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~• ~ III IIIIIIIIIIIII III • STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY Department of Natural Resources 1317 Sherman 51., Ropm 215 Denver, CO 80207 Phone: 13071 Bfi6-3567 FAX: (3031 832-8106 DATE: October 26, 1992 pF Cpl ,~~ 4 ~~~.;, o. .l,?~~ . Roy Romer Go~erno. m¢hael B. Long D n•i sion Director T0: Steve Renner FROM: Larry Routten //`~ ~ Z RE: Access to the Meeker Mines and the Rio Blanco County Sheriff (C-81-032) I spoke with Ron Hilkey, the Rio Blanco County sheriff, about our contact with his office last week in regard to George Rienau's complaint about Susan Morrison doing a bond release inspection at the Meeker Mine. Here is a synopsis, just so you may be informed. Rienau told Susan, during the inspection (Oct.20) that he did not want DMG on his property. A portion of the Meeker Mine is on his property owned by George Rienau, Jr. and George Rienau III. After discussing the matter with the Rienau's Susan contacted the sheriff's office. I advised her to ask them for an escort since Rienau insisted he did not want her on his property. The Rienau's have a reputation for confronting people on their property, sometimes with firearms. The sheriff's office told Susan they would accompany her when she spoke with them on the morning of Oct. 22. When she arrive in Meeker that afternoon, they apparently had not been able to contact Rienau so, they told Susan they were not going out to the mine. Since it was late in the day, Susan returned to Denver. We have the minimum information we need for the bond release inspection. We will try to meet with the Rienau's to discuss their concerns. When I spoke with the sheriff this morning, he said he did not want to get "between the government and a citizen". I told him we were interested only in an escort because of a possible safety concern and reminded him that we have legal authority to enter lands to conduct inspections. He said he understood that and wanted to be sure we did not expect them to do our job.