Pitkin County approves $2nd-quarter supplemental budget; board allocates park fees to Whitewater Park, sets aside $100,000 for Carbondale pool

Pitkin County commissioners on Wednesday approved a second-quarter budget supplemental that bundles multiple departmental requests and a series of capital and operating adjustments, including a contentious allocation of remaining park dedication fees.

The supplemental moves forward appropriations across a broad set of needs — from sheriff public-safety grants and housing assessments to airport project costs — and includes a program-level appropriation for the Healthy Rivers Fund to complete the remaining work on the Whitewater Park project in Basalt. Commissioners also agreed, as an amendment, to use the county’s remaining park dedication fee balance to reimburse Healthy Rivers and to set aside $100,000 toward the Carbondale pool campaign, a decision that drew debate on whether the park fee should be used outside Pitkin County.

Why it matters: The supplemental is the largest the county has considered this year and affects both capital projects and operating budgets. It also tests the boundaries of a park dedication fee that was collected for local mitigation of park impacts; one commissioner said the fee warrants broader local discussion before being used outside the county.

Key elements and numbers: Budget director Connie Baker told the board the full list of second-quarter requests would increase budgeted expenditures by roughly $19,061,410 and — after accounting changes for transit sales tax passthroughs — produce a blended supplemental that appears larger due to custodial-accounting adjustments. Among the requests discussed were:

- Deed-restricted housing program: additional $900,000 appropriated to the county housing capital fund. - Healthy Rivers Whitewater Park (Basalt): the department sought an appropriation of $8,750,000 to complete the project; the board approved moving the appropriation forward. - Park dedication fees: commissioners directed staff to apply the remaining park dedication balance, divided as approximately $431,695 to the Healthy Rivers Fund and $100,000 as a contribution to the Carbondale pool campaign; the change produced a modest net increase to the total appropriation reported by staff. - Airport redevelopment: a major multi-year appropriation to support design and preconstruction work, and the temporary addition of several positions to support airport project execution, were included in the package.

Debate and dissent: Commissioner Patty Clapper said she supported preserving housing and finishing the Whitewater Park but expressed concern about spending park dedication fees on projects that benefit areas outside Pitkin County. “I am not comfortable with a $100,000 at this time. It is an exaction fee to mitigate for impacts to Pitkin County,” she said, urging a broader discussion with the full board and municipal partners. Other commissioners argued the park fees had been collected for park-related improvements, that many Valley residents use facilities across jurisdictional lines, and that the fund would not be replenished.

Procedural notes and next steps: County staff clarified that the board’s vote moves the supplemental to a formal second reading on June 25; the appropriation for Healthy Rivers will be subject to subsequent appropriation and any required agreement language. The board approved the supplemental on first reading as amended; commissioners said further public discussion and follow-up will occur as the individual appropriations are finalized.

Vote: The board moved the supplemental forward on first reading, with the amendment allocating the park dedication balances to the Whitewater Park and $100,000 to the Carbondale pool.