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County board approves 2025 Taylor Grazing Act disbursements, prioritizing weed control over fences
Summary
Routt County commissioners approved the Routt County Noxious Weed Advisory Board’s recommended disbursements of federal Taylor Grazing Act funds, emphasizing weed management and partial funding for fence projects amid declining grazing-district revenue.
Routt County commissioners voted to approve the 2025 disbursement of Taylor Grazing Act range improvement funds at the recommendation of the county’s Noxious Weed Advisory Board, allocating limited funds to multiple weed-control and fencing requests.
Why it matters: The Taylor Grazing Act funding (federal grazing fees distributed to counties) supports local range improvement and noxious-weed control projects. County staff and the weed-advisory board said revenues for the county account have fallen in recent years, constraining awards.
Tiffany (county staff and coordinator for the weed board) reported that the Taylor Grazing Act account’s receipts have declined from prior years (noting income of about $9,959 in 2023 and roughly $8,008 in 2024), while interest from applicants has grown. The advisory board recommended prioritizing weed-control treatments over fence construction under the reduced reserve balance and the board weighed past award performance when setting allocations.
The board reviewed eight project applications and recommended grants and partial awards, including: - Barbara Manzanares: $1,170 (weed control; partial award) - Deerwood Weeds: $1,220.27 (right-of-way control; repeat award) - Elk Mountain Ranch: $500 (weed control) - First Creek: partial award $3,000 (weeds) and $1,000 (fencing) despite prior incomplete reimbursement submissions - Timothy Bridal: $1,000 (partial of requested $2,076.99) for fence work - Wayne Jacobson: $500 (weeds)
Board members said they sought to balance limited funds, prior performance (projects awarded but not completed in earlier cycles were downgraded) and the fact that one missed treatment year can set back weed control for multiple years.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the advisory board’s recommendations for 2025 disbursements; a second was recorded and the motion passed by voice vote. Staff will process awards as reimbursements or match payments as spelled out by the weed board procedures.
What’s next: County staff will notify applicants and process the partial and full disbursements; commissioners and staff flagged potential future policy options to address declining receipts and whether to further prioritize grasshopper treatment or other range issues.
