After several months of consideration, the trustees for the town of Westcliffe have decided to amend ordinance 1-1887.

The original ordinance prevented the mayor from voting on matters except to break a tie.

The ordinance was changed during the trustees’ regular meeting on Dec. 1 to allow the mayor a vote on all matters.

The amended ordinance goes into effect following the town election on April 6. At that time, a new mayor will be elected. Mayor Jess Price died last month on his 73rd birthday following a lengthy illness. During their January board meeting, the trustees will appoint an interim mayor  

In other business, the Westcliffe trustees:

—AUTHORIZED an all-mail ballot for the April 6 election. There are 297 registered Westcliffe voters.

—ADOPTED the 2010 budget with total  revenues and expenses the same at $1,298,800 as compared to $531,726 in revenues and $541,00 in expenses in 2009. The jump in revenues and expenses is attributed to an expected drainage project with $600,000 coming from a DOLA grant and the town providing matching funds of some $133,000.

In 2010, the town will also repay C-DOT $73,551 for a grant it received to purchase the Chamber of Commerce building. Earlier this year, the town of Westcliffe, who was the sponsoring agent for the grant, chose to repay the dollars and take over ownership of the building.

The Custer County Merchants and Chamber of Commerce currently leases the building from the town for one dollar a year. The trustees are investigating the feasibility of selling the building in the future.

 —APPOINTED trustee Joe Cascarelli to serve as a town representative on the Chamber board.

Trustees present were Melinda Ruzanski, Christy Veltrie, Lynn LaGree and Joe Cascarelli. Absent were Twila Geroux and Art Nordyke.

Meetings are held the first Tuesday night of each month beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the town hall.

– Nora Drenner