Colfax County delays advisory-board recommendation for Vermejo race; later moves $42,000 into lodgers-tax promotions

Colfax County commissioners postponed a formal recommendation from the county’s Lodgers Tax Advisory Board on a promotional funding request for the 2025 Charcoal Burner Race at Vermejo Park Ranch, and later approved a $42,000 transfer into the lodgers-tax promotional fund as part of a larger set of budget adjustments.

The advisory-board item was presented to the commission as a promotional funding request; staff and commissioners discussed whether the item should be paid from the lodging-tax promotional line or required a separate line-item transfer. County financial records presented at the meeting showed a December lodgers-tax cash balance of roughly $550,667. Commissioners and staff discussed timing and whether a delay would affect event advertising or reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs by organizers.

Why it matters: Lodgers-tax revenues fund tourism promotion in Colfax County. Commissioners said they wanted to follow the county ordinance setting out the advisory board’s role before approving expenditures recommended by board members when the advisory board did not have a full membership.

During the initial discussion County Attorney Jun advised the commission that the county’s ordinance requires a recommendation from the advisory board. “I think that is my recommendation ... we need to have a recommendation from the advisory board,” County Attorney Jun told the panel, saying the ordinance envisions a five-member advisory board and that recommendations should come from that board to the commission. Jun also advised the commission that the chair of the county commission appoints advisory-board members and that a quorum of the advisory body is required for formal advisory recommendations.

Commissioners heard that only two advisory-board members were in place at the time of the meeting. County staff and commissioners noted the timeline that would be required to appoint additional advisory-board members and convene the advisory board to review and formally recommend expenditures; commissioners also discussed calling a special advisory-board meeting if necessary. After discussion a motion was made and approved by roll call to postpone action on the lodgers-tax promotional request (items 11 and 12 on the agenda) until the next commission meeting or until a special advisory-board meeting could provide the required recommendation.

The lodging-tax matter returned to the meeting later as part of larger budget transfers and adjustments. During that budget discussion commissioners proposed and then voted to amend a budget resolution to move $42,000 into the lodgers-tax promotional line to cover promotional expenses and outstanding invoices related to events and advertising. The commission approved the amended transfer by roll call vote.

What the actions do and do not do: The initial postponement left the promotional request itself without a commission decision; the later $42,000 transfer added funds to the promotional line so the lodgers-tax board or county staff can authorize expenditures according to the county’s ordinance and administrative practice. Legal counsel’s advice remains that formal advisory-board recommendations should be obtained when the ordinance requires them; the transfer itself was advanced through the county’s budget adjustment process rather than as a direct authorization of a specific grant to the Vermejo event organizers.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to postpone action on agenda items 11 and 12 (lodgers-tax promotional funding request): motion made and approved by roll call; no individual amendments to the request were adopted while postponed. - Motion to approve a budget amendment that moved $42,000 into the lodgers-tax promotional line (amendment to the budget/transfers resolution): motion made, seconded and approved by roll call.

What remains unresolved: Commissioners instructed staff to pursue appointment of the remaining advisory-board members required by the ordinance and indicated the commission will seek the advisory-board recommendation before taking final action on specific funding awards where the ordinance requires that recommendation. Staff and the treasurer were asked to provide a clear breakdown of the lodgers-tax balance and outstanding invoices so the commission and advisory board can consider any awards at the next meeting.

Ending: The commission’s actions left promotional funding available through the lodgers-tax promotional line while preserving the legal requirement that advisory-board recommendations be obtained under the county ordinance before awarding funds where the ordinance specifies that process.