District court confirms Garfield County’s authority to regulate limestone quarry
The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) obtained a significant victory in its litigation against Rocky Mountain Industrials, Inc. and RMR Aggregates, Inc. (collectively, “RMI”). On January 31, 2021, in District Court in Garfield County, Ninth Judicial District Judge Anne Norrdin rejected legal claims made by RMI that the BOCC lacked the authority to regulate certain aspects of RMI’s Mid-Continent Quarry located outside of Glenwood Springs. In doing so, the court rebuffed RMI’s claims that state and federal law preempted the board’s authority. The court explained that the permissible exercise of land use authority by Garfield County is broad
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Garfield County joins PILT lawsuit
GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has joined a class-action lawsuit that seeks to reimburse counties that were underpaid payment in-lieu of taxes (PILT) funds from 2015 through 2017. If successful, Garfield County stands to receive an estimated $121,931 reimbursement through the legal action. The federal government pays PILT to local governments for federal lands within their boundaries that aren’t subjected to property taxes. The amount due is determined by a statutorily defined formula. In 2008, Congress made full funding of PILT mandatory through 2014. The 2015 legislation requiring PILT payments was less direct, and the government took the position
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Commissioners direct county to advance litigation on health insurance rates
GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – This morning local citizens filled the Garfield County Commission chambers to share their experiences with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regarding health insurance rates that have increased 150 percent or more. Citizens conveyed deeply felt concerns, expressing that the rates in Garfield County are equal to their mortgage payments or entire Social Security checks, and that they are faced with paying penalties for not carrying insurance because the coverage costs are too extreme. Some said that businesses are at risk of failing because of mandated costs, and that the coverage for these premiums not only
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