Past Issues

In May the Commissioners exercised an option to purchase the 665-acre Alexander Dawson Property as open space. The property is bounded by 119th Street on the east, Jasper Road on the South, and both private land and County open space stretching to Lookout Road on the north. The Dawson property is a single parcel, split by U.S. Highway 287. The Alexander Dawson School property on the west side of 287 is excluded from the open space.

The new open space encompasses almost a two-mile stretch of Boulder Creek, representing a significant environmental and recreation asset for citizens of the County. A 1997 resource inventory of the property and the adjoining County-owned Doniphan and Kenosha Ponds open space properties showed 52 wetlands in the area, two-thirds of these on the Dawson property. The majority of the wetlands are rated as having either a high or very high degree of wildlife habitat and shoreline anchoring. Fifty-eight bird species were observed in the area and numerous other wildlife call the area home, including white-tailed deer, black-tailed prairie dogs, rock squirrels, raccoons, beaver, coyotes, black bear, gopher, cottontail rabbits and yellow-bellied marmots. The entire length of Boulder Creek is mapped as a potentially suitable habitat for Prebles meadow jumping mice.

The County is in the middle of a public process to develop a master plan for the Lower Boulder Creek area, which includes the Dawson property. Some goals of the plan are to both preserve healthy portions of the area's ecosystem while repairing some of the damaged areas. Providing appropriate recreational opportunities such as trails and fishing are another important goal of the proposed master plan.

In May 1995 the County signed an option to purchase the land from the Alexander Dawson Foundation and Boulder Creek Development, Inc. Option payments were $291,349 in 1995, $300,090 in 1996, and $309,092 in 1997. The purchase price closed on in May was $4.5 million.

For more than 20 years, Boulder County residents have enjoyed an exceptional collection of antique and classic automobiles, musical instruments and farm equipment at the Dougherty family farm near Longmont. Now Boulder County is working with the Doughertys to ensure their antique collection remains open to the public for years to come. The County will hire a part-time museum coordinator who will work with a volunteer staff to study the collection and educate the public about it.

Commissioner Ron Stewart called the museum a wonderful collection that represents our agricultural heritage and automotive history. He also said that the Commissioners felt that a treasure such as the Dougherty collection in the County's midst should be enjoyed by more people.

The museum houses one of the most impressive displays of antique farm equipment in the United States, including horse-drawn planters and wagons, gasoline tractors, steam-traction engines, buggies and surreys. In addition, the collection traces the development of the automobile, with more than 35 vehicles dating from 1902 to 1929.

With the County's help, the Dougherty collection will open later this month Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., until September 6. The museum is located on the family's property one mile south of Longmont on U.S. Highway 287. The property includes a building the Dougherty's constructed to house the antiques. Since 1977, the family has opened the museum on weekends as a private non-profit. After 20 years of operating the museum and Mr. Dougherty's death, Mrs. Dougherty decided to seek help in operating the museum.

Consortium of Cities meets Wednesday, July 1 in the Commissioners' Hearing Room. Contact Intergovernmental Relations Director Dickey Lee Hullinghorst at 441-3500 for more information.

Boulder County Days in Nederland on Thursday, June 18. Contact Policy Analyst Carolyn Dulchinos at 441-3500 for more information. The next Boulder County Day is in Jamestown on July 15.

Prairie Dog Task Force meets Tuesday, June 16, at 4:00 p.m. in the Commissioners' Conference Room. For more information, call Senior Resource Specialist for Wildlife Michael Sanders at 441-3950.

Planning Commission Meets Wednesday, June 17, at 1:30 p.m. in the Commissioners' Hearing Room. The Commission takes a dinner bread and then reconvenes at 7:00 p.m. For more information, call the Land Use Department at 441-3930.

Parks & Open Space Department Bid Awards:

For Ludlow Pumphouse Electric Installation to Kitzman Electric ($9,400);

For mowing services on County rights of way to RBI Maintenance ($36 per swath mile, not to exceed $45,900)

Boulder County Youth Corps Lease Agreement:

With Centennial Leasing & Sales to lease 4 vans for two months this summer ($9,600)

Transportation Department Contract:

With Strijpe Wright Ltd. for roadway striping ($506,576)

1998 Economic Development Program Contract:

With Tourism & Recreation Partnership ($15,442)

Solid Waste Contract:

With ENSCO for Household Hazardous Waste disposal & recycling ($60,000 total, to which several municipalities will contribute)

Architects Division Contract:

With Wood Metal Construction for bird mitigation at the Fairgrounds ($13,000)

Administrative Services/Capital Outlay:

For purchase of camera surveillance system for the Courthouse ($15,593)

Boulder County News is published monthly by the Board of County Commissioners. The purpose of the newsletter is to provide information concerning Boulder County Government to Boulder County municipalities and others interested in County information. Whenever possible, contact names and phone numbers are included. Please direct comments and suggestions to the editor, Margaret McKinney, Public Information Officer, at 441-3399/3500, or E-mail: mmmco@co.boulder.co.us.

Board of County Commissioners

P.O. Box 471

Boulder, CO 80306