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Chaffee County commissioners approve funding agreements, GIS contract, waste MOUs and move forward with administrator hire
Summary
At their Feb. 3 meeting the Chaffee County commissioners authorized staff to formalize discretionary funding agreements with community partners, approved an interim GIS contract, agreed to MOUs for state extended‑producer‑responsibility funds, authorized carryforward of private activity bond capacity, denied one rezoning fee refund request, approved destination management spending within existing budgets, and advanced Beth Helmke’s appointment as county administrator.
The Chaffee County Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 3 approved several administrative actions intended to preserve program options and continue county operations.
Commissioners directed staff to formalize 2026 commissioner discretionary funding agreements with community partners including Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition, Chaffee County Community Foundation, Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation, Mountain Valley Transit, Recycle Colorado and Southwest Conservation Corps. Staff said the agreements document scopes and obligations for funds already allocated in the FY26 budget and emphasized that some dollars come from restricted funding buckets.
The board approved a short‑term contract with Custom Geospatial Solutions LLC, in which the county will retain the services of Eric (the departing GIS coordinator) through his firm for up to 10 hours a week to maintain critical GIS services while the county defines a long‑term staffing plan. Commissioners thanked Eric for recent improvements to the county’s GIS layers and maps.
On regional waste policy, the board authorized staff to execute memorandums of understanding with municipalities for channeling state extended‑producer‑responsibility fees through the county so the funds can be coordinated for local recycling and diversion programs.
Commissioners also approved submitting the IRS notification to carry forward Chaffee County's private activity bond allocation, preserving the county’s ability to aggregate its annual cap for up to three years as a tool for possible future affordable‑housing financing.
On a separate matter, the board denied a request from a property owner to refund a $2,500 rezoning application fee after a legislative rezone later rendered that application moot. Staff said county and city staff had performed pre‑application and referral work and recommended denial.
The board accepted the Destination Management Council's recommendation to extend a services scope with the firm DestinationIQ within existing appropriations to implement tourism and destination marketing strategies; commissioners asked for monthly itemized reporting and reconciliation of results.
In personnel action, commissioners interviewed finalist Beth Helmke and moved to make her the permanent county administrator, with contract negotiations to be finalized and returned to the board for approval.
Several executive sessions were held under Colorado open‑meetings statutes for attorney–client privileged matters, negotiations and personnel; the board returned to open session and adjourned after completing those items.
