At the regular Town Board meeting on Jan. 16, the Town Manager Michael England reported on the Water Project. Over the Holidays it was difficult to move forward with finalizing the water project. Brooks Well Service has installed the controls and the soft start on the main pump located in the well. The Town should have the controls and operating equipment for the sodium hypochlorite installed this coming week. The town is working with the manufacturer of the controls to be able to control the disinfection demand with the demand for water. This will allow automatic adjustment based on the flow through the master meter. Brooks Well Service will install the radio read from the well pump to the storage tanks this week. The town hopes to complete the controls within the next couple of weeks and flush the new line and start serving the town from the new well later this month. The town is having a problem with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) responding to the town's request to finalize the documents regarding the new well source. The town conducted the required three MPA tests on schedule, with all three tests exceeding their criteria for the new well source being true ground water where filtration is not required. The town has received verbal approval from CDPHE, but the town needs to receive the final determination in writing. The Town received their 2013 Water System Monitoring Schedule, which does not mention the new well source. The town will be required to monitor the new well and the Silver Creek source separately in 2013.

An update on the SCAN PROJECT, the town has been in contact with Rick Smith, the new SCAN Project Manager, also Doug Pace with Farmer's Telephone regarding the ongoing SCAN project. The town invited Mr. Smith and Mr. Pace to this meeting to discuss the possibility of the Rico Telephone Company assuming the towns cost and administration of the proposed fiber optic improvement for the School, Fire Department and Town Hall. Hopefully the town will be able to have some of their questions answered regarding the project. Mr. England provided the invoices and information to the board last month.

The Staff and VCUP Town Board members continue to discuss various pending issues related to finalizing the VCUP this year. This is very large project with numerous moving parts and is sometimes difficult to move forward. However, Mr. England believes the town needs to continue to work on the issues for the benefit of the town in the future.

The 2013 dog tags are now available at the Rico Town Hall. Please come and register your dog (s). All dogs are required to be registered with the Town of Rico, contact Town Clerk Linda Yellowman at 970-967-2861 or stop by the Town Hall with a copy of your dog's rabies certificate.