The resignation of a council member, sale of Town owned property and wording of a bond ballot question topped business at the Monday, March 1 Haxtun Town Council meeting. Member Craig McCarty submitted a letter of resignation, effective as of the meeting date, giving the Council 60 days to appointment a replacement.

“This is my letter of resignation from Haxtun Town Council,” McCarty began. “My family and I will be moving to Holyoke beginning Feb. 25 after we close on our home there. We are doing this primarily to move Breck closer to chemotherapy and emergency medicine services (including on-site availability of life flight) not available in Haxtun, in addition to allowing me to be closer to my current job at Melissa Memorial Hospital. Depending on the direction that Haxtun Hospital District and its administration goes over the new few years, we would consider moving back. Therefore, we want to remain invested in the Haxtun community and plan to keep our property here as part of that investment.”

McCarty, who was appointed to the Council in the most recent election, leaves a vacancy that will need to be filled within 60 days. According to Town Clerk Karie Wilson, the Council is currently accepting letters of interest from those who wish to serve. The appointment to replace McCarty will remain until the next general election, which is November 2022.

During later action items, the Council discussed an offer from Haxtun Health to purchase Town owned property including the shop, truck barn and empty parking lot directly behind Town Hall.

According to Mayor Brandon Biesemeier, Haxtun Health offered the Town $200,000 for all the above mentioned property with hopes to turn it into parking space for the new main street clinic. The sale of the property has been a topic of discussion at previous meetings and discussion continued during the March meeting, particularly regarding a new location and building to house the Town shop and heavy equipment.

Following a lengthy discussion, the Council voted to accept the offer from Haxtun Health, with the exception of 25 feet from behind Town Hall and library, with the conditions that the truck barn be cleaned out within 60 days. The motion included wording to allow the Town of Haxtun two years to move all materials from the current town shop to a new one.

Council members discussed building a new shop on Town owned property located on the far west end of Strohm Street where a quonset, owned by the Town of Haxtun, currently sits. To do so, the Town of Haxtun would be tasked with running gas, water and electric to the site and constructing a new building. Per the approved motion, Haxtun Health would also be responsible for all tear down and demolition of the existing town shop and truck barn.

However, follow up with the Town’s attorney the following day shed light to Colorado Revised Statues pertaining to municipalities, particularly one that states the Town of Haxtun cannot sell occupied property without an election. In light of the information, the Haxtun Town Council planned to host a special meeting on Monday night, March 8.

The agenda states the Council had planned to enter into a closed-door, executive session to discuss the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal or other property per C.R.S. 24-6-402(4)(a) specifically the sale of the Town owned property including the Town shop, the truck barn, the lean-to and the parking lot behind the Town Hall and Library to Haxtun Health. The agenda for the special meeting included an action item to rescind the motion to sell made during at the March 1 meeting.

Details and the outcome of that meeting were not available as of press time. Watch for next week’s edition of the Herald for up-to-date info on the sale of the property.

At the end of action items, council members discussed wording for a bond ballot question possible for this year’s November election. The question would ask voters to approve funding for a major street project in the next few years.

According to Town Superintendent Ron Carpenter, the project would include 42 blocks of street, which has been mapped out to include those that have been deemed beyond patching, as well as some curb and gutter. Total, he said, the project is estimated to cost $1.6 million. Carpenter said the 2021 budget includes some curb and gutter work but the major street project, if funded, would begin in 2022.

While no official vote was taken, the Council did prefer one ballot questions posed by the Town attorney, from Butler Snow, which will now be drafted into ordinance form. The Council also voted to approve a contract with Butler Snow in the amount of $5,000. The contract includes all legal services through the election process.

In other business the Council:

• Voted to renew a liquor license for Haxtun Liquors;

• Renewed the Town’s employee health insurance;

• Appointed Tana Pope to fill McCarty’s place on the Phillips County Housing Committee;

• Wilson said the Town of Haxtun receiving funding to develop a website, a project that is now in the initial stages of development;

• Approved the following building permits: David McClain, 712 South Burlington Avenue for underground electric; Heather Dee, 803 West Strohm Street for a porch/basement remodel; Andrew Capps, 618 South Washington Avenue for a chain link fence; Tom Bullard, 139 South Max Avenue for a screen door; Casey Wolff, 3660 Highway 6 for a re-roof; Dan Kaus, 709 South Colorado Avenue for a re-roof; Dick McDaniel, 229 North Walker Avenue for a re-roof; Carl Wilcox, 633 West Fletcher Street for a re-roof; and Rod Workman, 405 North Colorado Avenue for a re-roof.