The Ouray County Board of County Commissioners reviewed Resolution 2025-030 on Sept. 23, a proposed update to the county’s disaster fund policies, and asked staff to revise language before the resolution returns for action.

The draft replaces a 2015 emergency-management resolution and renames the emergency management fund the “disaster fund.” Commissioners scrutinized language that appeared to limit appropriations to the MJ excise tax line item and urged broader wording to allow the board to appropriate funds from any source — general fund, MJ excise taxes, FEMA reimbursements or donations — either during the annual budget or by mid-year budget amendment when statutorily permitted.

Commissioner Padgett recommended striking the phrase tying allocations specifically “into the MJ excise tax line item” and making clear the county may appropriate funds on an annual basis through the budget process and via mid-year budget amendments for unanticipated disaster response pursuant to state statutes. Commissioners sought clarity that the fund should receive reimbursements from state or federal sources, including FEMA, and also discussed whether donations tied to past incidents (for example, funds donated after a plane crash) should be routed to the disaster fund while preserving flexibility for future boards.

Board members discussed definitions and triggers for a “declared” emergency — whether local, state or federal declarations should qualify — and asked staff to insert explicit language listing county, state, or federal declarations to avoid later disputes. County Attorney Leo Caselli and staff will revise the draft to remove exclusivity language, clarify appropriation mechanics and define eligible declarations, then bring the resolution back, likely on a future consent agenda.

Ending: The item was tabled so staff can update the resolution’s wording and return it to the board for formal approval.