Commissioners approve three-month extension to animal shelter intergovernmental agreement with Leadville

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 30 approved an amendment to the existing intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Leadville to extend the county's IGA for an animal shelter for three months.

County staff presented the city’s redlined draft of the proposed amendment and told commissioners the city had removed language that prorated the county’s financial obligation for the extension. Several commissioners and staff raised concerns that removing proration could allow the city to seek a larger share of expenses during the extension period. Board members discussed retaining explicit language to preserve the county’s right to contest invoices and to cap the county’s obligation to a prorated amount for the quarter. Commissioners also expressed unease with adding or changing a "good faith" negotiation clause and preferred clearer, mandatory language so an agreed revised IGA would be in place before the extended termination date.

Because the existing IGA expires Jan. 1 and the City of Leadville expected to take the city-side amendment up at its Jan. 7 meeting, county staff recommended signing and returning the county's original amendment to preserve the extension and then bring a second amendment with negotiated changes back before the board on Jan. 7. The board approved the amendment as originally drafted to preserve the extension and directed staff to continue negotiating and present any further amendments at the Jan. 7 meeting.