Huerfano County commissioners approve $1 million loan for Gardner PID, adopt DHS budget and several purchases

Huerfano County commissioners on Oct. 21 approved several routine and substantive items, including Resolution 25-38 authorizing a $1,000,000 forgivable loan to the Gardner Public Improvement District and the Department of Human Services 2026 budget with adjustments to administrative and LEAP allocations.

The board voted to approve Resolution 25-38 after county staff told commissioners the county had applied for and received a "one million dollar partial forgivable loan from the Water Power Authority" for the Gardner Public Improvement District and that the resolution would authorize acceptance of that award. The motion to approve Resolution 25-38 passed.

The board also approved the county Department of Human Services (DHS) 2026 budget after staff described changes to the administration allocation and LEAP (Low-income Energy Assistance Program) allocation. Commissioners passed the budget on a motion to approve "the Department of Social Services 2026 budget with the changes that were brought forth." The board then approved the DHS financials for September 2025, described in meeting materials as "DHS expenditures and authorizations."

Personnel and consent items were approved as part of the consent agenda. County staff reported resignations from Kurtz Berlin, New York Bridge, and Kyle Lopez (dispatch), and Ashley Wilkinson (administration). New hires on the consent list included Robert Gilbert, Mikaela Kuntz, John Dietz and Joanna Tatum; motions to appoint Lester Berry and Anthony Lincolnville were also recorded on the consent agenda. The consent agenda passed.

Several procurement items and vendor payments were approved: a prepaid vendor run totaling $69,843.42 (noted by staff as including park-related payments and payments to KLJ), and purchase order (PO) #2025096 to Wagner Equipment Company in the amount of $52,005.04 for a transmission rebuild on Unit 216, a Cat 970F loader. Both motions to approve these payments passed on votes recorded at the meeting.

Commissioners handled routine agenda approval and adjourned after announcing upcoming workshops, including an administration workshop and a human resources workshop and interviews for on-call real estate broker services and airport consultant selections.

All of the listed items were approved by voice or roll-call votes during the Oct. 21 meeting; no recorded dissents or abstentions were announced in the transcript excerpts provided.