The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“Finding that right balance”
By Katherine Nettles
In a moderate bipartisan discussion that has been rarely seen on larger platforms in recent years, Gunnison County commissioners hosted Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District Representative Jeff Hurd this week to talk about various issues at play on a local and national level. While they did not find consensus on all topics discussed, Hurd expressed appreciation for Gunnison County’s affordable housing projects and indicated that he had shared values with the county’s three top representatives when it came to certain public lands policies and upholding the U.S. Constitution and honoring the rule of law.
Congressman Hurd visited Gunnison County for a work session with commissioners on Monday along with his district director Betsy Baer. Commissioner chair Laura Puckett Daniels welcomed Hurd and outlined the commissioners’ four main agenda items for discussion: public lands management, social safety nets, infrastructure needs and the importance of upholding the U.S. Constitution and rule of law.
Hurd and commissioners discussed his early activity in the House, including several letters of support he has signed and legislation he has sponsored. “I support the president’s goal’s 100% of onshoring critical domestic manufacturing, creating more American jobs, making sure that we have export environments for American goods, and I think we need to make sure we’re doing it the right way—consistent with the Constitution,” he said.
The most headway made in the hour-long discussion appeared to center around public lands, which county commissioner Jonathan Houck referred to as “the lifeblood of our county.” He underscored the importance of land management funding and legislation to support the multiple uses across the county’s vast federal lands.
Commissioners thanked Hurd for being the sole Republican voice last week to vote against disposing of public lands on an amendment vote in the Natural Resources Committee; the legislation would sell or transfer 460,000 acres in Nevada and Utah to local governments or private entities.
“It was the right thing in that case,” agreed Hurd. “I do believe that federal land management decisions should be made with the support of those affected by those decisions.”
“Everything in Gunnison County somehow touches back to public lands,” said Houck, from the Gunnison River as a major tributary to the Colorado River, to the largest coal producing mine in the state to long-standing agricultural operations, cattle grazing, a ski area, fishing, hunting and recreation. “There are times when management changes, but the idea that public lands shouldn’t be for sale is really, really important to the people of Gunnison County.”
Puckett Daniels thanked Hurd for writing a letter encouraging the federal government to re-hire public lands workers who had been involved in firefighting as well.
There was some indication that Hurd might come out in support of the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act, which Gunnison County commissioners support and which U.S. senator Michael Bennet Hurd has sponsored. It would prohibit new oil and gas leases and new mining claims within special designation areas without affecting existing claims. Hurd said he had a few remaining reservations, but he didn’t want to “let the perfect get in the way of the good.” He added, “This is something I hope to have some more good news for you on soon…we’re pretty close on that.”
Hurd, in turn, asked commissioners if they supported the proposed Fix our Forests Act. Houck said he supported much of it but disputed the shortened period for judicial review (changing from six years to 150 days) and categorical exclusions for larger swaths of land than previously.
“[These changes] severely limit local involvement upfront,” said Houck.
Hurd said he would consider those issues and spoke to the importance of “finding that right balance,” for public lands management.
“Wholesale public lands sales are a problem for me. But strategic sales, like for example the CONVEY Act up in Mesa County, where we had 30 acres of land that was sold to Mesa County for economic development…land swaps and strategic sales are things that I think make more sense. These are locally driven and have buy-in from the people there who are affected by it,” he said.
Hurd said the former president Teddy Roosevelt’s concept of conservation really appeals to him, especially as a conservative western Republican. “I’m certainly interested in following it.” He said building alliances was important, and asked commissioners to consider joining his request to bring the Bureau of Land Management office back to western Colorado.
Next, commissioner Liz Smith addressed the subject of social safety nets. Smith thanked Hurd for supporting the Secure Our Schools reauthorization bill, a federal bill aimed at strengthening school security and providing mental health resources for students. She said child services are in jeopardy with complex administrative requirements and lack of funding.
Hurd said with Medicaid costs rising dramatically the quality of care is not necessarily following. “How do we measure success?” he asked of family welfare services and Medicaid. Smith said there are some very difficult outcomes for at-risk children in Colorado who do not have healthcare and professional interventionists. She thanked Hurd for signing a support letter to sustain funding for Medicaid for rural healthcare providers. “I just want to reinforce at the local level what it means here,” she said of expanded services.
Other topics addressed were childcare funding, affordable housing, local impacts of AmeriCorps cuts and infrastructure needs. Hurd commended Gunnison County’s Whetstone housing project. “That’s a terrific project you are doing,” he said and reviewed with Puckett Daniels the county’s $4.9 million funding request to Hurd’s office to help complete the related Brush Creek intersection.
Last, Puckett Daniels said she was concerned about due process and rule of law. “It is very important to me that these things are upheld,” she stated. “And when we send people away inappropriately, we need to bring them back.”
Hurd agreed wholeheartedly and reiterated that he swore an oath to the Constitution of the United States and he takes that seriously.
Hurd allowed some time after the work session to meet his constituents and spoke with several representatives of the local municipalities and non-profit organizations.
