Montezuma County lifts fire ban, denies two tax abatement petitions and approves consent items

Montezuma County commissioners on Sept. 23 adopted a resolution lifting the countywide ban on open fires and fireworks and, in separate votes, denied two property tax abatement petitions and approved routine consent-agenda items including $3,705,657.16 in August payables.

The board read and adopted Resolution No. 19-20-25, finding that "the danger of forest and grass fires has decreased throughout the unincorporated areas of Montezuma County due to recent precipitation in the area, lower temperatures, and increased relative humidity." The resolution lifts the ban effective 9 a.m. on Sept. 24, 2025. The board voted in favor of the resolution during the meeting (voice vote recorded as "Aye").

The board heard two abatement petitions and denied both. In the first, a petitioner identified in the record as Miss Cavalier asked the board to retroactively treat a 2024 assessment as if a prior "purge" of classification had not occurred; the petitioner said she paid $1,313.87 and sought a refund to reflect the unpurged classification. County staff (Assessor Bugg) explained that the assessor had granted a purge for financing purposes and later processed paperwork to unpurge the property; the assessor estimated that, under the unpurged classification, 2024 taxes would total $1,166.47, a reduction of $220.61 from the amount the petitioner said she paid. After discussion about timelines and the effect of a recent increase in taxes in the Dolores school district, the board moved and seconded to deny the Cavalier abatement petition and the motion passed (voice vote recorded as "Aye").

In the second abatement matter, County staff reported that an appraiser inspected the property at 101 S. Fifth St., Dolores and recommended treating the property as 80% commercial and 20% residential going forward (2025). The property owners, recorded in the minutes as Anthony and Marie Roan, filed an abatement for 2024; staff recommended leaving 2024 as previously assessed because the classification change had been applied beginning in 2025. The board moved and seconded to deny the Roan abatement petition; the motion passed (voice vote recorded as "Aye").

The board approved its consent agenda, with the exception of the item on lifting the fire ban which was removed for separate consideration. Consent items noted on the record included road-and-bridge paint striping, a Summit food-service management proposal, a MOCO bus fund transfer, a supplemental budget request resolution, an OpenGov budget software contract, signature authority for the Colorado National Collaborative Suicide Prevention Grant, and a possible three-year dispatch user agreement with the City of Cortez. The consent agenda (with the fire-ban item removed) was approved as moved and seconded. The board separately approved August payables in the amount of $3,705,657.16.

During reports and discussion the county attorney, Steven Tarnowski, told the board that a moratorium the county enacted on renewable energy development is scheduled to expire Oct. 15 and staff intends to try to propose land-use regulations before that date; if not ready the board would need to consider extending the moratorium, which would require another public hearing. Tarnowski also reported a third notice of claim filed related to a March traffic accident on U.S. 491 and said one pending land-use lawsuit (Ellis Lewis subdivision denial) had a motion to dismiss granted by the court. He proposed working with public health on another tire-cleanup program and reminded commissioners of prior voucher-based cleanup efforts.

County administrator and other staff updates included a reported fiber cut affecting Road and Bridge operations (Clear Networks), use of Starlink as interim connectivity, work with Enterprise on fleet-management software, and a dispatch cost-share increase estimated on the record at about $60,000 (projected county share this year reported as approximately $396,000). Commissioners also discussed outreach and upcoming local meetings, including a Southwest Water Conservation District meeting scheduled in Mancos on Oct. 9.

The meeting included a public-comment period during which residents raised procedural concerns about mailed notices and urged greater county presence at legislative updates. The board held executive sessions for collective-bargaining strategy with the Fraternal Order of Police and for legal advice under Colorado statutes; the board resumed public session and then adopted the fire-ban resolution before adjourning.

Votes at a glance - Deny abatement petition (Cavalier property, 32560 Road P, Mancos): motion to deny adopted (voice votes recorded as "Aye"); reason discussed: timeline and classification issues; estimated tax reduction if reclassified was $220.61, per assessor's figures presented for 2024. - Deny abatement petition (Anthony and Marie Roan, 101 S. Fifth St., Dolores): motion to deny adopted (voice votes recorded as "Aye"); staff recommended maintaining 2024 assessment and applying classification change beginning 2025. - Approve consent agenda (with removal of fire-ban item): motion adopted (voice votes recorded as "Aye"); items included contracts, budget items, grants, and administrative items (see record). - Approve August payables: $3,705,657.16; motion adopted (voice votes recorded as "Aye"). - Adopt Resolution No. 19-20-25: lift ban on open fires and fireworks effective 9 a.m. on 09/24/2025; motion adopted (voice votes recorded as "Aye").

What this means next - The lifted fire ban becomes effective 9 a.m. Sept. 24, 2025; the board noted it may reinstate restrictions if weather conditions change. - Property owners whose 2024 assessments were discussed must pursue further appeals through the Board of Assessment Appeals if they seek additional review (per staff remarks on appeal options). The board noted that abatement denials can be appealed as provided by statute.

Sources: meeting transcript of the Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners, Sept. 23, 2025 (public session), and statements by County Attorney Steven Tarnowski and the county assessor recorded in the meeting minutes.