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Custer County commissioners approve wage adjustments, equipment purchase and multiple grant applications
Summary
At a regular meeting the Custer County Board of Commissioners approved supplemental budget appropriations for wage adjustments, authorized a purchase of a wood chipper for fire mitigation, approved multiple grant applications, and approved routine financial items and committee appointments.
Custer County commissioners voted Thursday to approve several budget adjustments, a capital purchase and multiple grant applications, and to complete routine county business including accounts payable, scholarship awards and committee appointments.
The board adopted three supplemental appropriations to cover wage adjustments and one capital purchase: a $11,205 transfer from the general fund to salary and benefits lines for several offices; a $23,475 appropriation from the Road and Bridge fund for road maintenance salaries and benefits; and a $49,500 appropriation from the Emergency Services fund for the purchase of a wood chipper for fire mitigation. The board also approved paying the second-half accounts payable batch of $168,890.53 and authorized staff to apply for a CDOT multimodal transportation mitigation grant to complete downtown sidewalk construction.
The actions were presented as routine supplemental budget appropriations and grant applications intended to cover payroll shortfalls, an emergency-services capital purchase and project cost increases for a previously engineered sidewalk project.
Resolutions and other formal actions
- Resolution 25-07: General Fund wage adjustments. The board approved a supplemental appropriation of $11,205 from fund balance to salary and benefits lines for the clerk and recorder, assessor, landfill and recycling functions. Outcome: approved (motion/second recorded; voice vote in favor).
- Resolution 25-08: Road & Bridge wage adjustments. The board approved $23,475 appropriated from the Road and Bridge fund balance into salary and benefit lines for Road & Bridge maintenance. Outcome: approved (voice vote in favor).
- Resolution 25-09: Emergency Services capital purchase. The board approved moving $49,500 from the Emergency Services fund balance to purchase a wood chipper for fire mitigation. Commissioners discussed that the purchase is tied to a Colorado State Forest Service Financial Assistance program grant. Outcome: approved (voice vote in favor).
- Accounts payable: The board approved the current accounts payable totaling $168,890.53. Outcome: approved (voice vote in favor).
- Multimodal transportation mitigation grant application: Staff asked for and received authorization to apply for an additional $50,000 from the CDOT multimodal transportation mitigation options funding program to cover estimated construction and project management for the downtown sidewalk project. The presenter said there is no local match required for the CDOT funding. Outcome: motion to apply approved (voice vote in favor).
- County scholarship and prom donation: The board approved a county scholarship allocation of $1,500 to be administered through the high school scholarship committee and separately approved a $500 prom donation. Outcome: approved (voice votes in favor).
- Workforce Housing Committee appointment: The board appointed Bob Fulton (Town of Westcliffe trustee) to the Custer County Workforce Housing Committee. Outcome: approved (voice vote in favor).
- IQS Web system: The board approved terms and conditions for the IQS (Incident Qualification System) web software, which the county will use to track wildland fire qualifications. Outcome: approved (voice vote in favor).
How the board decided
Most measures were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. The record in the meeting transcript reflects unanimous voice votes for the listed items; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript. Multiple commissioners spoke in support or requested clarifying details before final votes.
Why this matters
The wage adjustments and capital purchase change line items in the county budget and will be reflected in future financial reports. The sidewalk grant application could add up to $50,000 to a previously engineered $300,000 project (roughly $100,000 spent on engineering and about $150,000 remaining for construction); if awarded, the funding would increase the county’s available construction budget. The wood chipper purchase and IQS enrollment relate to wildfire mitigation and emergency preparedness.
Ending
The board completed remaining agenda items without further contested votes and moved to public comment before adjourning. Further approvals (for example, acceptance of any awarded grants) will require subsequent formal acceptance votes by the commissioners.
