By Shannon Lukens.
Some young voters in Steamboat Springs have received special election ballots by mistake. This is for the Brown Ranch Special Election. They were mailed on Monday.
The City of Steamboat Springs says 184 ballots were mailed to individuals who are 16, 17, or may have just turned 18. They would have pre-registered to vote when they turned 16.
The voter data that was given to the City of Steamboat Springs for the Special Election included those pre-registered voters.
City Clerk Julie Franklin says security measures are in place which will keep any of these ballots from being opened or counted. And ballots have never mistakenly been mailed out to pre-registrants in the past.
UPDATE FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 8, 2024.
Local subcontractors for the Steamboat Springs post office ARE getting paid, probably today. The contractor in Steamboat Springs was paid this morning, over one million dollars for three contracts in October and one in November. She had taken out a loan to pay the subcontractors for October, so she is first paying back that loan. Then about 17 of the local subcontractors who are still owed money will be paid, probably today, and at the latest Monday.
The subcontractors from Steamboat Springs and Craig, and others from around the state, had been asked to drive down to the postal facility in Golden where help was needed with delivering Amazon Packages and Express Mail. This included over the busy holiday season.
Steamboat Springs Postmaster Alex Garza says he is working to get the subcontractors paid for the rest of the work, and that is in the process of being done. The local contractor says she is confident that it will happen. The paperwork had been incorrect before which has caused the delays in processing.
When Alex Garza took over as postmaster in Steamboat Springs last November, he replaced another postmaster who was relocated to Craig. That person had not received his postmaster training, but postal officials in Denver confirm it was completed Feb. 16.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Local subcontractors with the local post office say they haven’t been paid for the work they’ve done since last October. This is mainly when they were asked to drive down to a postal facility in Golden, where help was needed with delivering Amazon packages and Express Mail.
“Every day somebody asks, ‘Are we getting paid today? Are we getting paid tomorrow.’”
That’s subcontractor Neil Linton.
Travis Pyles is another contractor from Steamboat Springs.
“We’ve been waiting for close to six months now. Nobody else could perform the work. We did it. They would call us at a moment’s notice at 4:30 in the morning wanting us down there by 8 a.m. and we provided a service for them, and here we are left out in the cold and haven’t been paid. They’re not treating us fair. We were able to help them out of a bad situation. We all have a lot of money out in expenses and gas, wear and tear on our vehicles and we’ve just been left out in the blue.”
Steamboat Springs Postmaster Alex Garza says he is working to get the subcontractors paid, and paperwork has been submitted. But it has been incorrect before which has caused the delays in processing. And part of the problem is the contractors wanting something called “deadhead” miles where they are paid for the drive down to the Front Range.
The local contractor says there are 54 subcontractors affected for just over $1 million dollars that they haven’t yet been paid. We are now hearing that it should be soon and we will let you know. The contractor says she has a Zoom call with the Contract Delivery Service team today.
When Alex Garza took over as postmaster in Steamboat Springs last November, he replaced another postmaster who was relocated to Craig. That person had not received his postmaster training, but postal officials in Denver confirm it was completed Feb. 16.
More on the Story — USPS SUBCONTRACTORS FROM STEAMBOAT AND CRAIG SAY THEY HAVEN’T BEEN PAID SINCE OCTOBER
Prescribed burns are being planned in the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit in the next few weeks. The closest in our area is 14 miles northeast of Meeker in Rio Blanco County.
In some events coming up…
The 2nd Annual Crane Migration Celebration is at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the Depot Art Center in Steamboat Springs. Find out more at ColoradoCranes.org
The Oak Creek Library is hosting a celebration of Sandhill Cranes and Origami. It’s at the library on Main Street in downtown Oak Creek from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9.
The 10th Annual STARS Mountain Challenge is Saturday, March 9. Information on how to register, sponsor a participant, or donate is on the SteamboatStars.com website.
Barbie turns 65 years old and the Senior Social Center in Craig is celebrating Barbie’s big birthday with a party. It’s at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at the Senior Social Center, 775 Yampa Ave. in Craig.
Sunday is a bowling fundraiser to benefit the Humane Society of Moffat County. It starts at 1:30 p.m. at Thunder Rolls Bowling Center in Craig. Information is at HumaneSocietyofMoffatCounty.org or call 970-824-7235.
Four of our younger Steamboat Stampede hockey teams, both boys and girls, are headed to the Front Range this weekend, to compete in their respective state championships, so good luck to all of them.
Check out what’s happening in the Yampa Valley on the Community Calendar on our website.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.