Commissioners discussed Road and Bridge funding and maintenance of high‑country roads during the Sept. 29 budget work session, focusing on tradeoffs between opening remote mountain passes, protecting school‑bus and evacuation routes, and the fiscal limits of the county general fund.

Why it matters: High‑country roads affect public safety (evacuations), school bus operations and local tourism. Commissioners said maintaining those roads is costly and that county budgets have not tracked inflation since earlier funding measures.

Key points: Road and Bridge director Ty reported a balanced departmental budget for 2026 and said he had reduced requests to match available revenues. Commissioners debated whether to reduce county services (for example, spring plowing of backcountry passes) and whether the city of Ouray, local Jeep/rec rental companies or the chamber of commerce should contribute to road preservation.

Commissioner Padgett and others suggested exploring voluntary opt‑in fees for rental businesses (a small per‑rental add‑on for road maintenance), municipal contributions and an intergovernmental work session with the City of Ouray to discuss shared impacts and potential joint funding. One commissioner noted Gunison County had a voluntary program for rental companies and proposed studying that model.

Board members emphasized prioritizing school bus routes and primary evacuation corridors (County Road 1 and key north‑south routes) if funds are tight. Several commissioners also noted that climate changes and growing off‑road vehicle (ORV) traffic have accelerated deterioration of remote passes.

Longer term options the board discussed included a ballot initiative in an even‑numbered election to raise revenue (use tax or other local measure) that could fund Road and Bridge and public safety as a package. Commissioners said such measures require 12–18 months of education and outreach and suggested a combined public‑safety funding measure (roads, EMS, sheriff) might be more viable than a single‑issue ask.

Operational and policy directions: The board did not change Road and Bridge’s proposed 2026 budget. Commissioners asked staff to continue outreach to municipalities and business groups about voluntary contributions and to develop messaging and an outreach timeline if the board decides to pursue a ballot measure for broader, dedicated funding in 2026 or 2027.