Paperwork error on Eagle County agenda item about Salvation Army raises eyebrows among some Edwards residents
Salvation army building, not residential units, to be stored in Edwards
Local government consent agendas are for items that require little, if any, discussion. That isn’t always the case.
Before the Eagle County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted on this week’s consent agenda, Edwards resident Kris Miller asked for the third item to be put up for further discussion.
Miller had read the item, an agreement between the county and the local chapter of the Salvation Army to store its modular office and pantry building, currently located in Avon, on a county-owned site near the Eagle River Village mobile home park. What grabbed Miller’s attention was part of the agreement language that stated the property would be used for the storage of 20 residential units.
After 13 years on its current site in Avon, the Salvation Army was recently given notice that it has to vacate the property, due in part to potential development of the land. Traer Creek LLC, which owns the property, has offered to help move the nonprofit to a new home.
Addressing the commissioners, Miller questioned why there was no public notice of that use of the land for storage of residential units, and how that might affect traffic on U.S. Highway 6.
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It turns out that the answer is simple: The agreement language was wrong.
The agreement was supposed to be just for the Salvation Army building, which will be stored, unused, until the nonprofit can find a permanent home.
Eagle County Facilities Director Jesse Merryhew said the 20 residential units the county has on order, from Fading West of Buena Vista for use at the Eagle County Commons facility in Edwards, will be stored in Gypsum until they’re ready to be placed on that site.
Eagle County Attorney Beth Oliver said a new use agreement with the Salvation Army will be prepared and will be ready for approval at a meeting already scheduled for Oct. 11.
The search continues for a new home for the Salvation Army.