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Gilpin County adopts resolutions on disposition of abandoned firearms, VOCA grant, mission, and employee handbook
Summary
At its March 11 meeting the Gilpin County Board of Commissioners approved a set of resolutions including authorizing trade-in or destruction of abandoned firearms, applying for VOCA grant funds up to $115,000, adopting updated mission/values/strategic priorities, and revising the employee handbook. All votes were 3–0.
The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners voted 3–0 on March 11 to approve a package of resolutions authorizing the disposition of abandoned personal property, the submission of a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant application, adoption of updated mission and strategic priorities, and revisions to the county employee handbook.
Susie Allen, property and evidence manager for the sheriff’s office, asked the board to approve Resolution 25-028 authorizing disposition of abandoned items on a multi-year evidence list, including firearms recovered or unclaimed in cases dated from February 2010 through February 2024. Allen said certified letters to owners produced no responses and that the sheriff’s office’s typical process is to trade qualifying firearms to a licensed dealer; proceeds historically have taken the form of trade credit. Allen said previous trade-ins produced about $1,500–$2,000 in similar batches, but she had not yet received bids for the current list.
County Attorney Todd Messenger advised that proceeds from any sale or trade-in typically go to the general fund and would be subject to the county’s normal budget process, unless the board specifically authorized an exception. Commissioners asked for a clear clause. The board added language to authorize the sheriff’s office to use trade credits in 2025 in addition to its previously appropriated budget. The motion carried 3–0.
The board next approved Resolution 25-033, authorizing submission of a 2026 VOCA grant application to the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice with requested funds not to exceed $115,000. Christina Mahoney, the county’s victim services coordinator, said the 2026 VOCA award cycle is being offered for one year rather than the usual two due to statewide budget constraints; the requested amount includes an indirect cost request of roughly $14,000 that the program now allows. Mahoney said the funds are primarily for staffing, travel for training and conferences, brochures and outreach materials. The motion carried 3–0.
The county then adopted Resolution 25-031 to formally adopt a revised mission statement, values and strategic priorities. County Manager Rears summarized changes that staff and the board crafted after a 2022 review and a leadership summit. The mission was condensed to: “We provide responsive services to protect, maintain, and enhance our unique community, historic and cultural heritage, and our mountain environment.” The board also adjusted the values list (collaborative, equitable, innovative, respectful, responsive, sustainable, trustworthy) and set four strategic priorities: workforce enhancement, planning, financial sustainability and community engagement. Commissioners asked for and approved a grammatical change from “equity” to “equitable.” The motion carried 3–0.
Finally, after a number of work sessions and staff input, commissioners approved Resolution 25-032 revising the employee handbook. County Manager Rears and Human Resources Director Julia Johnson described the principal changes: holidays are standardized to 10 hours for all employees (rather than 8 hours), employees will receive 40 hours of vacation on their first day of employment, vacation accrual tiers were adjusted and the handbook eliminates the separate personal leave bank effective Dec. 31, 2025 (offset by increased vacation and holiday hours). The board asked staff to tidy language about volunteer firefighter status and agreed to revisit finer wording at the next handbook review. The motion carried 3–0.
Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (Clerk and Recorder February month-end report): adopted by voice vote, 3–0.
- Resolution 25-028 — Authorize disposition of abandoned personal property (firearms and related evidence). Motion to adopt carried 3–0. Board added clause authorizing the sheriff's office to apply trade credits in 2025 in addition to its appropriated budget; alternative option available is destruction of firearms per state procedure if not sold.
- Resolution 25-033 — Authorize submission of VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant application to Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, funds not to exceed $115,000: adopted 3–0.
- Resolution 25-031 — Adopt 2025 mission, values and strategic priorities (change “equity” to “equitable”): adopted 3–0.
- Resolution 25-032 — Adopt revisions to employee handbook (holiday hours, vacation accruals and caps, elimination of personal leave bank effective 12/31/2025): adopted 3–0.
Board members and staff said they will publish the revised mission and values internally and share revised handbook language with employees; staff will return with clarifying edits (for example, volunteer firefighter provisions) during the next routine handbook review.
