County public health staff asked commissioners to maintain wastewater surveillance and moth control (mosquito) partnerships during the Sept. 29 budget work session but to place the wastewater testing expenditure on a grant‑contingent basis for 2026.

Why it matters: Wastewater surveillance provides near‑real‑time community health signals (e.g., non‑hospitalized illnesses) that public health staff said support outreach and prevention. The program is currently covered by federal COVID resiliency funding through April 2026; staff warned county funding would be required if grant funds lapse.

Public health director Kristen (public health staff) explained that the current wastewater testing contract with CDPHE supplies sample supplies, shipping and dashboarded analysis; that package is part of federally funded work through April. Kristen told the board she could not guarantee the program’s continuation absent new grant revenue and asked that the expenditure remain in the 2026 budget only if matched by grant revenue.

Commissioners debated whether to show matching grant revenue in the 2026 budget so the line item would be included but contingent on grant awards. Kara (finance) said she could place the wastewater testing as both an expenditure and a matching grant revenue line (so net impact on the general fund would be zero unless grant funding disappears), but requested that if grants lapse the board direct staff whether to terminate the service or bring a separate action to appropriate county funds.

On mosquito control, public health and Ridgeway officials have historically shared costs. Public health proposed increasing the county contribution from $8,000 to $12,000; several commissioners proposed a compromise of $10,000. Commissioners also suggested exploring whether mosquito control costs could be borne through municipal partners or other local funds if state grant funds decline.

Directions and next steps: Staff will include wastewater testing as a grant‑matched line item in the proposed 2026 budget and will list the revenue source under grants; Mosquito assistance to Ridgeway will be set at a compromise level to be confirmed (board discussion settled around $10,000). Kristen will continue seeking grants and other partnerships and will report back if federal funding is not renewed.

No final cuts were made to core public‑health programs during the meeting; commissioners noted public health’s statewide funding pressures and said the county should prioritize real‑time surveillance where feasible.