County turns down metro district

Despite an affirmative recommendation from the planning commission and planning staff, Larimer County Commissioners voted 3-0 against a metropolitan district that could eventually have provided an emergency water source for Wellington.

Commissioners said the proposal did not provide enough information for them to support the idea, which would create a quasi-governmental authority.

Commissioner Steve Johnson said water owner Richard Seaworth could just as easily form a private company to sell water to Wellington. Creating a metro district now is "backward to me," he said.

Wellington town attorney Brad March said the town preferred to work with a governmental entity and have a seat on the authority board. A district would be required to have open meetings and open records, he added.