Montezuma County sets higher jail daily fee; phased increase begins July 1

At its April 29, 2025 meeting, the Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners approved a change to the sheriff's office inmate housing fee, setting the daily rate at $125 beginning July 1, 2025; commissioners also discussed a further increase to take effect Jan. 1, 2026, but the transcript contains inconsistent figures for that later rate and the precise amount is not specified in the record.

County staff told the board the county had been “horribly low” at $100 per day and presented a rate study that accounted for permanent salaries, overtime, fringe benefits, operating expenses, food, fuel, clothing, janitorial services, professional services, insurance and bonds, vehicles and transports, uniform allowance, training and inmate commissary costs. Staff said the study shows those costs support the higher daily charge and recommended a phased approach to give municipalities such as Dolores time to adjust.

Commissioners moved and seconded the motion to set the sheriff’s fees “as presented.” The motion passed on recorded voice votes of “Aye” and “Aye.” The meeting record does not list individual commissioners’ names on the tally.

Discussion in the meeting made clear the $125 daily rate is the confirmed action for July 1, 2025. The board also referenced an additional future increase to take effect Jan. 1, 2026; however, the staff presentation to the board included two different numeric references (one remark referred to a new number of $146 per day while later wording in the record referenced a different figure). Because the meeting record is internally inconsistent on that later figure, the article reports only the confirmed $125 starting July 1 and states the later increase’s precise amount is not specified in the transcript.

The board’s action affects municipalities that contract with Montezuma County for inmate housing and will change the per-inmate billing those jurisdictions pay. The county indicated the new fee schedule was based on direct operating cost lines and will be implemented administratively.

No statutory citation or ordinance number was recorded in the meeting discussion; commissioners said most county fees are set by statute but did not name a specific statute in the transcript.