During the Dec. 8 budget workshop, Grand County commissioners endorsed maintaining a hiring freeze for the first quarter and asked staff to model voluntary and mandatory work‑hour reductions as part of a package to lower spending. Commissioners also agreed to delay cost‑of‑living adjustments (COLA) until revenues are reviewed in Q1, with the option to backdate COLA if the county can afford it later.

Staff numbers and options: finance staff presented a preliminary estimate that the vacancy freeze could reduce general‑fund spending by roughly $104,000. Commissioners discussed voluntary reductions (employees opting for reduced hours) and mandatory reductions (for example, closing or shortening Fridays). Staff offered a voluntary half‑day Friday model that produced smaller, uncertain savings and estimated a full Friday closure at roughly $192,000 annually as an illustrative number; staff cautioned that many elected offices and mandated services must remain open and proposed staggered schedules as a mitigation.

Service and equity concerns: multiple commissioners urged caution about mandatory closures because they would affect employees’ pay and retirement calculations and could reduce services to constituents (e.g., assessor, courts). Staff reported a voluntary‑reduction survey of employees found about half said they could take optional reductions and half could not, largely due to loss of income or benefit concerns.

Decision and next steps: commissioners agreed to treat the freeze and reductions as a combined policy and to revisit their effects after a Q1 revenue update (March/April timeline). Staff was asked to return with precise, department‑level estimates of savings and any legal or statutory constraints on mandated office hours.