Budget impacts due to the ongoing downturn in the natural gas industry are driving Garfield County’s policy directives for 2021, with an eye toward diversifying the county’s economic base.
County commissioners recently adopted their “Directives and Action Plan” for the year, giving weight both to the realities of running a county with fewer revenues and looking to some new areas for economic development potential.
The county this year made across-the-board budget cuts of 5%, including eliminating 18 jobs through attrition and cutting programs such as the Sheriff’s Office animal control division and the Youth Conservation Corps outdoor projects summer employment program.
Large icicles hang from the ceiling of the lower ice cave, also known as the Ice Palace, dwarf a a visitor to Rifle Mountain Park last weekend north of Rifle. Kyle Mills / Citizen Telegram
Looking back at 2020, the city of Rifle and western Garfield County saw their fair share of interesting stories. Here’s a trip down memory lane as as we take a look back at some of the headlines from the Citizen Telegram in 2020:
BIG PLANS FOR DOWNTOWN
After visiting reconstruction concepts and receiving public feedback, the city of Rifle made final plans in February to revitalize downtown with a new project slated for 2021.
Roger William Koller lmtribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lmtribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.