The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt a temporary hiring freeze for county administrative employees as it copes with an estimated $9 million shortfall in property‑tax revenue. The action, approved by the board, applies to administrative positions that report directly to the Board of County Commissioners and exempts elected officials.

Commissioners said the hiring freeze is intended to avoid filling positions now that might have to be cut later and to protect existing employees from layoffs. “We are serious about this $9,000,000 shortfall,” Chairman Jankowski said during the discussion. He and other commissioners described the measure as a budget‑management step that will be revisited once departments submit budgets and county staff have an updated revenue view in August.

The board’s decision follows a presentation from county staff about an evolving revenue outlook, with departments asked to deliver initial budget proposals by Aug. 8 so commissioners can reassess and identify where to shave expenditures. County staff told commissioners they expect health‑insurance and benefits costs to rise in 2026 and estimated a need to use both operating and capital/grant balances to help close the gap.

Votes at a glance
- Temporary hiring freeze (administrative staff; elected officials exempted): approved (unanimous). The resolution instructs staff to return to the board after the Aug. 8 budget submissions with updated figures and directs the chair to sign the final resolution with the agreed clarifying edits.
- Letter to the governor and legislative leaders on unfunded mandates (Colorado Revised Statutes 29‑1‑304.5 cited): approved (unanimous). The letter asks state leaders to reduce or fund mandates placed on counties and to engage in a dialogue about solutions.
- Special‑event permit: Aspen Valley Health Foundation polo fundraiser, Aug. 17, Aspen Valley Polo Club: approved (unanimous). Staff confirmed public‑notice requirements and accepted the applicant’s alcohol control plan.
- Donation of surplus water tanker to Rio Blanco County (surplus equipment): approved (unanimous). The county will transfer a tanker trailer to the neighboring county to support joint operations on remote roads and trails.
- Consent agenda (items 1–9; item 8 surplus vehicles pulled for discussion and later approved): approved (unanimous). Titles for surplus vehicles were signed by the chair as requested.
- Intergovernmental agreement to provide work‑release services to Eagle County (community corrections/work release): approved (unanimous). The county will accept work‑release participants from Eagle County under a fee‑for‑service arrangement; clients will pay program fees and the county will provide onsite housing and electronic monitoring per the agreement.
- Budget supplement request: up to $50,000 from the landfill (solid‑waste) fund balance to help fund outside counsel and a regional coalition’s work on Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 31 (methane capture rulemaking): approved (unanimous). The board authorized use of landfill fund balance to join a multi‑county legal/technical effort to evaluate regulatory impacts and alternatives.
- Fairgrounds staff hourly rate for cleanup/overtime: approved (vote 2–1). The board increased the staff cleanup/hourly rate charged to event organizers (from $50 to $100 per hour) and adjusted holiday/overtime pay; the motion passed on a 2–1 tally after discussion about enforcement and deposits.

Why it matters
County officials said the hiring freeze is a short‑term, precautionary step to avoid filling positions that could later be eliminated if the property‑tax revenue estimate holds. Commissioners emphasized they retain the “power of the purse” and said the pause is designed to preserve existing jobs and allow the board time to consider a merit and compensation package for 2026 while balancing competing demands such as capital projects and county services.

Other business and community presentations
The board heard multiple Human Services presentations describing local nonprofit operations and funding needs, including:
- West Mountain Regional Health Alliance: staff summarized a regional homeless response and permanent supportive‑housing pilot funded in part by state transformational homeless response dollars; they reported more people housed in recent years and noted 2026 funding uncertainties.
- Community resource and food access work: presenters described regional efforts including 72‑hour food totes, mobile markets and a consolidated online resource directory for food, housing and health services.
- High Country Volunteers: reported large volunteer contributions and warned that federal AmeriCorps and volunteer‑program grants remain vulnerable to federal budget changes that could reduce funding for local volunteer programs.
- Advocate Safe House Project: reported shelter nights and a 14% increase in survivors served year over year, and noted reduced federal rental assistance in 2024.
- Valley Meals and More: reported expansion of congregate and home‑delivered meal services and a new contract that will increase meal deliveries in 2025.

What’s next
County staff will return after Aug. 8 with updated revenue and department budget information; commissioners said they will use that snapshot to finalize 2026 decisions on staffing, merit pools and capital shifts. The board also scheduled a follow‑up public hearing on a proposed telecommunications facility to Aug. 18, per the applicant’s request to continue to a date when a full three‑commissioner quorum can consider the application.

Ending
Commissioners also approved several routine permits, titles for surplus vehicles, intergovernmental agreements and disbursement requests during the meeting. Officials asked county departments and nonprofit partners to continue collabo­rating on budget priorities, homelessness interventions and grants to minimize service impacts under the expected 2026 constraints.