Montezuma County commissioners approve grants, contracts, payables and an intergovernmental health agreement

The Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners on June 10 approved a series of grants, contracts and administrative actions, including lodgers‑tax grant awards, a public health grant, a pass‑through grant application for search and rescue, contract amendments with the Colorado Department of Human Services, HVAC replacement low bids, a pictometry contract for the assessor, an intergovernmental agreement to provide temporary public health services to Dolores County, and county payables for April 2025 totaling $3,298,828.81.

The board accepted the Lodgers Tax Committee’s recommended awards, which allocate most of the year’s lodging tax receipts. The recording in the meeting lists awards including Mesa Verde Country ($125,000), Cortez Cultural Center dances ($20,000), Mancos Chamber ($59,000), Dolores Chamber ($59,000), Mancos Creative District ($16,000), Montezuma Heritage Museum ($10,000), Galloping Goose ($7,500), Butte Mountain Rodeo ($5,000) and Finish Line Racers ($3,000). The clerk noted those disbursements would exhaust the lodgers tax fund except for $271.54.

The board approved a grant application submission form to accept Colorado Parks and Wildlife pass‑through funds for Montezuma County Search and Rescue. Commissioners also approved a public health grant application (ELC COVID funding rounds 2 and 3) for $54,138.91 to add two registered‑nurse positions to administer the grants; the motion described the funding as reimbursement with no local cash match.

Commissioners moved to allocate SRS (School Readiness Sales) payments so that school districts receive 75% of that fund for the year after the board agreed to direct the discretionary portion to schools. The board recorded the split as equal shares of $8,912.91 per district for the discretionary portion discussed in the meeting.

On county operations, the board accepted low bids to replace HVAC units in county facilities (three low bids from Urban County Services, Comfort Air and Integrated Services for three building projects); earlier discussion referenced an approximate total near $89,000. The board also authorized a master service agreement with EagleView to conduct a pictometry aerial flyover to update assessor imagery; staff said county capital reserves cover the contract and the flyover will help identify structures not on the tax roll.

The board pledged $10,000 to a coalition opposing Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Rulemaking on landfill methane monitoring (referred in the meeting as Regulation 31) and said the county could consider additional contributions if needed. One commissioner added that the coalition needed a commitment before a Friday deadline.

Social Services items: the board approved a $10,000 general operating grant for senior services and approved Contract Amendment No. 4 with the Colorado Department of Human Services (contract number recorded in the meeting as 21IHGA168846) for ongoing program funding, noting the fiscal‑year 2025 amount in the record.

Policy housekeeping: the board approved several Department of Social Services policy amendments, including updates on personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), falsifying documentation, and nondiscrimination for senior services. Commissioners said attorneys had reviewed the policies.

The clerk asked to postpone consideration of a liquor license for the Maverik location south of town because the sheriff’s office had not completed required inspection reports; the board moved the matter to the next meeting.

The board recessed to act as the Montezuma County Board of Health to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Dolores County. Public health director Miss Loch described the IGA as temporary assistance while Dolores County recruits a director; the county will track time and expenses and invoice Dolores County for on‑site services. The board approved the IGA and then adjourned the Board of Health and reconvened the commissioners meeting.

Financial items: the board approved the April 2025 payable register totaling $3,298,828.81 across multiple county funds; the record lists line items including the general fund ($1,243,262.50), road and bridge ($323,920.33), public health ($130,423.17), social services ($1,356,328.31) and others.

Personnel and other business: commissioners introduced the new Road and Bridge superintendent, Curtis (Kurt) Logsdon, who joined the meeting and will begin site visits with staff.

Votes at a glance (actions taken and outcomes recorded in the meeting): - Approve Lodgers Tax Committee recommendations for grants (listed amounts above) — Approved (voice votes). - Approve Montezuma County grant application submission form for Search and Rescue (CPW pass‑through; amount TBD) — Approved (voice votes). - Approve public health grant application for ELC COVID funding Rounds 2 and 3 ($54,138.91, reimbursement, no cash match) — Approved (voice votes). - Approve SRS payment allocations (school districts to receive 75% after discretionary allocation) — Approved (voice votes). - Approve HVAC replacements at low bids (Urban County Services, Comfort Air, Integrated Services) — Approved (voice votes). - Pledge $10,000 to coalition on landfill methane rulemaking (Regulation 31) — Approved (voice votes). - Approve master service agreement with EagleView for pictometry flyover — Approved (voice votes). - Approve social services general operating grant for senior services ($10,000) — Approved (voice votes). - Approve Contract Amendment No. 4 with Colorado Department of Human Services (contract number recorded 21IHGA168846) — Approved (voice votes). - Approve Department of Social Services policy amendments — Approved (voice votes). - Postpone Maverik liquor license to next meeting due to outstanding inspection reports — Noted/continued. - Approve IGA to provide temporary public health services to Dolores County — Approved (voice votes). - Approve April 2025 payables totaling $3,298,828.81 — Approved (voice votes).

Why it matters: The actions allocate tens of thousands of dollars in local grants and contract authority, authorize capital and operational contracts (pictometry, HVAC), set short‑term intergovernmental public health support for a neighboring county, and record a sizable monthly payable register — all routine but material county governance moves that affect budgets and services.

Quotations: Director Miss Loch described the reimbursement process for work in Dolores County: “We track all of our time through time and effort. So we're gonna code...so we can see exactly what time that were spent out there and what we were doing out there. And then we'll just invoice Dolores County on a monthly basis.”

The meeting adjourned after the board approved the remaining items and introduced the new Road and Bridge superintendent.