Teller County commissioners implemented a Stage 2 fire ban last week to prohibit all open burning.

“In the middle of a Stage 2 fire ban, when you could smell the smoke, eyes watering, this weekend we had trail users come up here and light campfires,” said Commissioner Dan Williams, speaking at the commissioners’ meeting March 24. The smoke was from the 24 Fire burning on the border of El Paso and Fremont counties, including Fort Carson.

However, Teller County deputies showed up to issue tickets. “They weren’t harassing (trail users), but with zero tolerance it’s a matter of life, health and safety,” Williams said.

In other news, as Colorado faces a budget shortfall of $1.5 billion, and the federal government has slashed funding for nonprofit organizations, Teller County is experiencing the results.

“We’ve had a 25% to 30% reduction in our nonprofits. It’s important because we’re talking about our elderly and our youth,” Williams said.

At this, Williams pleaded with the public to help nonprofits that provide food and assist the elderly and families, to include Community Partnership, Aspen Mine Center, Teller Senior Coalition and Little Chapel Food Pantry.

“If you’re a person who has some means, please continue to give to our local nonprofits,” he said.

The cuts come after the U.S. Congress suspended food stamps, the Supplemental Nutrition Program, to 3,000 Teller County residents in October.

“We just got through the holidays, got through the food insecurity; take a step back and look at where we are as a country right now,” Williams said. “We’re spending $3 billion a day overseas in a war that puts our soldiers at risk; there’s a lot of cost to that.”

On that note, the commissioners approved a proclamation recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Teller County. Jodi Mijares and Kim Mauthe, executive directors of Community Partnership and Department of Human Services, respectively, read the proclamation.

Prevention of child abuse is a shared responsibility of families, neighbors, schools, faith communities, businesses and local organizations, states the proclamation.

Mijares thanked the commissioners for their dedication to the county’s nonprofit organizations by each serving on a nonprofit board.

When beneficiaries of SNAP lost assistance, the commissioners, county officials and all nonprofits pitched in to fill gaps. “We are the envy of other counties and nonprofits across the state due to our collaboration and partnerships,” Mijares said.

To highlight the prevention month, Mauthe handed out blue “Pinwheels of Possibility”; as well, the local Department of Human S is collaborating with state agencies to ask people to wear blue on April 10.

To top it off, the commissioners proclaimed April 6-12 as National Public Health Week in Teller County.

“We are losing support from different government grants and programs so it’s getting harder to do that same job,” said Commissioner Bob Campbell, speaking to Michelle Wolff, executive director of Public Health. “Yet you show up every day with a smile on our face and greet the public. Thank you for providing those services.”

Williams added, “During COVID, people demonized public health; we lost one million people because COVID became political,” he said, referring to deaths nationwide.

The proclamation states that, nationwide, the departments celebrate the theme of “Ready, Set, Action!” to highlight how public health science, policy and community initiatives have improved the health of all Americans.

After COVID, the percentage of people who require oxygen increased to 50% of the population.  As a result, Williams credited Wolff for collecting power oxygen packs to distribute to people in emergencies, offering up to 12 hours of oxygen.