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Commissioners move to place Mill Creek Park grading contract on a regular meeting agenda after $94,000 bid

San Miguel County Board of County Commissioners (work session) / Board of Public Health (role) · January 14, 2026

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Summary

County staff reported a community survey (56 responses) supporting natural-design park elements; an RFP for grading/revegetation produced a leading timely bid of $94,000 and commissioners directed staff to prepare a contract for approval at the next regular meeting and to pursue pathways and immediate amenities.

Janet Cask presented survey results and bid responses for the Mill Creek Park project on Jan. 14. The county’s recent survey (open July 9–Oct. 16) drew 56 responses; most respondents selected options already included in the conceptual plan — picnic tables, natural play structures, a pollinator garden, benches and interpretive signage. Janet emphasized a desire to keep the site as natural as possible while phasing improvements.

Janet reissued the RFP for grading and revegetation of the 1.909-acre site to get winter bids and said the leading timely bid came in at $94,000, below consultant estimates and previously discussed budget projections. The contract scope includes stripping topsoil to 6 inches, rough and final grading, stockpiling topsoil and revegetation with a county seed mix; water access and coordination with the Town of Telluride would be required for plant establishment.

Commissioners discussed which amenities to prioritize. Picnic tables, open‑space pollinator plantings and natural play structures ranked highest in the survey; the board debated installing a single barbecue area (with safety measures to comply with fire bans) and the size/location of a proposed bike skills track. Commissioners generally supported phasing the work but asked staff to explore doing pathways and some amenities concurrently to gain cost efficiencies and deliver visible improvements in the coming season.

Public commenter Douglas Tooley praised the park’s symbolic value and suggested consulting Indigenous naming and language resources for interpretive signage.

Next steps: commissioners asked staff to prepare a contract with the leading bidder for the next regular meeting and to issue a separate RFP for park pathways. They instructed staff to bring cost estimates for tables/BBQ/bench items so some site amenities can be installed with the 2026 construction window.