Huerfano County commissioners on Dec. 24 approved a series of grants, contracts, administrative agreements and personnel payments, voting unanimously on most items as recorded in the public meeting.

The board accepted a $208,474 award through the off-system bridge program to help replace the bridge on County Road 543 (project total reported as $783,566) and approved awarding the construction contract to the apparent low bidder, 2 On The Constructors, Inc. of Swink, pending a notice to proceed expected in January. Commissioners recorded a county match for the project of about $89,346, with the packet noting the full project cost and funding split.

The board approved submission of an Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) application for fiscal year 2025 requesting $146,424.56 with the required county match. Commissioners identified two staff allocations in the grant packet: Robert as acting emergency manager and Ross Hall as mitigation coordinator. Officials noted that final reimbursement levels depend on state and federal allocations and that prior years’ reimbursements were smaller than requested.

The sheriff’s office requested retention overtime for jail staff beginning with the pay period that starts Dec. 29, 2024, and running through a date in mid-2025. The board approved overtime for the department with conditions: the sheriff must submit employee training records (onboarding and Spillman system training) and ensure timekeeping is recorded in TCP (timekeeping system) before extended overtime payments take effect. Commissioners directed the overtime period to align with pay periods and noted the sheriff may request extensions if vacancies remain.

The board approved a two-year cybersecurity awareness software purchase for $9,959.76 (packet items cite $9,195 to be reimbursed by a state Homeland Security grant and a county share of $764.76) and authorized joining the CyberBytes Public Safety Alliance membership that carries no cost for membership or the advertised services.

The commissioners approved a contract with HRS Restoration Services for asbestos abatement and related mitigation at 129 Kansas Street in the amount shown in the packet ($159,202) so that construction work may proceed after permitting and required lead time.

The board extended the Value West commercial assessment services agreement for up to $27,000 next year, approved an administrative survey contract not to exceed $6,500 to support property assessment and regulatory review, and authorized the county administrator to execute the agreement once the competitive bids are received and reviewed.

County leadership approved a blanket overtime request for dispatch personnel to cover staffing beginning with the pay period that contains Jan. 1, 2025, and running through the pay period containing March 10, 2025, adjusting the effective start to Dec. 29 so pay periods align.

The commissioners approved a one-time employee bonus program: $500 for each full-time employee and $250 for each part-time employee, with the packet citing a total of approximately $53,000; they also approved addition of up to $15,000 in performance bonuses. The motion specified that bonuses be paid to employees on the payroll as of Dec. 20, 2024.

The board approved a settlement payment of $50,000 to Health Care Partners Foundation related to an outstanding billing and medical-records dispute with the sheriff’s office; the packet states the payment is tied to turning over medical records.

Other routine items approved included: consent agenda (minutes, a permit application for Peak and Garrow Pit, and the resignation of James Graham from the county jail), Resolution No. 24-52 (authorizing a design engineering loan agreement and changes requested by state reviewers), Resolution No. 24-51 (establishing employee salary listings for the 2025 budget year, with allowance for corrections), and liquor license renewals for businesses listed in the packet (including 4 Seasons). The board also authorized submitting an extension request for the FY24 courthouse project to allow completion of remaining work and coordination with courts and vendors.

Meetings ended with a planned executive session later in the day for legal advice under CRS 24-6-402(4) related to sheriff’s office management matters.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in the public meeting): agenda approval (passed); consent agenda (passed); Resolution 24-52 (passed); Resolution 24-51 (passed, with ability to correct typographical errors); dispatch overtime request (passed); sheriff retention overtime request with training/timekeeping conditions (passed); CyberBytes membership (passed); cybersecurity software purchase (passed); off-system bridge grant acceptance (passed); contract award to 2 On The Constructors, Inc. (passed); EMPG grant application authorization (passed); courthouse project extension request (passed); survey authorization not to exceed $6,500 (passed); HRS Restoration Services contract for 129 Kansas (passed); Value West agreement extension (passed); employee bonuses and performance bonus allocation (passed); settlement with Health Care Partners Foundation $50,000 (passed); liquor license renewals (passed). No recorded motions failed or were tabled during the meeting.

The board’s packet and staff presentations provided the numeric details above; where the packet or staff comments noted a figure but also allowed subsequent correction (for example, typographical errors in the employee-salary listing), the board approved with authority to correct those clerical errors.