Mancos town trustees voted to make some temporary changes to the town’s fire ban at their meeting Wednesday.
After the Weber Canyon Fire in 2013, trustees voted to ban all open fires, including fireworks, within town limits. However, there has been recent discussion about loosening the restrictions, according to Town Administrator Heather Alvarez.
Mancos resident Gina Roberts told trustees that the wording should be changed in the ordinance.
“In my opinion, this was a knee-jerk reaction,” she said of the ordinance.
Trustees unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance that temporarily lifts the fire ban to allow for “controlled open fires” within town limits. Mayor Queenie Barz was absent from the meeting.
The ordinance allows controlled fires in outdoor brick or metal fire pits or other fire pits designed for outdoor fires.
Any fire must be monitored at all times and properly extinguished, according to the ordinance.
The ordinance also allows for the Mancos Fire Department to put on its annual Fourth of July fireworks display.
Trustees said that most Mancos residents would have good judgment when dealing with fires.
“Someone with bad judgment isn’t going to be paying attention to a fire ban,” trustee Cindy Simpson said.
Also at the meeting, trustees voted to donate $1,500 toward the fire department fireworks display. The total cost for the display would be about $8,000, according to Brandy Goff, who is coordinating the display.
Alvarez and Mancos Marshal Jason Spruell said they would be willing to take money out of their department budgets to put toward the fireworks donation.
Trustees also approved an ordinance approving a final plat for the second phase of the Creekside subdivision. The 14-acre development will include eight single-family homes on the north side of Mancos.
Approval of the ordinance was the final step before developer Gene Bott could break ground on this phase of the development, Alvarez said.
Trustees thanked Bott for his work on the development.
“I appreciate the quality of work you’ve been doing,” trustee Michele Black said.
Also at the meeting, trustees voted to approve a $1,700 painting project for the pavilions at Boyle Park. About $1,000 was budgeted in the general fund for the project, and the remaining $700 will be taken from the conservation trust fund.
Trustees also approved a $2,874 purchase of a flow meter device for the wastewater treatment plant.
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