Gov. Bill Ritter announced on Monday that he has appointed 17 members to the River Access Dispute Resolution Task Force. The Task Force was created to help craft a dispute-resolution process to resolve future conflicts between river users and private landowners on Colorado waterways.

The Task Force appointments follow heated debate that occurred earlier this year over proposed legislation, a specific dispute along the Taylor River and the introduction of several ballot measures which have since been withdrawn.

The Governor appointed the following 14 members to serve as voting members of the Task Force, including Pagosa developer and businessman J.R. Ford. The terms expire at the pleasure of the Governor:

• Robert A. Hamel of Howard
• Greg Felt of Salida
• G. David Costlow of Fort Collins
• Thomas J. Klienschnitz of Grand Junction
• Leslie A. Tyson of Denver
• Jay P.K. Kenny of Denver
• Lee L. Spann of Gunnison
• J. R. Ford of Pagosa Springs
• John G. Leede of Greenwood Village
• Charles B. White of Denver
• Jay Fetcher of Clark
• Paul C. Crane of Boulder
• Sen. Dan Gibbs of Silverthorne
• Undersheriff Richard D. Besecker of Gunnison
  

He also appointed three members to serve as non-voting members of the Task Force, also with terms expiring at the please of the Governor:

Rebecca Swanson of Denver, to serve as a co-chair of the Task Force from the Governor’s Office
Patrick D. Tooley of Denver, to serve as a non-voting ex-officio member and as a legal advisor to the Task Force
Carolyn F. Burr of Denver, to serve as a non-voting ex-officio member and as a legal advisor to the Task Force

The executive director of the Department of Natural Resources, or a selected designee, will also serve as a co-chair. The charge of the Task Force is to develop a framework for resolving conflicts among landowners, anglers, commercial rafters, and the boating public on a stretch-by-stretch basis as disputes arise. The group will:

• Hold two public meetings in different parts of the state to gather stakeholder input.
• Hold at least four other open meetings to evaluate the public input and consider options for a dispute-resolution process.
• Prepare a final report with recommendations for the Governor and Legislature by December 31.

For more information about Colorado boards and commissions, or to obtain an application to serve on a board or commission, visit the Boards and Commission website, e-mail boards@state.co.us .