by the department.


02:26 PM

Dianna Orf, Colorado Water Congress, testified in support of the bill and discussed the importance of establishing the statutory frame work to utilize geothermal resources in the state.


02:27 PM

Kevin Rein, Assistant State Engineer, Division of Water Resources, Department of Natural Resources, testified in support of the bill and discussed provisions changed by the bill concerning material injury to vested water rights due to the development of a geothermal water right. Mr. Rein discussed damage to water rights under current statutory language and addressed questions from the committee members concerning waters rights and geothermal facilities. Committee discussion ensued.












02:42 PM

Bob Randall, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, spoke in support of the bill and described the regulation of geothermal resource development throughout the state. Mr. Randall addressed questions from the committee and explained that the bill authorizes federal mineral lease revenues derived from geothermal resource development on federal lands to be awarded by the DOLA primarily for planning and services linked to geothermal development and production, and secondarily to promote geothermal energy resource development.


02:51 PM

Representatives Massey and Scanlan addressed questions from the committee and entered closing comments on the bill.
BILL:SB10-174
TIME: 02:55:33 PM
MOVED:Massey
MOTION:Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-174 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 11-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Schafer S.
VOTE
Acree
Yes
Apuan
Yes
Bradford
Yes
Liston
Yes
Massey
Yes
McKinley
Yes
Priola
Yes
Schafer S.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Soper
Yes
Peniston
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


02:59 PM

The committee adjourned.